Fish oil in plants?
Genetically modified plants which produce essential omega-3 fish oils could be the only way to ensure people get enough of these nutrients, according to a major EU-funded study. The plants, which would be used as feed for farm animals, could increase omega-3 in human diets without adding to pressure on rapidly declining fish stocks.
Why do we need omega-3?
Long-chain fatty acids called EPA and DHA, found mainly in oily fish such as tuna, salmon and mackerel, can give protection against cardiovascular diseases and slow mental decline in elderly people and are essential for the healthy development of a baby's brain in the womb. Nutritionalists have long been suggesting supplementation or eating more oily fish.
Not enough in our diets
Experts recommend that we eat about 450mg of omega-3 oils every day, but most adults manage barely half that amount. Among teenagers, the figure drops to just 100mg a day. Low-income families get about 50mg a day less than average. An analysis carried out for the project found that the costs of increasing omega-3 consumption, in or outside nutritional supplement pills, would be paid back many times over in reduced healthcare costs.
Chicken is more popular
Only 30% of Britons regularly eat oily fish, but 80% eat poultry. Nutritional supplementation of omega-3 on the other hand is not popular as yet. The only sustainable way to increase omega-3 in people's diets was to turn to GM technology. There are no naturally occurring plant species that have the capacity to synthesise these long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which is why we have to take the GM route - there is no alternative. Environmentalists would need to consider the sustainability aspect. If you're reducing the pressure on natural fish stocks, that's got to be a benefit. You can't always be a nay-sayer, you've got to come up with a positive solution. By implanting vitamins and minerals in popular food stuffs, future generations will be better protected, but is it ethical to feed them unawares?
Author Bio:
Mitamins team
bd@mitamins.net
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