: Episode 1226 – The wonderful Dr. Kevin Folta joins Vinnie for his second appearance on this podcast, and the two talk GMOs, vitamin depletion, the expense of healthy food, herbicides, and more on this Friday episode.
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DR. KEVIN FOLTA
- Dr. Folta has been studying DNA manipulation since he was a kid
- He is a GMO expert
- Has a PhD in molecular biology
- Works largely in horticulture (runs the department at UF)
- This is his second appearance on this podcast – check out his first here!
GENETIC MANIPULATION OF FOOD
- Now, we can provide more fruits and veggies nearly all year round
- This is a score for public health in general
- Not really a thing when Vinnie and Dr. Folta were kids
- Organic is still a production system – something can be GMO and organic
- For example, still using insecticides, just different types
- Genetic engineering is actually changing the DNA in the lab
- Add resistance, other things
- Genetically modified food can be good!
- People don’t really understanding genetic modification
- Assume it’s evil when it can be good
- It’s not so black and white
- Genetic modification is going into human beings – this is the more controversial subject
- Dr. Folta thinks we are close to being able to prevent things like heart disease predisposition, etc.
- We do allow technology to change (and improve) the lives of people
- This can be a good thing, if done responsibly!
- Many of those people who rail against GMOs unknowingly promote other genetically modified foods, like soybeans
- The plant itself has been genetically modified, so ALL soybeans are thus modified from their original form
- Similarity in wheat – the book Wheat Belly focuses on this
- Sugar cane is awful for the environment
- Genetically modified sugar beets are much better for the environment
- However, people rail against sugar beets and promote damaging sugar cane
VITAMIN DEPLETION
- GMO’s can address vitamin depletion that many experience
- We have gone away from fresh fruits and veggies and vitamin-rich meats with the SAD
- Resultantly, we eat the wrong kind of calories
- People more and more lack essential vitamins and nutrients in their diets
- Part of this is because vitamin rich food is expensive
- People making the rules can afford these foods
- Poorest people cannot, and they also have the highest rates of metabolic issues
