The Dark Side Of American Cuisine: Man Shares Which Seemingly Healthy Foods Are Banned In Other Countries But Still Consumed In The US
Interview
Eating healthy can be more of a challenge in some countries than it is in others. This can be due to numerous factors, such as living conditions, customs, and food quality in local stores, to name a few. The last point is quite a significant one, especially when it comes to the US.
A certified personal trainer and holistic nutritionist named Josh Dech turned to TikTok to discuss why certain products found in the States are banned in other countries. Formerly a licensed paramedic, Josh revealed what additives are used in popular foods, such as meat, salmon, or milk. His video went viral and attracted over 650k views and loads of comments—people didn’t shy away from expressing their opinions on food processing in the US.
Bored Panda has reached out to Josh and he was kind enough to answer a few of our questions. You will find his thoughts in the text below.
This post may include affiliate links.
Pork is banned due to a chemical called Ractopamine in the animal feed that increases weight before the animal goes to market, linked to major health issues. That chemical is actually banned in over 160 countries except the States
American chicken is banned by the European Union because it's washed in chlorine
The chlorine is in such small levels it's unlikely to affect your health. *However*, the only reason the US uses chlorine is because it allows for much "dirtier" ways of keeping the chickens and processing the meat. Which makes it cheaper. Allowing chlorine washed chicken into the EU would give US chicken farmers an unfair advantage. Not to mention that if you actually take care of your chickens and process the meat safely, the chlorine is just wholly unnecessary. This was a whole thing in the renegotiation of some big trade deal a few years ago.
American ground beef is banned by the European Union because of a chemical called Pink Slime that uses ammonia gas for antimicrobial properties and it's dangerous to consume and destroys your gut
Milk is banned due to a synthetic growth hormone called rBGH made by Monsanto that increases cancer risk in humans
Ritz Crackers are also banned due to high sodium, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, and trans fats, considered very dangerous, highly inflammatory, and carcinogenic
Hydrogenated cottonseed oil is the reason. That is the stuff that contains transfats, which are very heavily regulated. The company makes them with different ingredients to distribute to European markets, I can easily get them but they have modified ingredients, sae with anything containing hfcs.
Thanks, I was starting to get confused as to why I've always been able to buy these and I'm in the UK.
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The processed and fast foods, so popular all over the USA, are sadly also creating overweight, sick, and unhealthy humans in other countries. Minimize eating any processed foods, stick to whole plant foods as best.
Trans fats are pretty bad, but not really carcinogenic, neither are Ritz, even in the US. Yes, they aren't exactly healthy because too much salt and fat, but serving sizes exist for a reason.
Load More Replies... I've bought Ritz crackers in France, so either this is incorrect or they make them differently.
Trans fats are bad for you but they taste so good. Worth the risk IMO.
It is so frustrating for those of us with unavoidable mobility and chronic pain issues to watch the perfectly healthy behave as though they're indestructible, when the accommodations that you would need to make are relatively tiny. Poor diet and exercise *will* catch up with you. Trust me, chronic pain is no joke.
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Yeah sorry but ritz crackers are the love of my life, as well as cheez-its
Coffee Mate is also banned due to hydrogenated soybean oil and cottonseed oil which is known to have trans fats, which is bad for your heart
The UK version of Coffee Mate (we only have powdered, no extra flavours) is manufactured without the use of hydrogenated vegetable oil, thankfully.
Froot Loops, they're banned because of the soybean oil, sugars, coloring, and cottonseed oil which are considered dangerous in other countries
Salmon is banned because of chemicals in the feed like methyl mercury, dioxins, and antibiotics
The mercury & dioxins are in the feed because they feed them (cheap, wild-caught) fish that live in a polluted ocean (and being higher in the food chain they concentrate them; and these being fat-soluble and salmon being fatty fish they concentrate them more). Spoiler: EU fish has EXACTLY the same problems --- see all the advice to pregnant women not to eat e.g. tuna. I remember (20y ago) wild-caught Dutch smoked eel to be high in dioxine; just 6grammes/ under quarter-ounce would have 100% of your daily limit.
Mountain Dew is also banned due to brominated vegetable oil and bromine is a chemical used in fire retardants
"As of 2020, Mountain Dew, manufactured by PepsiCo, no longer uses BVO in the main line of beverages."
The holistic nutritionist and certified personal trainer emphasized the importance of being aware of the products you consume
When it comes to additives in the food industry, Americans are split into two camps. According to Pew Research Center, just over half of them (51%) believe they can harm one’s health over the years. Others say the amount of additives is too small to have a strong negative effect on people’s well-being.
The research center also revealed that there are over 10,000 additives used in food processing, around 3,000 of which the FDA defines as "generally recognized as safe". They are categorized based on types and application. Some examples of the former include preservatives, sweeteners, and food colorants, among others, while the latter comprises such groups as confectionery, bakery products, beverages, and more.
When it comes to global statistics, the leading types of food additives in market size are thickeners and stabilizers. Thickeners, such as starches or gums, are often found in soups and sauces, while stabilizers are common ingredients in mayonnaise, margarine, or even ice cream.
There are international standards that regulate the usage of food additives. However, different countries might have different policies when it comes to some of them. That is why, as Josh mentioned in his video, certain products that are considered fine in the US can be banned in other countries. It is believed that as much as 80% of processed foods sold in the States wouldn’t make it to the shelves in stores abroad due to specific ingredients.
Some of the foods Josh discussed could be considered healthy, but they are often dangerous nevertheless. “I’m a holistic nutritionist who specializes in gut diseases and even people who eat really healthy can get sick. We mostly understand why junk food is bad, but we rarely understand why 'healthy' foods can be bad,” he told Bored Panda.
“We are still learning so much about our bodies and how our bacteria work. We have more microbes than DNA and we need to take care of them,” he added.
When it comes to the ways of taking care of ourselves and eating healthy, the nutritionist recommended buying local. “The best advice I can give is for people to try to make friends with local farmers and attend farmers markets as best they can. It’s not a perfect system but buying from small, local farms is often a safer bet than mega marts and big food chain suppliers,” Josh said.
Josh’s video encouraged a lot of people to share their thoughts in the comments
I have absolutely nothing against Americans, but this is another reason why I will never be going to America. Some people think I'm mad but I refuse. Guns, police, healthcare, judicial system is enough but hearing all of the people saying they get a bad stomach, im gonna add poisoning to the list.
Agreed, poor Americans tho. It's not their fault their state and economy is so f****d, yet they're not able to do much against it. Kind of sad
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if you see or hear the word "Holistic" in anything to describe someone, or some thing, it is an immediate red flag for what you are about he hear or read is very highly likely steeped in bullsh¡t
I got as far as "holistic nutritionist,"and stopped reading. Anyone can claim to be a "nutritionist." There are no standards or credentialing requirements for this impressive sounding title, unlike dietician. And god only knows what "holistic" means in this context.
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Yet another clueless tiktoker trying to muddle reality for some clickbait view. Most of the stuff in this list is not "banned" at all. Certain manufacturing processes or certain ingredients may be banned, or at least regulated, prompting the manufacturers to use different (mostly healtier and better while slightly more expensive) alternatives.
You should not trust anyone who calls themselves a "holistic nutritionist"
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I just figured it out. The for-profit healthcare industry is in cahoots with the junkfood industry. Hmmm... too plausible to reject outright as tinfoil.
Downvoted several items on this list because they seemed pretty fact-free to me and only there to get a point across, seeing that all this seems to come from some food influencer.
Europeans have known this for decades, we don't like corner cutting products that put health at risk. You don't need to take the word of this "influencer" you can take it from The European Food Safety Authority EFSA https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en The EU is the largest trading bloc in the world with very high standards. If you want to trade in the EU you meet them, side effect is that you will be able to sell your product anywhere in the world as a result.
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This is why I love many European countries' approaches to food. When I used to live in Spain, food was something to be savoured and fully enjoyed. Even as a poor student I was able to eat healthy and delicious meals made with fresh ingredients. There is the wonderful "menú del día" (daily menu) served by many restaurants for an extremely affordable price. I truly wish that both the United Kingdom and the United States would adopt more of a love for stopping and savouring their food.
The reason the food is made with c**p is because the manufacturer want American addicted to them so that people will buy the products. They don’t care that they are ruining our health for a long as they take in profits,the citizens are not entirely blameless in this we could not buy the products.
I don't know many people that aren't addicted to eating, though... once they start, they can't kick the habit, needing their fix 3x or even 4x a day!
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So much of this is the result of one specific man in power who felt that the US food industry should be about profit and not about healthy food. This was back in the 1970s, I believe. It was his twisted policy that caused a lot of the changes to how food is made here to be less about keeping people alive and well and more about squeezing more money out of the process to increase the personal wealth of the heads of massive food production companies.
Who is this person? I very much need to do some research
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So, TikToker scours the internet for things that were already known an posts them like it's original? Huh.
The sad thing is that half of these foods that are bad for you, can just be taken in moderation. Ritz crackers bad for you? sure, but just eat a few rather than a whole pack. If this is the case, why isn't alcohol banned? It can be horrible, but only take a small glass or to.
Eggs are another example. Eggs from USA cannot be sold in the EU, and eggs from EU is just as illegal in USA. This is because there are radical different methods of storage and the cleaning of eggs.
Hmmm. Apparently telling the truth = downvotes. As per fecking usual.
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Read the book called The Poison Squad. It explains the US history of food adulteration and practices.
Very few, and mostly due to compliance with existing rules that are a result of poor legislation or sub-par american food safety practices. Take European raw milk cheese: super common in EU, but illegal in the USA because american raw milk from industrial production is unfit for consumption in untreated. Kinder eggs: billions of units sold worldwide without issues, but a poorly worded regulation prevents sales in the USA. Scottish pudding, illegal because for some reason sheep lung meat cannot be sold. Horse meat, not illegal per se, but it's illegal to butcher an horse for meat because american horse farming use TONS of dangerous hormones, and has no separate regulations for animals destined to human consumption.
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American's need to come together and campaign for better food legislation. All the people of the world need to come together and fight against Monsanto and Black Rock
oh well, I'm going to die anyway. Are we living longer because of all the preservatives?!
The preservatives are probably feeding/preserving the cancer
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So... I better eat vegetarian when visiting the US? Considering the first three are all three main types of meat.
to be honest i think i want to live in another country when i grow up.not sure how to start cause i'm only 14 but i have hated america for as long as i can remember
No place is perfect, but I do have to agree that the United States and the United Kingdom where I both have family and loves ones are becoming increasingly problematic. I do hope that you get an opportunity in the future to study abroad as it is a wonderful way to learn more about another country.
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I've wanted to say this for years. Please, stop demanding the world be like the EU unless the EU intends to *put all the money and funding and work into making the whole world meet EU standards*. BTW< Canadian and Australian products also don't meet EU standards. (In a few cases, Australian ones don't even meet US standards.) So while you're busy kicking the US, consider that, please.
The EU is not « demanding the world » to have the same standards. It adopts high standards, often the best in the world, that other countries are free to meet or not. If they choose not to meet them, they do not have access to the European market but the EU could not care less and is definitely not pushing anyone. An issue happens when a country wants to lower the standards to defend its own interests while causing prejudice to the other members, whether from the outside (US) or from the inside (UK). Good thing the former did not get their treaty and the latter left.
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can't help but think big pharma is sliding the FDA some money. basically feeding Americans poison so they go to the Dr and get on meds
TTIP not being waved through the US government is, likely, the one good result in Donald Trump winning the 2016 election. TTIP isn't so much about countries themselves that impose their rules on others - that's just, cut very very short, the means that global corps that are sick of stricter regulations were aiming at - have some sort of a legal system that enables you to disenact stricter regulations if they, elsewhere, wouldn't be in the way, and resort to said elsewhere's standards as a replacement - or be able to sue whoever enacts the stricter regulations for compensation. TTIP isn't so much about US vs EU, it's more something about the rich vs the poor, once again, by being able to not influence regulations, but simply pick and chose which set of regulations from all over TTIP-world allows you the most profit with the lest responsibility. It's not even disguised that much, but if you'd want to read the contract that your government, on your behalf, was about to sign - forget it!
Why aren't you angry with the fact that your government allows food to be contaminated with ingredients that are proven to be nothing but health-destroying corner-cutting fillers? But hey, if a free website annoys you that much maybe you should just stop coming here. Nobody's forcing you.
Load More Replies...
I have absolutely nothing against Americans, but this is another reason why I will never be going to America. Some people think I'm mad but I refuse. Guns, police, healthcare, judicial system is enough but hearing all of the people saying they get a bad stomach, im gonna add poisoning to the list.
Agreed, poor Americans tho. It's not their fault their state and economy is so f****d, yet they're not able to do much against it. Kind of sad
Load More Replies... if you see or hear the word "Holistic" in anything to describe someone, or some thing, it is an immediate red flag for what you are about he hear or read is very highly likely steeped in bullsh¡t
I got as far as "holistic nutritionist,"and stopped reading. Anyone can claim to be a "nutritionist." There are no standards or credentialing requirements for this impressive sounding title, unlike dietician. And god only knows what "holistic" means in this context.
Load More Replies... Yet another clueless tiktoker trying to muddle reality for some clickbait view. Most of the stuff in this list is not "banned" at all. Certain manufacturing processes or certain ingredients may be banned, or at least regulated, prompting the manufacturers to use different (mostly healtier and better while slightly more expensive) alternatives.
You should not trust anyone who calls themselves a "holistic nutritionist"
Load More Replies... I just figured it out. The for-profit healthcare industry is in cahoots with the junkfood industry. Hmmm... too plausible to reject outright as tinfoil.
Downvoted several items on this list because they seemed pretty fact-free to me and only there to get a point across, seeing that all this seems to come from some food influencer.
Europeans have known this for decades, we don't like corner cutting products that put health at risk. You don't need to take the word of this "influencer" you can take it from The European Food Safety Authority EFSA https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en The EU is the largest trading bloc in the world with very high standards. If you want to trade in the EU you meet them, side effect is that you will be able to sell your product anywhere in the world as a result.
Load More Replies... This is why I love many European countries' approaches to food. When I used to live in Spain, food was something to be savoured and fully enjoyed. Even as a poor student I was able to eat healthy and delicious meals made with fresh ingredients. There is the wonderful "menú del día" (daily menu) served by many restaurants for an extremely affordable price. I truly wish that both the United Kingdom and the United States would adopt more of a love for stopping and savouring their food.
The reason the food is made with c**p is because the manufacturer want American addicted to them so that people will buy the products. They don’t care that they are ruining our health for a long as they take in profits,the citizens are not entirely blameless in this we could not buy the products.
I don't know many people that aren't addicted to eating, though... once they start, they can't kick the habit, needing their fix 3x or even 4x a day!
Load More Replies... So much of this is the result of one specific man in power who felt that the US food industry should be about profit and not about healthy food. This was back in the 1970s, I believe. It was his twisted policy that caused a lot of the changes to how food is made here to be less about keeping people alive and well and more about squeezing more money out of the process to increase the personal wealth of the heads of massive food production companies.
Who is this person? I very much need to do some research
Load More Replies... So, TikToker scours the internet for things that were already known an posts them like it's original? Huh.
The sad thing is that half of these foods that are bad for you, can just be taken in moderation. Ritz crackers bad for you? sure, but just eat a few rather than a whole pack. If this is the case, why isn't alcohol banned? It can be horrible, but only take a small glass or to.
Eggs are another example. Eggs from USA cannot be sold in the EU, and eggs from EU is just as illegal in USA. This is because there are radical different methods of storage and the cleaning of eggs.
Hmmm. Apparently telling the truth = downvotes. As per fecking usual.
Load More Replies... Read the book called The Poison Squad. It explains the US history of food adulteration and practices.
Very few, and mostly due to compliance with existing rules that are a result of poor legislation or sub-par american food safety practices. Take European raw milk cheese: super common in EU, but illegal in the USA because american raw milk from industrial production is unfit for consumption in untreated. Kinder eggs: billions of units sold worldwide without issues, but a poorly worded regulation prevents sales in the USA. Scottish pudding, illegal because for some reason sheep lung meat cannot be sold. Horse meat, not illegal per se, but it's illegal to butcher an horse for meat because american horse farming use TONS of dangerous hormones, and has no separate regulations for animals destined to human consumption.
Load More Replies... American's need to come together and campaign for better food legislation. All the people of the world need to come together and fight against Monsanto and Black Rock
oh well, I'm going to die anyway. Are we living longer because of all the preservatives?!
The preservatives are probably feeding/preserving the cancer
Load More Replies... So... I better eat vegetarian when visiting the US? Considering the first three are all three main types of meat.
to be honest i think i want to live in another country when i grow up.not sure how to start cause i'm only 14 but i have hated america for as long as i can remember
No place is perfect, but I do have to agree that the United States and the United Kingdom where I both have family and loves ones are becoming increasingly problematic. I do hope that you get an opportunity in the future to study abroad as it is a wonderful way to learn more about another country.
Load More Replies... I've wanted to say this for years. Please, stop demanding the world be like the EU unless the EU intends to *put all the money and funding and work into making the whole world meet EU standards*. BTW< Canadian and Australian products also don't meet EU standards. (In a few cases, Australian ones don't even meet US standards.) So while you're busy kicking the US, consider that, please.
The EU is not « demanding the world » to have the same standards. It adopts high standards, often the best in the world, that other countries are free to meet or not. If they choose not to meet them, they do not have access to the European market but the EU could not care less and is definitely not pushing anyone. An issue happens when a country wants to lower the standards to defend its own interests while causing prejudice to the other members, whether from the outside (US) or from the inside (UK). Good thing the former did not get their treaty and the latter left.
Load More Replies... can't help but think big pharma is sliding the FDA some money. basically feeding Americans poison so they go to the Dr and get on meds
TTIP not being waved through the US government is, likely, the one good result in Donald Trump winning the 2016 election. TTIP isn't so much about countries themselves that impose their rules on others - that's just, cut very very short, the means that global corps that are sick of stricter regulations were aiming at - have some sort of a legal system that enables you to disenact stricter regulations if they, elsewhere, wouldn't be in the way, and resort to said elsewhere's standards as a replacement - or be able to sue whoever enacts the stricter regulations for compensation. TTIP isn't so much about US vs EU, it's more something about the rich vs the poor, once again, by being able to not influence regulations, but simply pick and chose which set of regulations from all over TTIP-world allows you the most profit with the lest responsibility. It's not even disguised that much, but if you'd want to read the contract that your government, on your behalf, was about to sign - forget it!
Why aren't you angry with the fact that your government allows food to be contaminated with ingredients that are proven to be nothing but health-destroying corner-cutting fillers? But hey, if a free website annoys you that much maybe you should just stop coming here. Nobody's forcing you.
Load More Replies...