http://www.endoriot.com/2014/06/how-food-companies-exploit-americans.html http://www.endoriot.com/2014/06/how-food-companies-exploit-americans.html via Food Babe Thoughts of outrage, unfairness, disbelief, and ultimately grief consumed me while I was doing this investigation. A list of ingredients that are banned across the globe but still allowed for use here in the American food supply recently made news. While I have written about some of those ingredients before, this list inspired me to look a little deeper and find out how pervasive this issue is for us. Could these banned ingredients be contributing to the higher mortality and disease The health of Americans is downright grim according to a report just released by the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council. It declares “Americans are sicker and die younger than other people in wealthy nations.†The United States spends 2.5 times more on health care than any other nation, however, when compared with 16 other nations we come in dead last in terms of health and life expectancy for men and near the bottom for women. Here is the breakdown for you: More than two thirds of United States citizens are overweight – 33% being obese. 32% of children are either obese or overweight. 43% of Americans are projected to be obese in 10 years. After smoking, obesity is America's biggest cause of premature death and is linked to 70% of heart disease and 80% of diabetes cases. And 41% of Americans are projected to get cancer in their lifetime! These reports and statistics scream the word HELP! Recently, I spent some time down in Mississippi volunteering in the most obese county in the nation. I found that while social and economic factors do play a part in this epidemic, the main culprit was the lack of nutrition education. The victims of obesity are likely the same victims of systematic brainwashing from Big Food marketers, relying on diet soda, low fat products, or looking only at calories on product labels. Basically, they are doing what the food industry has been teaching them about losing weight versus finding out the truth about real food. And that's the problem – the food industry is the one leading our conversation in this country about food and nutrition, educating the mass public about what to eat and what not to eat. Coca-Cola recently even went as far as creating a special campaign to combat obesity – yes you read that right – a sugar filled soda company trying to stop obesity. (You can read my reaction to that here). Unfortunately, the doctors in this country are not exactly leading the discussion either, since nutrition is not currently a focus in medical school. And the government has their hands tied by big food industry and chemical company lobbyists that basically control what the FDA approves, deems safe for human consumption, and our overall food policy. So who is going to finally tell us the truth about our food? The food industry does not want us to pay attention to the ingredients nor do they care about the negative effects from eating them. They certainly don't care about the astronomical medical bills that are a direct result of us eating the inferior food they are creating. The HELP we need starts here. We as a collective nation must stop this trajectory of sickness and rising health care costs, by understanding the ingredients we are putting into our bodies. We must challenge the U.S. food industry to discontinue the use of banned ingredients that are not allowed elsewhere in the world. We deserve to have the same quality food without potential toxins. Food is medicine, and plain and simple, if our food is sick (filled with GMO's, chemicals, additives, artificial ingredients, and/or carcinogens), collectively we as a country are going to continue to be sick. Using banned ingredients that other countries have determined unsafe for human consumption has become a pandemic in this country. To prove this point, I found the best and easiest place to look for evidence was just across “the pond†in the United Kingdom, where they enjoy some of the same types of products we do – but with totally different ingredient lists. It is appalling to witness the examples I am about to share with you. The U.S. food corporations are unnecessarily feeding us chemicals – while leaving out almost all questionable ingredients in our friends' products overseas. The point is the food industry has already formulated safer, better products, but they are voluntarily only selling inferior versions of these products here in America. The evidence of this runs the gamut from fast food places to boxed cake mix to cereal to candy and even oatmeal – you can't escape it. Some of the key American brands that are participating in this deception are McDonald's, Pringles (owned by Kellogg's), Pizza Hut and Quaker (owned by Pepsi), Betty Crocker (owned by General Mills), Starburst (owned by M&M/Mars), and Ritz Crackers (owned by Kraft). In the examples below, red text indicates potentially harmful ingredients and/or ingredients likely to contain GMOs. Having a pre-made box of flour, baking soda and sugar all ready to go saves time for some people when it comes to making a cake, but does saving time have to come at the expense of chemically derived and potentially toxic ingredients? The United States version of Betty Crocker Red Velvet cake not only has artificial colors linked to hyperactivity in children, food cravings, and obesity, but it also has partially hydrogenated oils (a.k.a. trans fat). Trans fat has been shown to be deadly even in small amounts. “Previous trials have linked even a 40-calorie-per-day increase in trans fat intake to a 23% higher risk of heart disease.†This could easily be the amount of trans fat in one serving of Betty Crocker icing alone. Sodium benzoate is an ingredient that Coca-Cola actually removed in their Diet Coke product overseas, but you'll still find it in their product Sprite, cake mixes and loads of other products across the USA. The Mayo Clinic reported that this preservative increases hyperactivity in children. Also, when sodium benzoate combines with ascorbic acid (vitamin C), it can form benzene, a carcinogen that damages DNA in cells and accelerates aging. Fast Food giants like McDonald's and Pizza Hut are just as guilty as General Mills' Betty Crocker. Look closely at the ingredients in McDonald's french fries above. Do you see how the french fries in the U.K. version are basically just potatoes, vegetable oil, a little sugar and salt? How can McDonald's make french fries with such an uncomplicated list of ingredients all over Europe, but not over here? Why do McDonald's french fries in the U.S. have to have TBHQ, trans fat and “anti-foaming†agents? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last time I checked – I didn't think Americans liked foam with their fries either! The anti-foaming agent – dimethylpolysiloxane – is a type of silicone used in caulks and sealants and as a filler for breast implants. It's also the key ingredient in silly putty. Thanks FDA for allowing companies to put silly putty in our french fries. Seriously – this is out of control. McDonalds Strawberry Sauce in the United States includes high fructose corn syrup, red #40 and sodium benzoate, while the citizens of the U.K. get off scot-free. Instead, they get 37% real strawberries in their product and no additional flavoring or harmful preservatives.
The info is out there, it's time for people to start being responsible for themselves. Most prefer the blindfold on.
Americans are practically raised like the cattle they share fences with. People get themselves addicted to a lifestyle that's demanding on how they eat. There are so many people to feed, so why not just give them the crap and still make quarrels with what "organic" really is.
Just because something's banned doesn't mean it's harmful. Cannabis is banned just about worldwide and don't you still toke? Activist are very good at attracting ignorant people, even ones in power.
The thread is about how harmful ingredients are banned else were. But not in the united states. Does cannabis have harmful ingredients? Most these ingredients mentioned in the topic are healthy? Why are other countries banning them? Why are countries now looking at legalizing cannabis?
All the things they talked about are obviously unhealthy. Everyone knows cake, icing, coke, and mcdonalds is terrible for your health. These aren't essential foods that the average person consumes on a daily basis (hopefully).
I recently tried to change my diet so I would be cutting out salt. But it is impossible. Here in america it is at least. I went to the grocery store to find healthy food and it doesn't exist. The lowest sodium lunch meat I could find still had 500 mg of sodium in just 4 slices. I think this intentional. They want us to be fat and unhealthy so we will be dead before we can collect social security.
learn to shop better? dont buy prepackaged meats that use salt as a preservative as well as taste enhancer? i think its pretty comical how all the oils were highlighted in red. even canola oil ffs. stupid consumers think they cant intake any amount of oil,fat,carb,salt,sugar,etc. and be healthy......poor taste deprived fools.
the sun can give me cancer, but i work outside. i could be killed in a motor vehicle accident, but i drive to work. having lots of sex often results in pregnancy and child care, but we still fuck. the least nutritious and least healthy foods are often the best tasting. so we still eat them. people(especially Americans) dont care if something is bad for them as long as it gets stuff done faster, tasted better and is generally bigger than it should be. these companies still get paid for making these products(ie food coloring/additives) so why not sell them in a country where they're still legal?
Could not say it better. Just because something is not ethically right, or doesn't sit well with a group of people (no matter the size), does not mean a greedy person or company will not try to profit on it. Sure there are healthier lifestyles and better ways to try and control the masses (talking money mostly here), but why would someone who is making such a large profit change anything? THEY are ok and will be ok, after all they have money.
they change things all the time when enough people complain about it...trans fat is about to be totally removed http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/trans-fat_b_4394484.html