ENGINEERED PHYTONUTRIENTS
Dr. Linda Posh MS SLP ND
PHYTONUTRIENT GENETIC ENGINEERING: The great debate over the safety of our food being genetically engineered. Have a look here for some useful information and a few questions about engineering for phytonutrients. Research studies worldwide have recently begun to uncover the wide array of phytonutrients contained in fruits and vegetables. This factor alone make it even more important than we thought that you include a variety of fruits and vegetables as part of your daily diet.
Phytonutrients offer many benefits with regard to human health, some known and some yet unknown. Did you know the widely touted "vitamin" called folic acid is actually a phytonutrient? On the cusp of the millennium, there is no doubt that the next decade or so is going to burst wide open with many more undiscovered virtues of the phytonutrient rich foods that Americans do not eat enough of.
Given the current dietary government guidelines, phytonutrients are not considered essential nutrients. Nevertheless, a flood of anti-aging research is beginning to demonstrate, and quite provocatively, the potential anti-aging characteristics of some of these mysterious plant compounds. It has been suggested that diseases such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's, may plague the middle aged and elderly due to our limited knowledge of these all important, plant specific nutrients. For example, it has been proposed that certain flavinoids found in blueberries may actually reverse nerve cell aging.
The study of phytonutrients has provided the impetus for both plant and nutritional scientists to work together as a team to uncover even more important knowledge. This makes perfect sense because fresh produce is the only currently known source of these valuable and mysterious nutrients. The sad part is that only a small handful of visionary scientists are researching how to improve the nutritional quality of these lovely green edibles. The majority of research to date has been dedicated to increasing crop yields by making stronger, hardier plants that will be able to ward off being damaged by disease, pesticides, etc.
Genetic engineering has already been able to produce tomatoes with up to three times more lycopene. Lycopene is the cancer reducing red pigment found in tomatoes. These modified tomatoes are able to maintain maximum nutrition 3 times longer (shelf life) than their " regular" counterparts. Autar K. Matoo and colleagues of the ARS vegetable laboratory inserted a gene that retards plant aging along with a promoter that is triggered by ripening. The engineered tomatoes were thus proven to be able to accumulate more lycopene and other antioxidants during the longer ripening stage. It is felt that this novel approach should work with other fruits and vegetables.
Environmental factors also appear to make a difference. Cantaloupe melons, grown at the ARS Subtropical Agricultural Research Center in Weslaco Texas, differed in beta carotene levels by as much as 500 percent. The differences in these levels depended on the soil, the cultivar and the size of the fruit. Gene E. Lester, head research scientist and his colleagues, are embarking on a project to understand post harvest storage factors as well as the environmental and genetic factors that affect phytontrient levels and the quality thereof.
It seems that specialized plant breeding will be central to putting produce with enhanced phytonutrient levels on the dinner table. It is now well known that broccoli contains rich sources of certain compounds that may inhibit cancer. It is felt that there is good potential for increasing the anti-cancer power of this wondrous vegetable. Mark W. Farnham, of the ARS vegetable research lab at Charleston South Carolina, has found that the purported anti-cancer precursor glucoraphanin exhibits a 30 fold increase in the inbred broccoli lines.
While we should all feel grateful that such wondrous research is beginning to unfold, a question remains ... some food for thought. Although genetic engineered fruits and vegetables are beginning to demonstrate without a doubt, that we can produce plants that are packed with additional health supporting active compounds, what is the overall risk? Are these plants as Mother Nature intended them to be? Does and will altering the genetic potential of plant life bring forth a plethora of problems yet unseen? To date, we simply don't know.
About the author:
Dr. Linda Posh MS SLP ND, has been in the lab developing whole
food nutritional supplements. Nutra-Resources Body Balance Liquid Vitamin Website
donates all profits to Health Care for those in need. visit http://www.Nutra-Resources.
com
The latest information and news on Anti-Aging Advice :
The latest innovative techniques in the field of anti-aging are set to be showcased at a conference to be held in Dubai this autumn.
Anti-Aging Skin Treatments That May Work (CBS News)
A study shows their effectiveness in treating sun-damaged skin and fine lines and wrinkles. A dermatologist explained the science and named product names, on The Early Show .
Beautorium Keeps Getting Greener and Greener (PR.com)
From anti-aging to pregnancy and baby, from body care to hair care, from aromatherapy to makeup, Beautorium is a luxury of ?green? solutions for modern skin care and beauty needs. The beauty doesn?t stop there. Get ready for three more cult beauty brands to join the mix: Afterglow Mineral Cosmetics, John Masters Organics and Weleda. Afterglow Mineral Cosmetics Hailing all the way from ...
Cardio Infrared Technologies Commits to Attend World's Largest Anti-Aging Con...
LAS VEGAS, Aug. 14, 2008 -- Cardio Infrared Technologies, Inc. announced today that they will again be attending the world's largest Anti-Aging show at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas, .
Does It Work: Anti-aging device or just scary? (MSNBC)
We test the Flex-Away Facial Exerciser, which claims it will give your "entire face a younger appearance." Too bad it looks like something out of "The Silence of the Lambs."
Christie & Co. wins top beauty award (Queens Courier)
Spa de Beaut/ was awarded the coveted 2008 Rep?chage¨ Spa de Beaut/ of the Year Award at the 10th annual Award Gala at the beautiful Tribeca Rooftop in New York City.
Wrinkle Removers, Backed by Science (New York Times)
Over the past decade, researchers have been learning which treatments for wrinkles work, and why.
The crop may be blue, though the mood is anything but at Evergreen Berry Farm...
"Therapeutic," is how Rosaline Mays, an avid blueberry picker, describes her annual summer ritual. "It calms the mind. Just me, the berries and the birds. I love it," said the Bantam resident.
The Results are In: Dermitàge Cellulite Control Kit Produces Smooth Silhouett...
Post Launch Numbers Prove Success on Many Levels (PRWeb Aug 20, 2008) Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/08/prweb1192304.htm
A medical fountain of youth? (The Post and Courier)
You've seen the ad. The old guy with the ripped bod. Wearing only jeans, he stands with one hip cocked and smiles affably into the camera. Dr. Jeffry S. Life, who will turn 70 this year, promotes Cenegenics Medical Institute, which specializes in "age management medicine."