In our food system inundated with artificial flavors and man-made chemicals, many shoppers are reassured when they see a “Natural” label on their favorite products. Unfortunately, this label can be misleading. While organic products must be regulated by the USDA, there are no standards for these so-called natural products.

Think of your own kitchen: when you are cooking from organic recipes, it is essential that each ingredient is organic in order to the integrity of the food. This same principle applies to products on the shelf. If a food is made with some all-natural foods, some organic fruits and vegetables, and then rounded out with processed, chemically enhanced ingredients, then the end result is neither truly natural nor organic. Using and advertising a few natural ingredients in a food is an easy way to mislead consumers.

What is a Natural Product?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have a go-to definition for a “natural” product. The agency makes the point that when a fresh food is prepared, packaged, then be sold at a grocery store, it is no longer solely a product of the earth. Therefore, it is hard to quantify a food’s degree of naturalness. The FDA says that while there is no working definition for “natural”, they do not object to a label using the term if the food lacks added color, artificial flavor, or other synthetic substances.

The Ad Game

Organic and natural foods are enjoying a recent surge in popularity. Consumers are becoming more and more aware of the unhealthy ingredients in food, and growing concerns over ailments like cancer and juvenile diabetes are causing families to take a closer look at what they are serving their families. This creates a huge opportunity for brands to attract customers. When food marketers identified this attractive concept and found ways to position their product, “natural” became just another misappropriation in a long list of buzzwords.

Paying close attention to labels and labeling practices is an important part of buying food.  It is easy to assume that a product with labeled “All-Natural” is an organic product. If choosing truly natural, non-chemically enhanced food for your daily meal plan is a priority, don’t rely on labeling practices. The easiest way to quickly know what is in your food is by checking the ingredients.

Sources:

• “What is the meaning of ‘natural’ on the label of food?” FDA.gov
• “Organic Certification”, USDA.gov

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