I read with tremendous interest the recent article featured by World Tea News about the young neuroscience major who is trying to create a non-caffeinated tea via genetic engineering.
When you purchase decaffeinated tea, you must compromise a bit on taste and quality and this research could certainly be a game-changer. Truth is, for most people, the amount of caffeine in green tea, for example, is so small and – being genetically paired with L-theonine – doesn’t really create any problems for the consumer. There are some people, however, who refuse to ingest anything with caffeine, or want to significantly reduce their intake. This research, if positive, would serve these people well.
The promise is that the antioxidant load would be virtually unchanged. Although my first instinct was to applaud this research, I’m reminded about GMO’s and how my initial interest in the genetic engineering process was favorable. Today, I’ve come to understand that GMO’s are dangerous. The United States is the only first world country which allows these products to be grown on our soil – let alone appear on our shelves -without informational labeling. This Frankenstein-like engineering creates a potential for physiological harm to consumers.
The lesson I’ve learned from GMO’s is that it’s best not to mess with Mother Nature.
Green tea has been used for medicinal purposes for over 5000 years. The small amount of caffeine hasn’t yet created a problem for the countless people who have enjoyed the plethora of benefits from this humble plant. Perhaps we should leave well enough alone.
I’d love to hear what you think.
Thanks, Michelle. Why not just give the tea a quick rinse? A fifteen second rinse removes 50 – 70% of the caffeine, so why must the engineers manipulate at the cellular level? I am reminded of the folktales about the well-meaning people of Ostropol who captured the moon’s reflection in a barrel of water, thinking they had the genuine article. Perhaps we have too many genetic engineers meddling about.
I think the research tells us that washing tea doesn’t remove as much caffeine as we had initially thought. That said, I am concerned about GMO foods so why not tea as well? If our bodies aren’t identifying GMO foods as real food, I suspect the same would apply to tea……..no?
So far most of the literature against gmos is based on either junk science or differences between gmo and non gmo products that are not statistically significant. There was an interesting article in Scientific American that compares the liberal reaction to gmos (and vaccinations) to the reactions of conservative climate deniers, i.e. both sides pay little attention to the real science of either issue.
I would have to disagree. GMO’s have NOT been proven safe. Animal experiments always product tumors within 6 mos. No human studies as of yet. Should we wait for the bad news or be proactive? Is it a wonder that all 1st world nations require labeling and won’t allow these products grown on their soil?