Americans are slowly waking up to the sad fact that much of the food sold in the
US is far inferior to the same foods sold in other nations. In fact, many of the foods you eat are BANNED in other countries.
Here, I’ll review 10 American foods that are banned elsewhere, which were featured in a recent MSN article.
1
Seeing how the overall
health of Americans is
so much lower than other industrialized countries, you can’t help but
wonder whether toxic foods such as these might play a role in our
skyrocketing disease rates.
#1:
Farm-Raised Salmon
If
you want to maximize health benefits from fish, you want to steer clear
of farmed fish, particularly
farmed salmon fed dangerous chemicals. Wild salmon gets its bright
pinkish-red color from natural carotenoids in their diet. Farmed salmon,
on the other hand, are raised on a wholly unnatural diet of grains
(including genetically engineered varieties), plus a concoction of
antibiotics and other drugs and chemicals not shown to be safe for
humans.
This
diet leaves the fish with unappetizing grayish flesh so to compensate,
they’re fed synthetic astaxanthin made from petrochemicals, which has
not been approved for human consumption and has well known toxicities.
According to the featured article, some studies suggest it can
potentially damage your eyesight. More details are available in
yesterday’s article.
Where it’s banned: Australia and New Zealand
How
can you tell whether a salmon is wild or farm-raised? The flesh of wild
sockeye salmon is bright red, courtesy of its natural astaxanthin
content. It’s also very lean, so the
fat marks, those white stripes you see in the meat, are very thin. If
the fish is pale pink with wide fat marks, the salmon is farmed.
Avoid
Atlantic salmon, as typically salmon labeled “Atlantic Salmon”
currently comes from fish farms. The two designations you want to look
for are: “Alaskan salmon,” and “sockeye salmon,” as Alaskan sockeye is
not allowed to be farmed. Please realize that the vast majority of all
salmon sold in restaurants is farm raised.
So
canned salmon labeled “Alaskan Salmon” is a good bet, and if you find
sockeye salmon, it’s bound to be wild. Again, you can tell sockeye
salmon from other salmon by its color; its flesh is bright
red opposed to pink, courtesy of its superior astaxanthin content.
Sockeye salmon actually has one of the highest concentrations of
astaxanthin of any food.
#2: Genetically Engineered Papaya
Most
Hawaiian papaya is now genetically engineered to be resistant to
ringspot virus. Mounting research now shows that animals fed genetically
engineered foods, such as corn and soy, suffer a wide range of
maladies, including intestinal damage,
multiple-organ damage,
massive tumors,
birth defects, premature death, and near complete
sterility by
the third generation of offspring. Unfortunately, the gigantic human
lab experiment is only about 10 years old, so we are likely decades away
from tabulating the human casualties.
Where it’s banned: The European
Union
Unfortunately,
it’s clear that the US government is not in a position to make
reasonable and responsible decisions related to genetically engineered
foods at this point, when you consider the fact that the Obama
administration has placed former Monsanto attorney and Vice President,
Michael Taylor, in charge of US food safety, and serious conflicts of
interest even reign supreme within the US Supreme Court! That’s right.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is also a former Monsanto
attorney, but refuses to acknowledge any conflict of interest.
#3: Ractopamine-Tainted Meat
The beta agonist drug
ractopamine (a
repartitioning agent that increases protein synthesis) was recruited
for livestock use when researchers found that the drug, used in asthma,
made mice more muscular. This reduces the overall fat content of the
meat. Ractopamine is currently used in about 45 percent of US pigs, 30
percent of ration-fed cattle, and an unknown percentage of turkeys are
pumped full of this drug in the days leading up to slaughter. Up to 20
percent of ractopamine remains in the meat you buy from the supermarket,
according to veterinarian Michael W. Fox.
Since
1998, more than 1,700 people have been “poisoned” from eating
pigs fed the drug, and ractopamine is banned from use in food animals
in no less than 160 different countries due to its harmful health
effects! Effective February 11, 2013, Russia issued a ban on US meat
imports, slated to last until the US agrees to certify that the meat is
ractopamine-free. At present, the US does not even test for the presence
of this drug in meats sold. In animals, ractopamine is linked to
reductions in reproductive function, increase of mastitis in dairy herds, and increased death and disability. It’s
also known to affect the human cardiovascular system, and is thought to
be responsible for hyperactivity, and may cause chromosomal
abnormalities and behavioral changes.
Where it’s banned: 160 countries across Europe, Russia, mainland China and Republic of China (Taiwan)
#4: Flame Retardant Drinks
If
you live in the US and drink Mountain Dew and some other
citrus-flavored sodas and sports drinks, then you are also getting a
dose of a synthetic chemical called
brominated vegetable oil(BVO), which was originally patented by chemical companies as a flame retardant.
BVO
has been shown to bioaccumulate
in human tissue and breast milk, and animal studies have found it
causes reproductive and behavioral problems in large doses. Bromine is a
central nervous system depressant, and a common endocrine disruptor.
It’s part of the halide family, a group of elements that includes
fluorine, chlorine and iodine. When ingested, bromine competes for the
same receptors that are used to capture iodine. This can lead to iodine
deficiency, which can have a very detrimental impact on your health.
Bromine toxicity can manifest as skin rashes, acne, loss of appetite,
fatigue, and cardiac arrhythmias. According to the featured article:
“The
FDA has flip-flopped on BVO’s safety originally classifying it as
‘generally recognized as safe’ but reversing that call now defining it
as an ‘interim food additive’ a category reserved for possibly
questionable substances used in food.”
Where it’s banned: Europe and Japan
#5: Processed Foods Containing Artificial Food Colors and Dyes
More
than 3,000 food additives — preservatives, flavorings, colors and other
ingredients — are added to US foods, including infant foods and foods
targeted to young children. Meanwhile, many of these are banned in other
countries,
based on research showing toxicity and hazardous health effects,
especially with respect to adverse effects on children’s behavior. For
example, as reported in the featured article:
“Boxed
Mac & Cheese, cheddar flavored crackers, Jell-O and many kids’
cereals contain red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6 and/or blue 2, the most
popularly-used dyes in the United States. Research has shown this
rainbow of additives can cause behavioral
problems as well as cancer, birth defects and other health problems in
laboratory animals. Red 40 and yellow 6 are also suspected of causing an
allergy-like hypersensitivity reaction in children. The Center for
Science in the Public Interest reports that some dyes are also
“contaminated with known carcinogens.”
In
countries where these food colors and dyes are banned, food companies
like Kraft employ natural colorants instead, such as paprika extract,
beetroot, and annatto. The food blogger and activist
Vani Hari, better known as “
Food Babe,” recently launched a Change.org petition
2 asking
Kraft to remove artificial dyes from American Mac & Cheese to
protect American children from the well-known dangers of these dyes.
Where it’s banned: Norway
and Austria. In 2009, the British government advised companies to stop
using food dyes by the end of that year. The European Union also
requires a warning notice on most foods containing dyes.
#6: Arsenic-Laced Chicken
Arsenic-based
drugs are approved for use in animal feed in the US because they make
animals grow quicker and make the meat appear pinker (i.e. “fresher”).
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated these products are
safe because they
contain organic arsenic, which is less toxic than the other inorganic form, which is a known carcinogen.
The
problem is, scientific reports surfaced stating that the organic
arsenic could transform into inorganic arsenic, which has been found in
elevated levels in supermarket chickens. The inorganic arsenic also
contaminates manure where it can eventually migrate into drinking water
and may also be causing heightened arsenic levels in US rice.
In
2011, Pfizer announced it would voluntarily stop marketing its
arsenic-based feed additive Roxarsone, but there are still several
others on the market. Several environmental groups have filed a lawsuit
against the FDA calling for their removal from the market. In the
European Union, meanwhile, arsenic-based compounds have never been approved as safe for animal feed.
Where it’s banned: The European Union
#7: Bread with Potassium Bromate
You
might not be aware of this, but nearly every time you eat bread in a
restaurant or consume a hamburger or hotdog bun you are consuming
bromide,
as it is commonly used in flours. The use of potassium bromate as an
additive to commercial breads and baked goods has been a huge
contributor to bromide overload in Western cultures.
Bromated
flour is “enriched” with potassium bromate. Commercial baking companies
claim it makes the dough more elastic and better able to stand up to
bread hooks. However, Pepperidge Farm and other successful companies
manage to use only unbromated flour without
any of these so-called “structural problems.” Studies have linked
potassium bromate to kidney and nervous system damage,
thyroid problems,
gastrointestinal discomfort, and cancer. The International Agency for
Research on Cancer classifies potassium bromate as a possible
carcinogen.
Where it’s banned: Canada, China and the EU
#8: Olestra/Olean
Olestra, aka Olean, created by Procter & Gamble, is a calorie- and cholesterol-free
fat substitute used in fat-free snacks like chips and French fries. Three years ago,
Time Magazine3 named it one of the worst 50 inventions ever, but that hasn’t stopped food companies from using it to satisfy people’s
mistaken belief that a fat-free snack is a healthier snack. According to the featured article:
“Not
only did a 2011 study from Purdue University conclude rats fed potato
chips made with Olean gained weight, there have been several reports of
adverse intestinal reactions to the fake fat including diarrhea, cramps
and leaky bowels. And because it interferes with the absorption of fat
soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K, the FDA
requires these vitamins be added to any product made with Olean or
olestra.”
Where it’s banned: The UK and Canada
#9: Preservatives BHA and BHT
BHA
(butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are
commonly used preservatives that can be found in breakfast cereal, nut
mixes, chewing gum, butter spread, meat, dehydrated potatoes, and beer,
just to name a few. BHA is known to cause cancer in rats, and may be a
cancer-causing agent in humans as well. In fact, according to the US
Department of Health and Human Services, National Toxicology Program’s
2011 Report on Carcinogens, BHA “is reasonably anticipated to be a human
carcinogen.” It may also trigger allergic reactions and hyperactivity,
while BHT can cause organ system toxicity.
Where it’s banned: The UK doesn’t allow BHA in infant foods. BHA and BHT are also banned in parts of the European Union and Japan.
#10: Milk and Dairy Products Laced with rBGH
Recombinant
bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is the largest selling dairy animal drug
in America. RBGH is a synthetic version of natural bovine somatotropin
(BST), a hormone produced in cows’ pituitary glands. Monsanto developed
the recombinant version from genetically engineered E. coli bacteria and
markets it under the brand name “Posilac.”
It’s
injected into cows to increase milk production, but it is banned in at
least 30 other nations because of its dangers to human health, which
include an increased risk
for colorectal, prostate, and breast cancer by promoting conversion of
normal tissue cells into cancerous ones. Non-organic dairy farms
frequently have rBGH-injected cows that suffer at least 16 different
adverse health conditions, including very high rates of mastitis that
contaminate milk with pus and antibiotics.
“According
to the American Cancer Society, the increased use of antibiotics to
treat this type of rBGH-induced
inflammation ‘does promote the development of antibiotic-resistant
bacteria, but the extent to which these are transmitted to humans is
unclear,’” the featured article states.
Many
have tried to inform the public of the risks of using this hormone in
dairy cows, but their attempts have been met with overwhelming
opposition by the powerful dairy and pharmaceutical industries, and
their government liaisons. In 1997, two Fox-affiliate
investigative journalists, Jane Akre and Steve Wilson,
attempted to air a program exposing the truth about the dangers of
rBGH. Lawyers for Monsanto, a major advertiser with the Florida network,
sent letters promising “dire consequences” if the story aired.
Despite
decades of evidence about the dangers of rBGH, the FDA still maintains
it’s safe for human consumption and ignores scientific evidence to the
contrary. In 1999, the United Nations Safety Agency ruled unanimously
not to endorse or set safety standards for rBGH milk, which has
effectively resulted in an international ban on US milk.
4 The
Cancer Prevention Coalition, trying for years to get the use of rBGH by
the dairy industry banned, resubmitted a petition to FDA Commissioner
Margaret Hamburg, MD, in January 2010.
5 Although
the FDA stubbornly sticks to its position that milk from rBGH-treated
cows is no different than milk from untreated cows, this is just plain
false and is not supported by science. The only way to avoid rBGH is to
look for products labeled as “rBGH-free” or “No rBGH.”
Where it’s banned: Australia, New Zealand, Israel, EU and Canada
Take Control of Your Health with REAL Food
There
are many other examples where the US federal regulatory agencies have
sold out to industry at the expense of your health, while other
countries have chosen to embrace the precautionary principle in order to
protect their citizens. If you want to avoid these questionable foods
and other potentially harmful ingredients permitted in the US food
supply, then ditching processed foods entirely is your best option.
About 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food is spent on
processed foods, so there is massive room for improvement in this area
for most people.
Next,
you’ll want to swap out your regular meat sources to organic,
grass-fed/pasture-raised versions of beef and poultry. The same goes for
dairy products and animal by-products such as eggs.
Swapping
your processed-food diet for one that focuses on fresh whole foods is a
necessity if you value your health. For a step-by-step guide to make
this a reality in your own life, whether you live in the US or
elsewhere, simply follow the advice in my
optimized nutrition plan, starting
with the
beginner plan first.
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