How many of these do YOU eat on a regular basis?

A recent study discovered that ten foods that are common staples in a lot of American's diets are actually banned in other countries.  Relaxed regulations, uninformed consumers, and financial lobbying have played their roles in keeping these foods available on our shelves in the United States.

The list - in no particular order:

  • Farm-raised salmon:  While wild salmon is very beneficial to your health, the farm-raised variety often contains antibiotics, chemicals, and genetically-engineered grains.  All of these additives are fed to the fish  to compensate for what they miss from being domestic.  All of these additives make their way into our bodies when we consume the farm fish.
  • Genetically-engineered papaya:  Most of the papaya found in stores in the U.S. has been engineered to be virus resistant.  The chemicals used for that process have shown to cause birth defects in animal testing.  No long-term tests have been performed on humans.
  • Ractomine-Tainted Meat:  45% of pigs and 30% of beef cattle in America has been fed Ractomine - a chemical that inflates muscle production.  Since 1988, more than 1,700 people have been poisoned by the chemical. At the same time, the United States doesn't even test for the presence of the drug in its meat supplies.
  • Flame Retardant Drinks:  Think Mountain Dew and Gatorade.  Citrus-flavored beverages in the U.S. contain a healthy amount of brominated vegetable oil - which was originally patented as a flame retardant.  Associated symptoms:  behavior problems, skin rashes, acne, and cardiac arrhythmia.
  • Processed Foods Containing Artificial Food Colors And Dyes:  Boxed macaroni and cheese.  Jello.  cereals.  These foods contain high levels of food coloring.  Unfortunately, those same food colors are associated with behavior problems.
  • Arsenic-Laced Chicken:  Animal feed often includes arsenic, because it makes the flock grow faster and the meat look better.
  • Bread - With Potassium Bromate:  Nearly all commercially-processed breads, buns, and rolls contain Potassium Bromate, which has been linked to kidney and nervous system damage.
  • Olestra/Olean:  A substitute for fats in many products, Olestra and Olean causes diarrhea, cramps, and leaky bowels.
  • Preservatives BHA And BHT:  This cancer-causing ingredient is found in many cereals, butter spreads, chewing gums, and beers.
  • Milk and Dairy laced with rBGH:  Given to cows to increase milk production, this additive is also a known cancer-causer.

To read more, click the link here for an in depth article that will make you re-think the foods you eat:  10 Common US Foods That Are Banned in Other Countries.

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