Did you know that many foods sold openly in the United States are actually banned in other countries? Foods you can easily pick up off of grocery store shelves and throw in your cart are hiding harmful additives, growth hormones and other dangerous ingredients that caused other countries to ban them due to health risk.
Here are eight banned foods you should stop eating:
1. Genetically Engineered Papaya
In 2004, Hawaii reported a widespread contamination of papaya crops. Five years later, nearly 20,000 papaya seeds from Hawaii were found to be contaminated with GMOS. Most papaya that comes from Hawaii today is genetically engineered to be resistant to a disease known as the ringspot virus. This virus devastated American crops of the 1990s. The European Union took a stand against genetically engineered food and banned GE papaya.
2. Flame Retardant In Drinks
A flame retardant originally patented by chemical companies is a common ingredient in many citrus-flavored sodas and sports drinks in the United States. Known as brominated vegetable oil, the dangerous ingredient has been shown to accumulate in human tissue and breast milk. Studies have shown it may cause reproductive and behavior problems in large doses. Japan and all of Europe have banned the substance.
3. Chicken Laced With Arsenic
In the US, arsenic-based drugs are approved for use in animal feed, because they make the animals grow quicker. The dangerous drugs also cause the meat to appear pinker and fresher. In 2007, 70% of the broiler chickens produced annually in the US were being fed an arsenic-based drug known as Roxarsone. Arsenic exposure can cause anemia, headaches, skin lesions, low IQ, kidney damage and failure, stillbirth and more. The European Union has banned the use of arsenic-based drugs in food.
4. Dairy Products Laced With rBGH
rBGH is synthetic version of a natural hormone produced in a cow’s pituitary glands. It was developed by Monsanto to help increase milk production, and it’s made from genetically engineered E. coli bacteria. rBGH is commonly found in milk and dairy products. Exposure can cause colorectal, prostate and breast cancer. The synthetic hormone is banned in Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Canada and the European Union.
5. Farm-Raised Salmon
Farm-raised salmon might sound like a health choice, but that’s far from the truth. The fish are raised on a unnatural diet of genetically engineered grains, toxic antibiotics, and dangerous vitamins, drugs and chemicals. Toxins from farmed-raised salmon can accumulate in your body. Both Russia and Australia have banned this type of salmon.
6. Artificial Food Colors And Dyes
There are more than 3,000 food additives that are added to American foods on a daily basis in the form of preservatives, flavors, colors and other synthetic ingredients. Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Blue 2 are the most commonly used dyes in the United States. Research has linked food additives to cancer, birth defects, behavioral issues and allergies. Norway and Austria have banned the use of these harmful ingredients in their food.
7. Potassium Bromate In Bread
Many commercial baking companies used brominated flour, enriched with potassium bromate in order to make the dough more elastic. It’s most commonly found in rolls, wraps, breads and bagels.Potassium bromate has been linked to kidney damage, nervous system damage, thyroid problems and even cancer. It’s been banned by Canada, China and The European Union.
8. BHA And BHT Preservatives
Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene are toxic preservatives often found in American food. BHA and BHT can be found in beer, cereal, nut mixes, meat, butter and chewing gum. Studies have shown that BHA can cause cancer in rats. It may also cause cancer in humans, along with allergic reactions and hyperactivity. BHT can prove toxic to the human body. Both Japan and The European Union have banned the use of these preservatives in their food.