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Considering the fact that some American "cuisine" (Oh, those Golden Arches) has become ubiquitous abroad, it's interesting to learn that there's a long list of foods that are verboten in other countries.
Dr. Joseph Mercola, an osteopathic physician -- or "alternative medicine guru" -- based in Illinois, has compiled a list of 10 such foods and suggests that since they're not permitted elsewhere, we, too, would probably be better off avoiding them.
Flip through for to get an idea of the kinds of foods he warns against.
RELATED: Why Drinking Alcohol Makes You Ugly.
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Put the words "genetically engineered" in front of anything -- especially fruits, since they're supposed to be intrinsically healthy -- and it pretty much turns you off eating it in the first place.
In this case, Dr. Mercola points out that, "Most Hawaiian papaya is now genetically engineered to be resistant to ringspot virus," and that studies now show that, "animals fed genetically engineered foods, such as corn and soy, suffer a wide range of maladies, including intestinal damage, multiple-organ damage, massive tumors, birth defects, premature death, and near complete sterility by the third generation of offspring." As a result, the European Union has banned these papaya from entering any of their countries.
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Mmmm. Who's up for a yummy, thirst-quenching
flame retardant beverage? Pretty gross and scary to contemplate, right? However, Dr. Mercola says that, "Citrus-flavored sodas and sports drinks sold in the US typically contain a synthetic chemical called brominated vegetable oil (BVO), which was originally patented by chemical companies as a flame retardant." Imbibing BVO in "large doses" has been shown to cause reproductive and behavioral problems. I, for one, don't want to "be like Mike" that badly.
READ: 5 Healthy Things that Could Kill You
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Evidently, potassium bromide is used in commercial baking because it makes the dough stronger and helps it to rise higher. The health hitch? "Studies have linked potassium bromate to kidney and nervous system damage, thyroid problems, gastrointestinal discomfort, and cancer," says Dr. Mercola and, subsequently, it's not allowed to be used in Canada, China and the EU.
READ:
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All you have to do is look at the fingers of someone who's eating a bag of Cheetos Flamin' Hot "cheese flavored snacks" to know that Mother Nature didn't have
one thing to do with creating them. And, they're not alone. The U.S. uses more than 3,000 preservatives, flavorings, colorings and more that, according to Dr. Mercola, "are banned in other countries, based on research showing toxicity and hazardous health effects, especially with respect to adverse effects on children's behavior."
