This Woman Wrote Down Lists Of Ingredients Of US And UK Products, And The Difference Is Disturbing
It’s no huge secret that food products sold in different countries have slightly different ingredients used in making them. But we do tend to forget this fact in our day-to-day lives, and this usually becomes apparent to us only when we go abroad.
This difference in product ingredients is most notable when going to the United Kingdom from the United States or vice versa. And let me tell you, it’s shocking when you sit down and compare some of the products from the two countries. That’s exactly what American author and food industry critic Vani Hari, better known as Food Babe, did. Read on for Bored Panda’s interview with Food Babe!
More info: foodbabe.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
McDonald’s French Fries
Image credits: Food babe
If you’re living in the US, then the fries you order at McDonald’s might have more than just natural vegetable oil and salt used in the cooking process. While the Quaker instant oatmeal you make yourself for breakfast is also much, much healthier in the UK. When considered broadly, quite a few food products have healthier UK alternatives. This brings into focus the question of whether the extra ingredients are having an effect on Americans and what it might be.
Facebook user Kacey Birch shared Food Babe’s comparison photos online with the words “Are we going to talk about this yet???” and the post went viral, getting more than 8,500 likes, 6,200 comments, and 128,000 shares.
Quaker Instant Oatmeal Packets
Image credits: Food babe
Bored Panda reached out to Hari, aka Food Babe, to get more info about food, nutrition, and the reasons why products have different ingredients in the US and the UK.
“Europe takes a “precautionary principle” approach towards food additives that are potentially risky. They ban or add warning labels to these additives for their citizens. The US does not take this approach. It does not remove additives from our food supply until they have been proven dangerous – which can take a very long time and a lot of red tape.”
“Big Food companies will tell you that the European regulators are just being overly cautious, that all of the ingredients they put in their American products are perfectly safe. But are they really?” Food Babe asked. “If a company can get away with using cheaper ingredients, they will. Given a choice, they’ll always opt for the cheaper flavor enhancer, and the cheaper color additive, and the cheaper preservative, even if these cheaper alternatives potentially have a negative impact on our health.”
Mountain Dew
Image credits: Food babe
“As I discuss in my book Feeding You Lies, the statistics on the health of Americans is downright grim. The U.S. spends 2.5 times more on health care than any other nation and when compared with 16 other developed nations, we come in dead last in terms of health. More than two-thirds of U.S. citizens are overweight and more than 18% of children are obese. After smoking, obesity is America’s biggest cause of premature death. “
Heinz Ketchup
Image credits: Food babe
“While there are many causes behind these dire statistics, undoubtedly one of the primary causes is the American diet, which is full of risky ingredients that are not used to the same extent in other countries. American food is overloaded with bad fats, way too much cheap refined sugar, and heaps of synthetic additives,” Food Babe explained.
Doritos
Image credits: Food babe
Hari also talked about what the biggest mistakes that people make when it comes to diets are: “Blindly trusting what it says on the front of a food package is a big mistake.”
“Claims like “natural”, “healthy”, “diet”, and “sugar-free” mean very little. Instead, always flip over the product and read the ingredient list. This will tell you the truth about what you are eating. If the food contains any additives or preservatives, ask yourself why they are used and whether they’re really necessary. If you don’t know what an ingredient or additive is or how it can affect your health, put the product back and look for a product made with real food instead.”
Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Cereal
Image credits: Food babe
Food Babe is well-known in the US and the world, with over 1.2 million followers on Facebook, 283,000 supporters on Instagram, 104,000 fans on Twitter. Hari has had quite an effect on the food industry: she influenced Kraft to stop putting in the artificial orange color in its macaroni and cheese, and also in part helped convince Subway to drop the bread additive azodicarbonamide.
“When I first saw Kellogg’s new Baby Shark Cereal my heart sank. My daughter, who is 2 years old, loves the Baby Shark song — and I knew when she saw this she would beg me for a box! These ingredients do not belong in our food — especially for children. This is why I launched a petition two weeks ago asking Kellogg’s to remove the artificial colors, artificial flavors, and BHT from their cereals in the U.S. as they do in other countries. It has surpassed 40,000 signatures and climbing.”
Macaroni & Cheese
Image credits: Food babe
“In 2015, Kellogg’s announced plans to remove artificial colors and flavors from their cereals by the end of 2018. Over 4 years later, Kellogg’s continues to sell several cereals made with artificial ingredients such as Froot Loops and Apple Jacks, and is launching new limited-edition cereals targeting young children made with these additives,” Food Babe claimed.
“Why is Kellogg’s creating brand new cereals with artificial ingredients if they truly want to remove these chemicals from cereals? Kellogg’s makes Froot Loops and Unicorn Cereal in other countries without artificial colors or BHT, so they already have the formula. We deserve the same, safer cereals that other countries get,” Hari expressed her feelings.
Image credits: kacey.dawn.37
So, dear Pandas, what do you think about the product ingredient differences in the US and the UK? What’s your opinion on Food Babe? Do you have any personal advice on how to eat and live better? Let everyone know in the comments.
Some people criticized the post
While other internet users had a different opinion
I an'tjust can't believe that one commenter who thinks the UK is somehow communist and doesn't have choices at the supermarket... So much eyeroll!
Yeah, I really laughed at that one, too. Americans can be so dumb...
Correction, Trumptard, FakeSnooze watchers are the real idiots. We have a huge food/agri lobby and they are a juggernaut. Hard to defeat.
People can be so dumb, doesn't matter the nationality.
Correction, not all Americans are dumb.
SOME Americans can be so dumb, very far from all, but the American on the sleeper train from Amsterdam to Copenhagen was. He was shocked when, after not very long at all, the train came to a stop and uniformed officials came aboard checking everybody's passports (this was before the Schengen agreement) and then in asked the rest of us in the compartment if we had to apply for permission to leave the city we live in. We were entering Germany from the Netherlands...
So you laughed about an American making a generalization and then followed it with one of your own.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
What do you mean can be?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Really? One comment and you condemn the whole country?
Me too!
such eyeroll, much annoy, wow so unsettle
Sorry Martha Meyer, but if your despicable leader, PM Boris Johnson, will succeed in having the UK crash out of the European Union at the end of the month, it will not take long until he has brokered a trade deal with the USA abandoning all EU Food Safety regulation in favour of what the American corporations get away with selling to the Americans. The USA has long been a "democracy of sorts", for large corporations and the very wealthiest of individuals, often, of course, with a large overlap. I hope, for the sake of all wonderful Americans, that they will stop accepting this status quo and put a stop to both large "donations" to politicians and to political parties, as well as to gerrymandering. In the UK, you also have a "democracy of sorts" adding another two more groups to the mix of who decides: the aristocracy and the outdated class system that remains well and kicking, and you need to replace FPP (first past the post) system with a representative one.
Boris can do whatever deals he wants but the UK public just won't buy shit from the USA on the basis that it is available. Media will eviscerate any suppliers of inferior USA products.
When will the USA learn they are eating chemical crap and we have food laws, they seem unable to accept reality.
One of the comments there implying that the UK isn't disclosing all the ingredients - yes they are. They are bound by a law and inspections to list all ingredients, undeclared ingredients result in immediate total recalls. Besides, if they didn't and someone had an allergic reaction their entire business will fall, it's happened. Oh, going vegan or vegetarian won't stop this, some of those were vegan and vegetarian.
It's a lack of education... and the blind patriotism.
A lot of americans are so dumb, ignorant and arrogant that simply can't believe other countries are ruled bettere than USA. Good for them, they're free to poison themselves and become hugely obese.
Unfortunately, many dietary choices made by my fellow Americans are governed by cost. High-quality ingredients, "real" sugar, spices, etc. are rather expensive, and make for a more expensive final product. If there is a less expensive option, many people choose that for economic reasons, they are willing to overlook the fact that fat and sugar have been substituted for things which actually contain flavor.
Lol John Smith the UK has obesity problems too, as do many western countries. I've never heard of the UK being known as "svelte"
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
pebs is right, the English are known for being svelte
They disclose it in different ways. For example on the doritos, both list cheese but the US label then lists the ingredients that go into that cheese. That said, American food always has more sugar in it and probably salt. So there are legitimate differences here but it also comes down to how ingredients are listed based on national regulations.
According to dorito they are milk cheese cultures salt and enzyme
What are the ingredients of cheese?
"Why these food additives are banned in Europe—but not in the United States" https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2019/01/03/banned-foods and here is an article: "What Foods Are Banned in Europe but Not Banned in the U.S.? The European Union prohibits many food additives and various drugs that are widely used in American foods." https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/28/well/eat/food-additives-banned-europe-united-states.html
Hilarious thing is - those labeling regulations were passed by EU. The same evil oppressive empire that never did anything good and only wants to destroy poor old UK.
Yes, and if they leave, they will soon embrace the American food standards. "A 1958 amendment to the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act prohibits the Food and Drug Administration from approving food additives that are linked to cancer, but an agency spokeswoman said that many substances that were in use before passage of the amendment, known as the Delaney amendment, are considered to have had prior approval and “therefore are not regulated as food additives.”" As if repeating a bad use would somehow make it OK...
It appears the difference is if the ingredient listed is the comprised of multiple ingredients (case in point, the macaroni and cheese - the US version listed all of the ingredients the pasta was made from, whereas the UK version only listed the kind of flour used, not any of the binding agents). I worked in the food manufacturing industry and had to learn about the US labeling laws; the only ingredient that doesn't have to be broken out is if you have proprietary blend of seasonings (such as Heinz ketchup's seasonings) and they have to be below a certain % of the overall product formulation.
Anony Mouse : "The flavor enhancers and preservatives BHA and BHT are subject to severe restrictions in Europe but are widely used in American food products. While evidence on BHT is mixed, BHA is listed in a United States government report on carcinogens as “reasonably anticipated” to be a human carcinogen." https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/28/well/eat/food-additives-banned-europe-united-states.html
That’s legit in some of these cases but isn’t the entire story.
Exactly - check out the Frosted Flakes. The US version contains one additive, BHT, which is an antioxidant used to maintain the freshness of the product, but otherwise has more vitamins and minerals than its counterpart. But all those vitamins have scary long names! Chemicals are bad!
In America it won't say "cheese powder" it gives the full ingredients. Milk, enzymes etc. So there is some variation between the labels but the UK food definitely does have a different make up.
Actually it's only recently they have brought out 'Natasha's Law' after someone did have an allergic reaction with tragic consequences in 2016 due to improperly labeled food but it isn't even coming into force until 2021.
Alright, each one of you calling us Americans dumb are belittling your own argument by name calling. The issue isn't the consumer. It's the billionaires that higher lobbyist to control polices and profits. As a consumer if I stop buying something, do you really think an international company like Kraft will care?
Hey in new Zealand they have tried to change several foods (Cadbury, vegemite, shapes) and the fallout from angry consumers has made them renege and return product to original. And we have a population of less than 5 mil. If enough people say I might be one person but I'm still gna fight It, you can effect change
How do we do in Europe and others countries? Just copy! It's easy to complain but it changes nothing. Just act! Be responsible of your lifes and politics. Fight! Rights are not gifts from companies, they are won.
If one person stops buying a product, of course they won't care. But if thousands and thousands of people stop buying products that contain certain ingredients or additives, they'll be forced to stop using them. It's your choice and your responsibility.
First: You wanted to say that "the billionaires that HIRE LOBBYISTS...". Second: Yes, I "really think an international company like Kraft will care" if and when ENOUGH CONSUMERS CARE! The more vocal you can be about it, the more sound alternatives you can recommend, the faster they will listen. They care very much indeed about the bottom line and if you spend your money elsewhere, they will be all ears.
I live in the UK and our food is highly regulated - I've tried American food from our super markets and I can instantly taste the artificial colours and flavours. The UK may be highly regulated but atleast we care about what we eat (mostly).
That's the real reason Americans think our food sucks - theirs is so artificial. Look at how bright their ketchup is compared to ours. What the hell kind of chemicals do they add to it to make it almost neon? And before anyone mentions our Mountain Dew bottles are brighter, that's just the plastic, not the liquid inside. Also, I've tasted both Mountain Dews, and it wasn't the UK version that kept me awake all night.
Exactly! Have you tried American mustard, it's awful - it didn't even taste like mustard!
Your food is awesome. I eat far too much of it every time I'm there.
nuclear fusion
OK, I was in a B&m in Scotland and saw these 2 different coloured Heinz Tomato Ketchup bottles and was freaking out about the colour of it! Until my auntie lifted the bottles - one was in a clear bottle, the other was in a red coloured bottle! Trust me, I felt like a fanny lol! I have a picture of the 2 together in my phone, I'll try and post it on here if I can!
The bright ketchup is due to the plastic colouring, that specific container is not translucent.
Why is everyone dissing the US just because of a post? What did it ever do to you?
Are you totally dumb? The comparisons are between British and American ingredients for the same products.
This comment has been deleted.
I kept reading about Lucky Charmes. So when I found a store in Cardiff, selling American sweets, I bought it. That sugar-induced coma... Never again.
@Bob Beltcher Literally none of the cereals made for kids contains anywhere near as much sugar here in Europe. And guess what? Our kids are fine with it.
I expect that a cereal for kids should be made to be healthy for kids. If it is a sugar-bomb, it is a fail. As simple as that.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
It's a kids cereal, WTF did you expect?
Same here in Ireland. A lot of our foods are made in the UK. And any that are made here taste completely different to the same product made in the US. Also, since Kraft/Mondelez bought out Cadbury, all their chocolate (Ireland and UK made) taste crap.
I agree on Cadbury! Grr they replaced the cocoa butter with palm oil. I buy Whittakers choc now ^-^
Well, the first thing they did was change the ingredients, it now included palm oil which is the main reason the Amazon rainforest is being destroyed. Strange Cadbury's managed over 100 years without it.
That is who we needed, someone FROM the UK who knows about their food to talk about what is in it.
This comment has been deleted.
This comment has been deleted.
American food in your super market has to pass UK food regulations, so they're fine. The US have to disclose everything going into their food to satisfy the FDA even if it's 0.00002g, but not in Britain/EU. Basically if it's a negligible amount we don't bother sticking it on the pack on this side of the pond, whereas the Yanks insist on everything. Their TV ads for medicine have to recite the potential side affects, they go a bit over board on the 'nannying'. On the flip side though, some Tic Tacs have so little sugar they don't have to list it as ingredient this side of the pond and they actual call them sugar free Tic tics, but you couldn't get away with that in the US.
You have no idea what you are talking about. Read the posts
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Well except for the amount of rat droppings allowed in your wheat flour. That's why the UK is not allowed to export to the US. Blech.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Ha! Tell that to all the fat children I see on a daily basis. The UK is the fattest country in Europe.
That's because most of those children are in poor families and it's cheaper to buy takeaway or cheap food than it is to buy healthy organic food. The US is still probably the fattest country in the world...
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The US is pretty fat, but so is Britain. The Mean BMI is 28.8 in the us, making it the 17th fattest country, whereas the UK is number 40, but still high up at 27.3. Basically, the average person in both countries are overweight. Just because foods might have more artificial colours and flavours in the US doesn't mean everyone looks like balloons. Poverty exists in both countries, so don't gatekeep child obesity. Both countries have problems, so don't brag about the UK being "better" at it.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
I don't see how a £1 pack of six apples is more expensive than a £1 pack of 5 donuts. That microwave lasagne costs more than buying ingredients for a lasagne in bulk and froze the rest. I hate that "poor family, poor meal" argument because it simply doesn't exist. Laziness, on the other hand...
I an'tjust can't believe that one commenter who thinks the UK is somehow communist and doesn't have choices at the supermarket... So much eyeroll!
Yeah, I really laughed at that one, too. Americans can be so dumb...
Correction, Trumptard, FakeSnooze watchers are the real idiots. We have a huge food/agri lobby and they are a juggernaut. Hard to defeat.
People can be so dumb, doesn't matter the nationality.
Correction, not all Americans are dumb.
SOME Americans can be so dumb, very far from all, but the American on the sleeper train from Amsterdam to Copenhagen was. He was shocked when, after not very long at all, the train came to a stop and uniformed officials came aboard checking everybody's passports (this was before the Schengen agreement) and then in asked the rest of us in the compartment if we had to apply for permission to leave the city we live in. We were entering Germany from the Netherlands...
So you laughed about an American making a generalization and then followed it with one of your own.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
What do you mean can be?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Really? One comment and you condemn the whole country?
Me too!
such eyeroll, much annoy, wow so unsettle
Sorry Martha Meyer, but if your despicable leader, PM Boris Johnson, will succeed in having the UK crash out of the European Union at the end of the month, it will not take long until he has brokered a trade deal with the USA abandoning all EU Food Safety regulation in favour of what the American corporations get away with selling to the Americans. The USA has long been a "democracy of sorts", for large corporations and the very wealthiest of individuals, often, of course, with a large overlap. I hope, for the sake of all wonderful Americans, that they will stop accepting this status quo and put a stop to both large "donations" to politicians and to political parties, as well as to gerrymandering. In the UK, you also have a "democracy of sorts" adding another two more groups to the mix of who decides: the aristocracy and the outdated class system that remains well and kicking, and you need to replace FPP (first past the post) system with a representative one.
Boris can do whatever deals he wants but the UK public just won't buy shit from the USA on the basis that it is available. Media will eviscerate any suppliers of inferior USA products.
When will the USA learn they are eating chemical crap and we have food laws, they seem unable to accept reality.
One of the comments there implying that the UK isn't disclosing all the ingredients - yes they are. They are bound by a law and inspections to list all ingredients, undeclared ingredients result in immediate total recalls. Besides, if they didn't and someone had an allergic reaction their entire business will fall, it's happened. Oh, going vegan or vegetarian won't stop this, some of those were vegan and vegetarian.
It's a lack of education... and the blind patriotism.
A lot of americans are so dumb, ignorant and arrogant that simply can't believe other countries are ruled bettere than USA. Good for them, they're free to poison themselves and become hugely obese.
Unfortunately, many dietary choices made by my fellow Americans are governed by cost. High-quality ingredients, "real" sugar, spices, etc. are rather expensive, and make for a more expensive final product. If there is a less expensive option, many people choose that for economic reasons, they are willing to overlook the fact that fat and sugar have been substituted for things which actually contain flavor.
Lol John Smith the UK has obesity problems too, as do many western countries. I've never heard of the UK being known as "svelte"
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
pebs is right, the English are known for being svelte
They disclose it in different ways. For example on the doritos, both list cheese but the US label then lists the ingredients that go into that cheese. That said, American food always has more sugar in it and probably salt. So there are legitimate differences here but it also comes down to how ingredients are listed based on national regulations.
According to dorito they are milk cheese cultures salt and enzyme
What are the ingredients of cheese?
"Why these food additives are banned in Europe—but not in the United States" https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2019/01/03/banned-foods and here is an article: "What Foods Are Banned in Europe but Not Banned in the U.S.? The European Union prohibits many food additives and various drugs that are widely used in American foods." https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/28/well/eat/food-additives-banned-europe-united-states.html
Hilarious thing is - those labeling regulations were passed by EU. The same evil oppressive empire that never did anything good and only wants to destroy poor old UK.
Yes, and if they leave, they will soon embrace the American food standards. "A 1958 amendment to the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act prohibits the Food and Drug Administration from approving food additives that are linked to cancer, but an agency spokeswoman said that many substances that were in use before passage of the amendment, known as the Delaney amendment, are considered to have had prior approval and “therefore are not regulated as food additives.”" As if repeating a bad use would somehow make it OK...
It appears the difference is if the ingredient listed is the comprised of multiple ingredients (case in point, the macaroni and cheese - the US version listed all of the ingredients the pasta was made from, whereas the UK version only listed the kind of flour used, not any of the binding agents). I worked in the food manufacturing industry and had to learn about the US labeling laws; the only ingredient that doesn't have to be broken out is if you have proprietary blend of seasonings (such as Heinz ketchup's seasonings) and they have to be below a certain % of the overall product formulation.
Anony Mouse : "The flavor enhancers and preservatives BHA and BHT are subject to severe restrictions in Europe but are widely used in American food products. While evidence on BHT is mixed, BHA is listed in a United States government report on carcinogens as “reasonably anticipated” to be a human carcinogen." https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/28/well/eat/food-additives-banned-europe-united-states.html
That’s legit in some of these cases but isn’t the entire story.
Exactly - check out the Frosted Flakes. The US version contains one additive, BHT, which is an antioxidant used to maintain the freshness of the product, but otherwise has more vitamins and minerals than its counterpart. But all those vitamins have scary long names! Chemicals are bad!
In America it won't say "cheese powder" it gives the full ingredients. Milk, enzymes etc. So there is some variation between the labels but the UK food definitely does have a different make up.
Actually it's only recently they have brought out 'Natasha's Law' after someone did have an allergic reaction with tragic consequences in 2016 due to improperly labeled food but it isn't even coming into force until 2021.
Alright, each one of you calling us Americans dumb are belittling your own argument by name calling. The issue isn't the consumer. It's the billionaires that higher lobbyist to control polices and profits. As a consumer if I stop buying something, do you really think an international company like Kraft will care?
Hey in new Zealand they have tried to change several foods (Cadbury, vegemite, shapes) and the fallout from angry consumers has made them renege and return product to original. And we have a population of less than 5 mil. If enough people say I might be one person but I'm still gna fight It, you can effect change
How do we do in Europe and others countries? Just copy! It's easy to complain but it changes nothing. Just act! Be responsible of your lifes and politics. Fight! Rights are not gifts from companies, they are won.
If one person stops buying a product, of course they won't care. But if thousands and thousands of people stop buying products that contain certain ingredients or additives, they'll be forced to stop using them. It's your choice and your responsibility.
First: You wanted to say that "the billionaires that HIRE LOBBYISTS...". Second: Yes, I "really think an international company like Kraft will care" if and when ENOUGH CONSUMERS CARE! The more vocal you can be about it, the more sound alternatives you can recommend, the faster they will listen. They care very much indeed about the bottom line and if you spend your money elsewhere, they will be all ears.
I live in the UK and our food is highly regulated - I've tried American food from our super markets and I can instantly taste the artificial colours and flavours. The UK may be highly regulated but atleast we care about what we eat (mostly).
That's the real reason Americans think our food sucks - theirs is so artificial. Look at how bright their ketchup is compared to ours. What the hell kind of chemicals do they add to it to make it almost neon? And before anyone mentions our Mountain Dew bottles are brighter, that's just the plastic, not the liquid inside. Also, I've tasted both Mountain Dews, and it wasn't the UK version that kept me awake all night.
Exactly! Have you tried American mustard, it's awful - it didn't even taste like mustard!
Your food is awesome. I eat far too much of it every time I'm there.
nuclear fusion
OK, I was in a B&m in Scotland and saw these 2 different coloured Heinz Tomato Ketchup bottles and was freaking out about the colour of it! Until my auntie lifted the bottles - one was in a clear bottle, the other was in a red coloured bottle! Trust me, I felt like a fanny lol! I have a picture of the 2 together in my phone, I'll try and post it on here if I can!
The bright ketchup is due to the plastic colouring, that specific container is not translucent.
Why is everyone dissing the US just because of a post? What did it ever do to you?
Are you totally dumb? The comparisons are between British and American ingredients for the same products.
This comment has been deleted.
I kept reading about Lucky Charmes. So when I found a store in Cardiff, selling American sweets, I bought it. That sugar-induced coma... Never again.
@Bob Beltcher Literally none of the cereals made for kids contains anywhere near as much sugar here in Europe. And guess what? Our kids are fine with it.
I expect that a cereal for kids should be made to be healthy for kids. If it is a sugar-bomb, it is a fail. As simple as that.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
It's a kids cereal, WTF did you expect?
Same here in Ireland. A lot of our foods are made in the UK. And any that are made here taste completely different to the same product made in the US. Also, since Kraft/Mondelez bought out Cadbury, all their chocolate (Ireland and UK made) taste crap.
I agree on Cadbury! Grr they replaced the cocoa butter with palm oil. I buy Whittakers choc now ^-^
Well, the first thing they did was change the ingredients, it now included palm oil which is the main reason the Amazon rainforest is being destroyed. Strange Cadbury's managed over 100 years without it.
That is who we needed, someone FROM the UK who knows about their food to talk about what is in it.
This comment has been deleted.
This comment has been deleted.
American food in your super market has to pass UK food regulations, so they're fine. The US have to disclose everything going into their food to satisfy the FDA even if it's 0.00002g, but not in Britain/EU. Basically if it's a negligible amount we don't bother sticking it on the pack on this side of the pond, whereas the Yanks insist on everything. Their TV ads for medicine have to recite the potential side affects, they go a bit over board on the 'nannying'. On the flip side though, some Tic Tacs have so little sugar they don't have to list it as ingredient this side of the pond and they actual call them sugar free Tic tics, but you couldn't get away with that in the US.
You have no idea what you are talking about. Read the posts
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Well except for the amount of rat droppings allowed in your wheat flour. That's why the UK is not allowed to export to the US. Blech.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Ha! Tell that to all the fat children I see on a daily basis. The UK is the fattest country in Europe.
That's because most of those children are in poor families and it's cheaper to buy takeaway or cheap food than it is to buy healthy organic food. The US is still probably the fattest country in the world...
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
The US is pretty fat, but so is Britain. The Mean BMI is 28.8 in the us, making it the 17th fattest country, whereas the UK is number 40, but still high up at 27.3. Basically, the average person in both countries are overweight. Just because foods might have more artificial colours and flavours in the US doesn't mean everyone looks like balloons. Poverty exists in both countries, so don't gatekeep child obesity. Both countries have problems, so don't brag about the UK being "better" at it.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
I don't see how a £1 pack of six apples is more expensive than a £1 pack of 5 donuts. That microwave lasagne costs more than buying ingredients for a lasagne in bulk and froze the rest. I hate that "poor family, poor meal" argument because it simply doesn't exist. Laziness, on the other hand...