Supercarrot to the rescue!

by Kaitlin | January 15, 2008 at 05:56 pm | 673 views | 11 comments

It's a root veggie...it's a tuber...no, it's supercarrot!

That's right--US scientists have apparently engineered a high-calcium carrot that could fortify your bones without fattening up your butt.

Someone eating the new carrot absorbs 41% more calcium than if they ate the old, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study suggests.

The calcium-charged vegetable still needs to go through many safety trials.

Scientists estimate that the new carrot--along with other similarly modified veggies--could help consumers bridge the gap between necessary vitamins and fatty or allergy-causing sources like lactose. Still, resistance to GM foods remains high. But perhaps we shouldn't be so sticky about our carrot sticks, especially since the carrot already has a sordid history:

It is not the first time the carrot has been tampered with.

The orange colour we know is the result of Dutch cultivation in the 17th Century, when patriotic growers turned a vegetable which was then purple into the colour of the national flag.

So is it, "Supercarrot, away" or "Supercarrot, get away"? Time will tell...

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Rob Peters

at 18:01 on January 15th, 2008

good stuff:

I eat a carrot every day--it's how I maintain the lustrous sheen of my hair.

kmcmanus

at 19:27 on January 15th, 2008

Few carrots are as delicious, nor as virile as my home-grown.

kmcmanus has contributed a photo to this story.

Gryfon

at 19:31 on January 15th, 2008

Doesn't really bother me, in several thousand years time they might have evolved to become calcium rich carrots anyway, we're only speeding up time.

Gryfon has contributed a photo to this story.

sparkle glowplug

at 20:25 on January 15th, 2008

I love carrots, but I'm unsure about the wisdom of genetically engineered foods. I believe that at the least, genetically engineered foods should have a distinctive label.

sparkle glowplug has contributed a photo to this story.

datdat

at 21:49 on January 15th, 2008

Thats a great super"carrot"man photo by Cooper

datdat has contributed a photo to this story.

Miyspirit

at 22:02 on January 15th, 2008

good stuff:

Kaitlin, I like this story. It's good stuff....a super read..informative...I knew there was a good reason why I liked carrots...its nice to know...thanks for the story share ;)

datdat

at 23:18 on January 15th, 2008

I'm not comfortable with gmo food. We think we're so smart but we keep painting ourselves into corners. Cars, chemicals, etc. I think we should quit trying to alter this beautiful place, be caretakers instead of mad scientists.

ExperienceLA

at 23:57 on January 15th, 2008

ExperienceLA has contributed a photo to this story. These mini carrots are from Weiser Farms and can be found at the Long Beach and Santa Monica Farmers Markets. Recently I heard that our present day carrots have been developed to be the universal orange color but historically they were purple.

Grooover

at 02:51 on January 16th, 2008

I'm not entirely a fan of modified food but it must have its uses. Her indoors says I do not get enough calcium as I do not consume much dairy products. Having the calcium in something i do eat will take away the need to take it as a suppliment.

Grooover has contributed a photo to this story.

Vijay Ramaswamy

at 13:48 on January 16th, 2008

I dont mind extra nutrients in my carrot. But there must be more awareness regarding the kind of GM technology that goes into its making.

Vijay Ramaswamy has contributed a photo to this story.

Artist-Dave

at 13:52 on January 17th, 2008

Grow you own Veg, or by Organic its your choice, So say no to GM foods.

Artist-Dave has contributed a photo to this story.