When it comes to gastronomy, the United States is pretty lucky.
There are countless food and drink options to sip, savor, and enjoy and you don't even
have to live in a major metropolitan area to experience them all.
However, our choices are actually a bit more limited than you may have thought.
In fact, there are some much-loved delicacies that are available throughout the world that
you just can't get in the United States because Uncle Sam has put a stop to them with tons
of red tape and strict regulations.
These are some of the most controversial foods and drinks banned in the good ol' U.S. of
A.
Kinder Surprise Eggs
Anyone who has traveled across the pond or even to Canada knows about Kinder Surprise
Eggs.
These delectable little treats from Germany are hollow chocolate eggs with a capsule inside
that contains a toy.
"Inside every milky shell covered in delicious Kinder chocolate, you'll find a toy to collect
and build adventures around."
Kinder launched the eggs back in 1974, but the reason for the ban in the United States
goes back several decades before that.
The Huffington Post explained that the treats violate the Food, Drug, And Cosmetic Act of
1938 which bans all candies with "non-nutritive" items inside of them.
Yup turns out the main reason behind the ban is that they qualify as a choking hazard.
And don't try to sneak them over the border!
Some people caught by customs agents have faced fines up to $2,500 per egg.
Casu marzu
Who can resist a big hunk of cheese?
Well, save for our lactose intolerant brethren, nobody that's who!
Casu marzu, on the other hand, is one variety of cheese you're going to want to stay far,
far away from.
It comes from the Italian island of Sardinia, where it also happens to be banned.
And, get ready for it — it's full of live maggots.
Nope, it didn't spoil, that's how you're supposed to eat it.
"The pecorino cheese has been transformed into casu marzu"
The Huffington Post explained that the process takes several months.
Pecorino cheese made from sheep's milk is made first, and after a few weeks, the crust
is cut off so flies have a spot to lay their eggs which then hatch into larvae.
Once enough larvae have been produced, the casu marzu is ready to eat.
The maggots need to be alive when consuming the cheese, as dead bugs mean that it has
gone bad.
Believe it or not, some aficionados consider the stuff to be an aphrodisiac.
Bushmeat
Heads-up: This one's as gross as it is upsetting.
Not because carnivorous connoisseurs are being denied bushmeat, but because you'll probably
be disgusted when you learn what the mysterious "bushmeat" is.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has banned the importation, selling, and consumption
of bushmeat, which is basically meat produced from animals hunted and slaughtered in rural
Africa, including gorillas, chimpanzees, and elephants.
Despite the bans, illegal bushmeat trading is still a problem in America.
In an extensive report by Newsweek, from 2009 to 2013, United States Customs Agents confiscated
over 69,000 different bushmeat items from fruit bats to monkeys.
When eating any bushmeat, you could possibly contract deadly and dangerous diseases that
aren't common in the US.
Raw milk and cheese
Milk and milk products have a lot of vitamins and calcium, but it's important to buy only
those products made with pasteurized milk."
The debate over raw, or unpasteurized, milk is a heated one in the United States.
Currently, 18 states have banned the sale of raw milk, and in 1987 the FDA required
all milk and milk products to be pasteurized for human consumption if they want the product
to cross state lines.
These regulations are bad news for gourmands with discerning taste in dairy products, as
they extend to cheese as well.
Only cheeses which have been aged for more than 60 days or fresh cheeses made with pasteurized
milk can be imported, a regulation put in place in order to avoid bacteria found in
raw milk.
"There are absolutely no scientifically proven benefits to drinking raw milk, and there are
well-documented risks."
The CDC has stated that consuming raw milk can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, and possibly
death.
Raw milk is basically a host for all sorts of nasty stuff such as listeria, E. coli,
and salmonella.
Despite these known dangers, raw milk advocates still say that the pros of drinking unpasteurized
milk outweigh the cons.
Bird's nest soup
"Birds' nest is renowned for its medicinal qualities, and can retail from 1,500 to 3,000
US dollars per kilogram."
This delicacy is a rarity even in its native China.
Foodies looking to try this dish will have to travel to Asia and spend a pretty penny
in order to get their hands on it.
According to superstition, regularly eating this expensive soup will ensure a long, healthy
life and restore youth.
The main ingredient of the soup is edible bird's nests made from the saliva of swiftlets.
These birds are currently listed as an endangered species, making the ingredients increasingly
hard to come by, as well as controversial.
Travelers attempting to bring the nests into the U.S. in order to recreate the delicacy
at home have had them seized, because bird's nests can carry pests or infectious diseases.
Since swiftlets are primarily found in southeast Asia, this is a soup that's not going to be
found on American menus any time soon.
Four Loko
"Some call it 'black out in a can.'"
"I blacked out.
I don't really remember much of the night."
In its heyday, rumors swirled that one can of the sugary, boozy Four Loko contained twice
the caffeine as an 8-ounce Red Bull and as much booze as four cans of Budweiser.
During the beverage's peak popularity, it was banned in multiple states and a federal
ban was planned after several deaths were reported, allegedly because of Four Loko.
"Our son did not deserve to die in the hands of something so easy to buy that it's sold
in convenience stores."
"This is what was causing their problems.
It's called 'Four Loko.'
It's a highly caffeinated, highly alcoholic drink so potent, some people call it 'liquid
cocaine.'"
The Washington Post reported that in 2014, Phusion Projects, the company behind Four
Loko, made an agreement with the FDA that it will not use caffeine in any beverages
sold in the United States.
The original caffeinated formula is still being sold abroad.
In fact, it has a huge following by young people in China where its nickname translates
to "lose virginity liquor."
You just can’t make this stuff up.
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