Foods Only Americans Can Eat Because They Are Banned Almost Everywhere Else

Americans don't have the best reputation for food. We are known for having easily accessible high-calorie fried and sweet foods. Even the foods sold in grocery stores and corner shops are questionable. So many ingredients and American brands are banned in other countries because of possible harm. Sometimes the brands exist in other countries but taste and look wildly different because of their ingredients.

So, what are some foods we only see sold in American stores? What is in them that causes so many countries to turn away? The one most people know of is red dye 40. Next time you go on a quick trip to grab some snacks, check the ingredients closely, it probably has red dye 40. Most foods in American grocery stores that are bright red or orange have this addicting dye. (Click here after this article to learn about toxic materials you didn't know were in your home.)

Red dye 40 is just one ingredient that is banned in multiple countries including the U.K. and several European countries. Another ingredient commonly seen in American foods that are banned elsewhere is Recombinant Somatotropin (rBST). Recombinant Somatotropin is a synthetic hormone given to cows in the United States for milk production. You won't find this synthetic hormone in the European Union or Canada.

To curate this list of foods only Americans can eat because they are banned almost everywhere else, 24/7 Tempo consulted various food, health, and news websites. These sources include the FDA, the Chicago Tribune, Healthline, and Dairy Farmers of Canada. Keep reading to discover some of these foods and where they are banned.

Twinkies are an American staple. These delicious cream-filled vanilla snack cakes were invented in 1930. They took off quickly, but you won't find them in every country. Twinkies are filled with added sugar and harmful dyes like Yellow 5. Because of this, you won't see them on the shelves in Austria or Norway. Yellow 5 has been linked with hyperactivity in children, however, the FDA doesn't require a warning label.

So many American snacks use high-fructose corn syrup instead of real sugar. This high-calorie sweetener is cheaper than sugar but has some possible health risks. In the U.S., it became popular during the 1970s and is in just about anything including salad dressing, candy, sodas, and more. Interestingly, while high-fructose corn syrup isn't banned in the European Union, it is heavily regulated with production quotas.

Have you ever watched a Drumstick ice cream melt? It melts slowly and looks awful after an hour. Technically, Drumstick isn't an ice cream but a frozen dessert. This sweet but overly processed dessert contains carrageenan, an additive that thickens and smoothens the texture of foods. The use of carrageenan isn't allowed in the European Union.

Is it even slightly surprising that Skittles makes our list of foods banned in other countries but still eaten in the U.S.? Skittles is a colorful fruit-flavored candy that uses various amounts of dyes including Red 40, Yellow 5, and titanium dioxide. Titanium dioxide is banned in the European Union because of safety concerns. Titanium dioxide might be linked to DNA damage and immune system toxicity.

Instant mashed potatoes are convenient, but are they healthy? That depends on which country you visit. In the United States, mashed potatoes are cheap and easy to make. All you need is a little bit of water or milk.

Be warned, if you visit the EU, you won't be able to make yourself instant mashed potatoes. They are banned for their use of Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). This preservative extends the shelf-life of the product. You can also find BHA and BHT in American cereals.

Chlorinated chicken does not sound appetizing and yet it's common in the United States. This is chicken that has been washed or treated with chlorine. It's a practice that the European Union banned in 1997. You'll have a hard time finding imported meat from the U.S. in the E.U.

A lot of processed foods are banned or super-regulated in the European Union, and the U.K. Stove Top Stuffing is no exception. This delicious boxed stuffing is found in most grocery stores for cheap in the U.S. Stove Top Stuffing contains BHA and BHT. Because of this, countries like Japan and the U.K. have banned the product.

But what's wrong with BHA and BHT? It's hard to find a straight answer. However, there are concerns that BHA and BHT may cause blood clot problems. BHA and BHT may also be linked to cancer.

Coffee Mate creamer also makes our list of foods banned in various countries, not including the U.S. This popular lactose-free creamer is common in most office spaces and coffee shops in the country. However, you won't find it in Austria, Norway, and Iceland because of the product's use of hydrogenated oil, something connected to trans fat.