Warning! Don’t Eat These Foods Imported From China

Corn It is not uncommon to find chemical additives in food, but when it comes to additives that are not only chemical, but also toxic, this is the time to avoid a product altogether. This is the case with corn from China. Some producers add sodium cyclamate to their corn. The purpose of this additive is to preserve the yellow color of the corn for which it is so famous, but also to add sweetness. However, it is important to know that sodium cyclamate is actually toxic, and if consumed in too large quantity, it can damage your liver. This additive is prohibited in the United States, but it remains legal in more than 170 countries around the world. Ginseng Much of the ginseng that exists in the US comes from China. This root product is one of the most common foods exported from the country. However, that certainly doesn’t mean it’s safe. Greenpeace tested ginseng from China and found that every single product had some trace of pesticides or other harmful chemicals in varying amounts. Each root didn’t have just one chemical, either. Every root contained multiple chemicals known to be damaging to the human body. Since it might be difficult to find ginseng not imported from China, you may have to cut it out of your diet entirely to stay safe. Table Salt While table salt is a common staple in your home, you’ll want to steer clear of salt imported from China. Although China is one of the top salt manufacturers in the world, the process they use to produce so much of this ingredient renders the salt unsafe for humans. Chinese salt is commonly filled with metals and other substances that should never enter the human body. Since the large majority of Chinese salt is unsafe for consumption, the Chinese companies are supposed to sell the product as an industrial salt never used for cooking. However, many manufacturers have been passing off this unsafe industrial salt as table salt for years. Rice Noodles If you’re going to make an Asian-inspired dish, rice noodles imported from China seem like the obvious choice. They add a little authenticity to your meal, and they generally taste quite good. Unfortunately, the factories that produce rice noodles have been known to use sulfur dioxide. In theory, the chemical helps the noodles appear “fresh”. In practice, however, sulfur dioxide has been linked with cancer. Stay away from this harmful chemical and try to find a source for your noodles that’s a little closer to home. Baby Formula While you might be willing to take a few chances with your own health, you definitely shouldn’t risk the health of your child. Before you buy baby formula, check the label and make sure that the formula isn’t imported from China. A few years ago, it was discovered that Chinese manufacturers were putting melamine, a product used in plastics, in baby formula. With the melamine, the baby formula appeared to be higher in protein. Consumed in high doses, however, the melamine can cause serious illness in infants. Milk While baby formula contains melamine, imported milk from China contains just as much. If this chemical is consumed, it can cause serious damage to the kidneys. Hundreds of thousands of people have fallen seriously ill after drinking milk imported from China. From young children to older adults, this substance can wreak havoc on the body. Keep yourself and your family safe by staying far away from imported Chinese milk. Shrimp As with other seafood items from China, imported shrimp shouldn’t be at the top of your grocery list. A few years ago, the Institute of Environmental and Human Health food lab at Texas Tech University studied different bags of shrimp bought from different stores around the US. At the conclusion of their study, they reported that every sample was contaminated with enrofloxacin, chloramphenicol, and carcinogen nitrofurazone. Each of these substances is available in antibiotics that are illegal in the US. Due to the conditions in China, the shrimp are exposed to all of them. Consequentially, anyone who buys the shrimp then ingests those substances. Tilapia Tilapia may grace your table more often than tilapia, but this fish isn’t any safer if it’s coming from China. Much like tilapia, tilapia sit in tiny tanks teeming with fish. The water in the tanks is full of toxic chemicals and other damaging substances that you never want to put in your body. If your fish is imported from China, don’t buy it. Before they end up on your dinner plate, the fish have spent their lives soaking up the chemicals around them. They’re perfectly primed to pass those chemicals to you, so shop with care if you’re planning a seafood-themed dinner. Cabbage Although crop production somewhat depends on the season, Chinese farmers can’t afford to lose any of their crops, no matter how harsh the weather might be. During the hot summer months, cabbage becomes wilted and inedible. In order to keep their cabbage looking fresh during the hottest months of the year, farmers will spray the crop with a formalin solution. While the solution keeps the crops looking fresh, it’s incredibly damaging to the body. The formalin is a solution of formaldehyde, and other chemicals used as disinfectants. If ingested, it can cause serious health issues. Canned Peaches While canned peaches often aren’t the healthiest option, those exported from China are especially damaging. However, it’s not what’s inside the product that makes these Chinese goods dangerous—it’s the can that they come in. In a study conducted by Australian officials, the researchers discovered that the cans from China were bursting with lead. With twice the amount of legal lead in each can, the harmful substance is bound to infuse into the sugary peaches. The effects of lead poisoning are well-documented, including reduced muscle coordination and damage to your kidneys and nervous system. Avoid lead poisoning by avoiding canned peaches from China. Canned Tuna Much like canned peaches, canned tuna from China is known to come with a significant amount of lead hidden in the metal of the can. Believe it or not, that’s not the only reason you should avoid imported canned tuna. In addition to the dangers of lead poisoning, canned tuna includes many of the harmful substances found in other fish exported from China. The fish farms are filled with pollution and toxic chemicals, and the fish are largely fed on a diet of animal waste. Each of those substances then finds its way into your can, threatening your health each time you buy a new supply. Oil While not all oil from China is tainted, the lack of security precautions and food safety laws make it far too easy for Chinese manufacturers to sell disgusting products. Their actions with oil are especially egregious. A while back, a massive food company in China decided to take used oil from restaurants, filter it, repackage it, and sell it as new oil. If you’re buying oil from China, you might be purchasing recycled oil that has been “cleaned,” rather than new oil. Since you don’t know where that oil has been, it’s better to be safe and purchase oil not exported from China.