Breaking Myths: GMO Foods - Dangerous or Useful?

GMO is an abbreviation for Genetically Modified Organisms. These are organisms whose DNA has been altered using genetic engineering. I will now explain to the layman what it means when we talk about GMO foods.

People always made the selection, it just wasn't targeted. In ancient times, the seeds of those plants that had the desired characteristics, such as more fruits and better resistance, were kept. Or crossing plants to get new plants. No plant we eat today has existed in this form in the ancient past.

The disadvantage of these primitive methods is that they rely heavily on chance - one cannot choose which characteristics to inherit. The advantage of genetic engineering is that we can choose exactly which traits the plant wants to have, such as resistance to parasites or increased nature.

And that's really it, GMO foods are nothing special. People have always modified the food they eat, now we just have better and more accurate tools for it.

Is GMO Safe for Health?

The science is pretty clear and unanimous - GMO foods are safe for health and no different than other foods. It can often be heard that GMO foods have not been sufficiently tested, and this cannot be further from the truth. Contrary to popular opinion, GMO food is by far the most tested food in human history!

We're not talking about dozens or hundreds of studies here, but at least 2000 scientific studies on GMO safety. This includes scientific work on a sample of 100 billion animals, 13 times the total human population across the planet.

An extremely small percentage of these studies show any problems, and this is precisely what is being emphasized in the media - pure sensationalism. And, of course, these are the few studies that conspiracy theorists exclusively cite, ignoring the other 2000 studies.

Worst of all, these studies are full of methodological flaws that invalidate conclusions and have been published in poorer scientific journals. In the last few decades since the start of GMO food research, there is still a fair amount of research waiting to show that GMO foods are bad for health.


If someone says that GMOs have not been tested or that science is divided on this topic, they simply do not know what they are talking about.

"Who finances these studies?!?"

I know that part of the reader is already ready to comment that these are certainly all commissioned studies conducted by scientists who have subscribed to large corporations. They are clearly unaware that it is impracticable to bribe the entire scientific community, especially when it comes to this much researched topic.

Fortunately, we don't even have to mess with conspiracy theorists, because we also have studies on who funds GMO research. Most of the research (58.3%) is independently funded and conducted by researchers who have no affiliation with GMO development companies.

For example, even the European Union itself has invested over € 300 million in GMO safety research. From hundreds of scientific studies over 25 years, the European Commission has concluded that GMO foods are safe. All regulatory bodies around the world have come to the same conclusion, reviewing the available evidence.

The benefits of GMO foods

GMOs are significantly better for the environment than conventional farming.

• It requires less soil, thus preserving forests and other green spaces.
• Reduces pesticide and herbicide use.
• It needs less water.
• It gives higher yields.
• It is more cost-effective for farmers.
• It results in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

These are all very important items as the world population continues to grow. We need ways to feed the growing population with as little environmental impact as possible, and GMOs do just that. If you are committed to protecting the environment and opposed to GMO foods, you should reconsider your position ...


The benefits of GMO foods go back to increasing the nutritional value of foods. Perhaps the most famous example is the so-called. "Golden rice" containing beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. This is especially important in less developed parts of the world where vitamin A deficiency results in permanent blindness or even death of several million children a year.

Where did such resistance to GMO foods come from?

First and foremost, the main reason for resistance to GMO foods is lack of knowledge. This is not only my conclusion, it has been demonstrated in more research on representative samples from several countries in North America and Europe.

The people who are most opposed to GMO foods have objectively the least knowledge of genetics and science in general, and they think they know the most. To reiterate, extreme opponents of GMOs know the least, and think they know the most. This is something called psychology called the Dunning-Kruger effect in psychology, and here is a school-based demonstration of the actual pattern.

If the information I am trying to convey to you in this article is different from what you think you know, I know you are feeling cognitive dissonance. Instead of being angry (at me) and dismissing what you read, try gradually absorbing the incredible amount of evidence that supports GMO foods.

Conclusion

GMO food is one of the most researched areas in science and by far the most researched food in human history. It is safe for health and no different from other foods. GMO foods are better for the environment because they require less resources and pesticides and give better nature.

Fear and resistance to GMO foods are the result of a lack of knowledge on the subject. The solution to this is to have an open mind and educate yourself from quality scientific sources, and the sources I cite at the end of the article can serve as a springboard.


And to put an end to the potential accusations that are often seen on articles like this: No, no one has bribed me to write this article.