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Scientists Clone Sheep With 'Good' Fat

Posted by Soulskill on from the pulling-the-wool-over-your-stomach's-eyes dept.

redletterdave writes "Chinese scientists have cloned a genetically modified sheep containing a 'good' type of fat found naturally in nuts, seeds, fish and leafy greens that helps reduce the risk of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease. The gene, which is linked to the production of polyunsaturated fatty acids, was inserted into a donor cell taken from the ear of a Chinese Merino sheep. The cell was then inserted into an unfertilized egg and implanted into the womb of a surrogate sheep. With any luck, this process could be replicated in the future to clone more animals for safe and healthy consumption."

15 of 233 comments (clear)

  1. Genetically Modified Hogs next? by tomhath · · Score: 4, Funny

    Healthy bacon. Mmmm.

    1. Re:Genetically Modified Hogs next? by erroneus · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I kinda disagree with that. Yes, current meats are kinda... bad in large amounts but that is largely because of the way the body works... if you live on mostly meats without much in the way of carbs, you'll be just fine and your body will consume those "bad fats." Problem is, it is really hard to eat that way... really hard. It's good to mix things up. So if we can have meats without the negative health impact when mixed with other things, we will get the benefits of the protiens and all the good things meat offers and still be able to eat it with things more carby... like spaghetti in meat sauce... :)

    2. Re:Genetically Modified Hogs next? by MyFirstNameIsPaul · · Score: 4, Informative

      This is already a reality with naturally-fed animals. For example, beef can provide us with all the healthy fats and oils we need when the cow is grass-fed and range raised. When chickens are raised on a diet or worms that grow in fresh cow dung, the consistency, flavor, and overall health of their eggs is substantially higher than what is generally available in the supermarket.

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    3. Re:Genetically Modified Hogs next? by Genda · · Score: 5, Funny

      ECOPIG!!! Swine of environmental justice!!!! Wherever evil agro-corps commit atrocities against the natural landscape ECOPIG and his sidekick PIGGY-SUE will snort in the face of danger and send those business hogs back to Wallstreet squealing!!!

    4. Re:Genetically Modified Hogs next? by CAIMLAS · · Score: 4, Interesting

      How is it difficult to eat "that way"?

      IMO it's very easy to have a diet which is primarily meat. You don't have to eat a large pork rind for breakfast or a side of bacon every other week, but if you've got good quality meat available, short of filling up your cart with lots of different meats and a handful of odd veggies at the grocery, it's really not that hard.

      You need less food (in volume) if you're eating meat than if you were eating a 'mixed' carb-heavy diet, too, which certainly helps. Judging from what I've seen vegans or even vegeterians deal with, it's certainly easier (in terms of food prep and quantity) and less costly.

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    5. Re:Genetically Modified Hogs next? by value_added · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Worth pointing out that the same applies to vegetables and fruits. Winter tomatoes grown in the sandy soils of Florida can't really be compared nutritionally to what someone can get out of their own garden.

      Ultimately, it's all about the "ingredients". That's long been considered a truism for chefs in the kitchen as it is for someone involved in raising animals. That this is routinely overlooked, glossed over or otherwise dismissed in the pursuit of economic interests and efficiencies is both funny and tragic. Funny in the sense of "What the hell did you expect?", and tragic in the sense of engaging in (and wasting time and effort with) tortured discussions of good/bad ideas and practices which, ultimately, are workaround to workarounds.

    6. Re:Genetically Modified Hogs next? by RulerOf · · Score: 4, Informative

      Then you die like the doctor who came-up with this "eat lots of fat" diet.

      If you think that his diet was the cause of the fall and resulting head trauma that killed him, I've got some news for you: you're a fucking moron.

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    7. Re:Genetically Modified Hogs next? by Oswald · · Score: 5, Funny

      When chickens are raised on a diet or worms that grow in fresh cow dung, the consistency, flavor, and overall health of their eggs is substantially higher than what is generally available in the supermarket.

      For some reason, the more you talk up animal products, the more I want to become a vegan.

    8. Re:Genetically Modified Hogs next? by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Informative

      For some reason, the more you talk up animal products, the more I want to become a vegan.

      I favor meat licenses. You should have to tour a slaughterhouse or kill and cook an animal before you're allowed to eat meat. Let's have a little recognition of where our food comes from and what happens to it on the way. I've killed, skinned, cut up and cooked a deer, I've caught and killed a goose by hand and it went in the stew... I understand I'm eating life, and what that actually means, and I'm cool with it. I know that when you cut them, stuff comes out you don't want on your hands, and yet after you grill them they are goddamned delicious, and good for you. If I eat a typical meal (notably including a little carb bomb) I feel stuffed and weighted down. If I just eat a big fucking steak I feel great, full of energy, have a nice crap the next morning and I'm up and at 'em. Meat, it's what's for dinner.

      BRING ON THE CRAPWORMS

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  2. my wife... by crutchy · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...gets a bit of "good fat" occasionally

  3. Creepy mental image by Grayhand · · Score: 5, Funny

    The fact they got the fat gene from a round worm gave me this mental image of a 100lb round worm covered in sheep's wool. I doubt counting those wouldn't help me get to sleep and would likely give you nightmares.

  4. Healthy by kamapuaa · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Worth mentioning that humans evolved to eat animals with standard fat percentages, not margarine or mealworm-sheep. There is no significant evidence for concluding that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of CHD or CVD, and there are healthy populations that traditionally go 6-9 months with no fats except animals fats.

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    1. Re:Healthy by CAIMLAS · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Here in America, we also have processed grains in everything.

      We also have a very high percentage of our diets consist of processed GMO grains (corn, wheat). If you're having 2 hamburgers with a handful of corn chips and two white wheat buns, the meat isn't going to be the primary component of the meal.

      It seems that every couple months there's a news article about some old guy or gal who died after a fairly insignificant (not particularly active or sedentary, nothing really marked to note) life who spent their entire life having pork (ham/bacon) and eggs for breakfast every day. It wasn't until the inclusion of excess grains that Americans started to have issues in the late 1800s.

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  5. Re:Ethics of GMO animals? by englishknnigits · · Score: 4, Funny

    Are you saying you would rather eat an animal that doesn't want you to eat it?

  6. or, just eat "nuts, seeds, fish and leafy greens" by dAzED1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    any particular reason one can't do this? A much more direct approach, healthier, more environmentally friendly, and doesn't have that extra-added danger of eating the product of extreme genetic modification...