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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.
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
Sources:
realfarmacy.com
Mercola.com
