Super-healthy watercress developed through genetic technology
Watercress was originally just an ordinary vegetable in the housewife's shopping basket. British scientists used transgenic technology to make watercress rich in the polyunsaturated fatty acids found in chicken and fish, turning it into a "super-healthy" vegetable.
The Omega-3 and Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids contained in this transgenic watercress can regulate blood pressure and immune responses and participate in cell signaling activities. Omega-3 is also believed to promote brain development and reduce the incidence of heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis in adults.
Seaweed and mushrooms are rich in natural polyunsaturated fatty acids. Scientists at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom reported in the journal Nature Biotechnology that they isolated three genes responsible for producing polyunsaturated fatty acids from seaweed and mushrooms, implanted them into watercress, and cultivated transgenic watercress equally rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. The researchers believe that this achievement will contribute to the development and research of a new generation of healthy vegetable foods in the future.
Nutritionist Catherine Collins of St George's Hospital in London said that this transgenic watercress can be eaten directly, or it can enter the food chain by being fed to animals and then be eaten by humans. This achievement is another advance in functional food research. The human body cannot synthesize Omega-3 and Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids on its own and can only obtain them from natural foods. In nature, poultry and egg foods are rich in Omega-6, while grains, salmon, halibut and cold-water fish such as sardines are rich in Omega-3. However, due to scarce fish resources and excessive fish toxins caused by pollution, researchers have been looking for food sources that are rich in these two nutrients and easy to obtain. But some people have always been skeptical about genetically modified foods, and it is currently unknown whether this "super-healthy" watercress can ultimately end up on the dining table.