Genetically modified foods are all the hype these days. We are growing more and more conscious of their existence and an ever increasing number of people are avoiding them altogether. I guess it kind of makes sense that most people have an aversion to eating food that’s been genetically manipulated.
Did you know, however, that we’re already eating a lot of common foods that are in fact genetically modified? Let’s take a look! Note: this is mostly only the case for the United States as the food regulations are a lot less strict there.
Tomatoes
Yup, good ol’ tomatoes are genetically modified. They were actually modified to halt the production of the enzyme that would usually cause them to rot quickly after leaving the vine. These tomatoes were quickly pulled out of production however, as there were some questions regarding their carcinogenic properties that the scientist who developed them couldn’t quite answer.
Yellow Zucchini
These modified zucchinis actually don’t get their color from the genetic modification as you’d expect. The modification just protects them against certain viruses. Apart from that, there’s no discernable difference between the modified or unmodified zucchini.
Corn
A whopping 85% of the corn grown in the US is considered to be genetically modified to some degree. The modification doesn’t really go much further than making them resistant to certain pesticides or herbicides, but it still counts.
Soy Beans
Soy has actually been modified to the point where it now has more Omega 9 fatty acids, which are generally found in olive oil and lower your cholesterol.
Milk
Cows are giving a specific growth hormone that increases the amount of milk they can produce. This is banned in Europe, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Canada – so you’re safe if your milk comes from there.
Sugar Beets
In the US, these modified sugar beets are actually responsible for 95% of the sugar beet market. That’s an insane amount!
