Health Benefits
Some genetically engineered crops are modified to have health benefits. There are crops that have been modified to increase nutrition, such as and Vitamin A enriched golden rice.
Golden Rice
One of the health benefits of genetically modified crops is the creation of golden rice. The purpose of golden rice is to increase the amount of β-Carotene (beta-Carotene), a precursor to vitamin A, that is found in the edible parts of the rice. While rice has the ability to produce beta-carotene in the leaves via photosynthesis, this ability is not present in the edible grain.
One of the ways that golden rice is engineering is through the use of daffodils. Carotenoids are the pigment that give daffodils their color, and that gene is taken and placed into the rice to fortify them with beta-Carotene. This helps to enrich the rice with vitamin A.
Golden rice is extremely health beneficial because it can help fight Vitamin A deficiency (VAD). Vitamin A deficiency increases the risk of disease, infection, death, and is the leading cause of blindness in children. It is prevalent in countless countries, especially those in Africa and Southeast Asia. Widespread consumption of golden rice could help reduce Vitamin A deficiency among children and pregnant women, and can lead to the engineering of other Vitamin A rich plants such as beans, pumpkins, and peanuts.
One of the ways that golden rice is engineering is through the use of daffodils. Carotenoids are the pigment that give daffodils their color, and that gene is taken and placed into the rice to fortify them with beta-Carotene. This helps to enrich the rice with vitamin A.
Golden rice is extremely health beneficial because it can help fight Vitamin A deficiency (VAD). Vitamin A deficiency increases the risk of disease, infection, death, and is the leading cause of blindness in children. It is prevalent in countless countries, especially those in Africa and Southeast Asia. Widespread consumption of golden rice could help reduce Vitamin A deficiency among children and pregnant women, and can lead to the engineering of other Vitamin A rich plants such as beans, pumpkins, and peanuts.