Question
do normal i mean natural foods dna enter into my blood stream through ingestion????
Submitted by: ShriG
Answer
Expert response from Ruth MacDonald
Professor and Chair, Food Science and Human Nutrition, Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Iowa State University
Friday, 10/07/2015 13:00
The answer to this question is, “no.” DNA is present in all fruits and vegetables, meat, milk and eggs. The molecular structure of DNA is actually pretty simple; it is made up of nucleic acids linked with bonds to create the double helix we are so familiar with seeing. When in that structure DNA is able to transfer information about how to build proteins, DNA is transcribed by RNA and then RNA translates the code to put amino acids together to form proteins.
When DNA is consumed in foods, it enters the small intestine and is digested by enzymes that come from the pancreas. These enzymes break up the structure of the DNA and release the individual nucleic acids. When that happens the DNA is no longer functional – kind of like taking apart a house, brick by brick. DNA works only when the nucleic acids are lined up and bound together – once the bonds are broken and the blocks released there is no functioning DNA left – the house is demolished. Only very small amounts of these nucleic acids are absorbed into the body – most are excreted in the feces. The nucleic acids from foods are no different from those that make up the DNA of humans – so even if the food derived nucleic acids do enter the body they are used to build human DNA – they do not go back to their original structure from the plant or animal.
Answer
Expert response from Ruth MacDonald
Professor and Chair, Food Science and Human Nutrition, Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Iowa State University
Friday, 10/07/2015 13:00
The answer to this question is, “no.” DNA is present in all fruits and vegetables, meat, milk and eggs. The molecular structure of DNA is actually pretty simple; it is made up of nucleic acids linked with bonds to create the double helix we are so familiar with seeing. When in that structure DNA is able to transfer information about how to build proteins, DNA is transcribed by RNA and then RNA translates the code to put amino acids together to form proteins.
When DNA is consumed in foods, it enters the small intestine and is digested by enzymes that come from the pancreas. These enzymes break up the structure of the DNA and release the individual nucleic acids. When that happens the DNA is no longer functional – kind of like taking apart a house, brick by brick. DNA works only when the nucleic acids are lined up and bound together – once the bonds are broken and the blocks released there is no functioning DNA left – the house is demolished. Only very small amounts of these nucleic acids are absorbed into the body – most are excreted in the feces. The nucleic acids from foods are no different from those that make up the DNA of humans – so even if the food derived nucleic acids do enter the body they are used to build human DNA – they do not go back to their original structure from the plant or animal.