By eating a “normal” American diet, the average person consumes about 12 plastic bags full of plastic each year. Not having better and safer food standards by the Food and Drug Administration causes these and many other issues Americans have today.
Popular food and drinks such as Gatorade, Powerade, McDonalds and other foods have many additives people may not know about. Certain nations, like the European Union, have stricter regulations and mandate warning labels on foods that contain specific artificial colorings, like Red 2, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Orange B, which are still permitted in the US. These additives are still found in a lot of sports drinks in the U.S and other beverages.
All of these artificial food dyes can cause hyperactivity, inattention, restlessness, and other behavioral problems in children, and can make ADHD symptoms worse for children. Recent studies show that all these dyes can end up leading to kidney damage, tumors, skin rashes, migraine, asthma, sleep disturbance, and many other illnesses. Another fact that isn’t brought up is how they are made, for example all of these artificial dyes were made by chemical compounds meaning they are lab made. Orange B is no longer allowed in the U.S but is still used in some sausages according to FDA.org. Orange B could lead to serious health issues, including cancer, and birth defects.
Comparing these FDA approvals to the European Food Safety Authority exemplifies the amount of additional additives America allows as a country even though it is harmful to people’s health.
Additionally, the meat regulations in Europe are typically stricter than the U.S because of their animal welfare laws, antibiotic use, growth hormones, and additives used in their meats, according to the European Food Safety Authority. Many of the fast food organizations in the U.S.A. use processed, frozen, artificial, and soy meat. An example of this being used in what Americans eat is in chicken nuggets that contain Yellow 5, MSG (monosodium glutamate), bones, and tendons. When asking Liberty student Isayiah Hill about how he felt about all these extra additives to chicken nuggets and sports drinks he said, “I would not eat or drink that if I actually knew what was in there.”
In conclusion, the widespread use of artificial additives and dyes in the American food system raises serious concerns about public health. While these ingredients are still allowed by the FDA, there is still potential to cause a range of health issues, from hyperactivity and behavioral problems in children to long-term risks like kidney damage and cancer. The difference between the stricter regulations in the European Union and the more lenient standard in the U.S. expresses the need for better safety standards for food additives in this country. The use of harmful chemicals, such as artificial dyes and preservatives, not only compromises the quality of our food but also poses risks to our health, putting people at risk.
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