For a country that prides itself on significant dominance among other countries in most fields, it is simply inconceivable that the American food supply is full of poison. The FDA allows manufacturers to label additives as “GRAS”, or “Generally Recognized as Safe”, allowing them to bypass any FDA review. Essentially, the FDA trusts manufacturers to do their own research regarding additives in their products and, as long as they mark it “GRAS”, the FDA doesn’t ask any questions. Due to this significant lack of oversight, we have become one of the sickest economically developed countries on the planet.
Other countries, such as Japan, have strict regulations regarding food additives. Japan enforces rigorous standards for food additives, pesticide residues, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), governed by their “Food Sanitation Act”, which can be reviewed in English here.
Because of this, Japan boasts one of the highest life expectancies globally and lower rates of chronic diseases such as heart disease and obesity compared to many Western countries.
If you’re into statistics and want to know how much of a difference it really makes, here are the differences:
Obesity Rate:
America: 40% of adults
Japan: 4% of adultsDiabetes:
America: 10% of the population
Japan: 7.6% of the populationHeart Disease:
America: The leading cause of death at 189 per 100,000 people
Japan: 60 per 100,000 people.*It is important to note, for statistical purposes, that Japan’s population is half of America’s population.
America: 346,103,663
Japan: 124,352,000
This signifies a glaring problem for the health of American citizens. It is time to remove toxic additives from our food. Below is a list of some notable additives that are allowed in the United States but banned in the European Union:
Potassium Bromate: Used as a flour improver in bread and baked goods, potassium bromate is banned in the European Union (EU) because of its potential carcinogenic effects.
Azodicarbonamide (ADA): Employed as a dough conditioner, ADA is prohibited in Europe due to links with respiratory issues and potential carcinogenicity.
Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO): Used as an emulsifier in citrus-flavored soft drinks, BVO is banned in Europe over concerns about its accumulation in the body and potential health risks.
Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT): These preservatives are banned in Europe due to their potential carcinogenic properties.
Certain Synthetic Food Dyes: Artificial colorings such as Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 are restricted in Europe because of links to hyperactivity and behavioral issues in children.
Olestra: A fat substitute used in some snack foods, olestra is banned in Europe due to concerns about gastrointestinal side effects and interference with nutrient absorption.
Propylparaben: A preservative used in various foods, propylparaben is banned in Europe over concerns about its potential endocrine-disrupting effects.
Titanium Dioxide: Used as a whitening agent in various products, titanium dioxide is banned in Europe due to potential genotoxicity concerns.
These additives are poisonous to Americans, yet no regulatory agency seeks to remove them from our food.
A staggering 77% of military aged men are ineligible to join the military, without a waiver, due to physical health issues. They have effectively created a population that cannot fix the military’s recruiting deficit, which could have major implications if the US enters a large-scale conflict.
These toxins must be removed from our food NOW. We are being exposed to toxic chemicals that other countries banned years ago. America cannot be the best country on Earth and remain delayed on this important topic.