The United States is known for its wide range of tasty foods, but not all of them are safe or healthy for people in other countries. Because they are bad for health, the environment, or morals, some of the most famous foods in the U.S. are frowned upon everywhere else.
Today, we’re going to talk about 8 of these things and why they aren’t allowed in some places. You could be shocked by what you don’t have or what you would be better off without.
Let’s look at each food item in more detail and see what makes it dangerous according to the rules of other countries. This will help us understand why these foods are not allowed in other countries.
1. Skittles
Skittles are a popular treat for both kids and adults today. They were first made in 1974. However, this candy has dyes that aren’t natural, such as tartrazine yellow 5, yellow 6, and red 40.
Healthline says that the use of these dyes has grown by more than 500% in the last few years, even though many of them have been linked to hyperactivity in kids. Healthline also says that these dyes may be linked to problems that can cause cancer, but more research needs to be done.
It’s interesting that Skittles were first created in the UK and then brought to the US in 1979. But this candy is now illegal in many European countries, including Austria. There are also rules in the UK that say any company that uses these man-made dyes has to put a warning sign on their goods.
2. Coffee-Mate
Coffee-Mate is a popular coffee creamer in the US, but it has partly hydrogenated oils in it. In this group are oils like soybean and cottonseed, which have a lot of trans fats that may cause heart disease.
Study after study has shown that trans fat can raise the chance of heart attack, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and high cholesterol, according to the Mayo Clinic.
A lot of European countries, like Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Hungary, and Norway, do not allow Coffee Mate at this time.
3. Citrus Sodas
One particular orange drink made by the Dr. Pepper group, Sun Drop, has brominated vegetable oil in it. Soda makers add BVO to their drinks to keep the taste from switching places.
Studies have shown that BVO can affect our central nervous system, which can lead to headaches and memory loss. It may also be bad for your face.
According to the Environmental Working Group, BVO used to be in a lot of different drinks, including Mountain Dew. A lot of soda companies have taken BVO out of their drinks, but Sun Drop still has it. At the moment, BVO is illegal in Japan and the whole EU.
4. Stove Top Stuffing
In the United States, stovetop stuffing is famous, especially around Thanksgiving. However, the food is known to contain BHA and BHT.
Also, it’s important to know that some of the same things are in quick mashed potatoes. The National Library of Medicine says that these add-ons can hurt organs and blood. These chemicals have also been linked to making skin itch.
Europe’s UK, Japan, and other places have banned Stove Top because of this.
5. Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls
There are food dyes in Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls, even though they look brown and white. This is why they are illegal in some countries, like Norway and Austria.
In some European countries, they are legal, but they need to have a warning sign because they contain yellow 5 and red 40.
Another thing to keep in mind is that some EU countries also don’t allow certain snacks, like Hostess’s Twinkies. In the US, yellow 5 isn’t a problem, but in many European countries, they aren’t allowed or come with warnings.
6. Various Types of Cereal
In some places, you can’t buy certain kinds of food because they contain ingredients that could be dangerous. For instance, Froot Loops has those annoying food dyes we talked about.
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) is an extra chemical that is found in cereals like Frosted Flakes and Honey Bunches of Oats. BHT is used to improve the taste of food and make it last longer, but it has also been linked to heart problems.
Many types of grain are not allowed in the UK, Japan, and other European countries because they contain BHT. According to the FDA, there is no risk in taking small amounts of BHT. However, some tests have shown that it can cause cancer and other health problems.
7. Ritz Crackers
Ritz crackers are made with partly hydrogenated cottonseed oil, which is the same reason why Coffee Mate is banned in some countries. This trans fat is often added to foods to make them last longer, but we know that it can also raise the risk of heart problems.
There are no grams of trans fat in a Ritz cracker dose, which is important to know. But how is this true if these snacks are illegal in other countries and the list of ingredients includes partly hydrogenated oils?
So long as the food has 0.5 grams or less, the FDA says it can say “0g” on the package. In other places, though, trans fat is illegal in any amount, which is why Ritz crackers were banned.
8. Gatorade
Gatorade is a well-known sports drink in the United States. This drink does have electrolytes, but some kinds also have dangerous dyes in them, like Skittles.
The drink also used to have brominated vegetable oil in it, which is against the law in many European Union and Japanese countries. Some countries let it be sold again after this ingredient was taken out.
But many types of sports drinks have colors like yellow 5 and yellow 6 that are bad for you. We learned from Skittles that these man-made dyes can be bad for people, especially kids. So, places like Austria and Norway don’t let people drink Gatorade because of this.
Conclusion
Eight popular American foods have been banned around the world because they aren’t safe or healthy. This is an interesting look at how global food standards work.
From Skittles, which are full of fake colors, to Coffee Mate, which is full of trans fats, all of these things set off alarm bells and have led to bans or warnings in several European countries and Japan. Some cereal ingredients, like BHT, and Ritz Crackers’ trans fat levels are the reasons why they aren’t allowed.
These events show how different global food laws are and how important it is for people to make smart food choices for a better and safer diet around the world.