"Natural Flavors" in Packaged Foods Are Not Natural
They are chemically processed and engineered (Goo!)
When my husband, Robert, and I first met in 2010, we were both overweight and had several food allergies that we didn't know were contributing to our weight issues and making us feel lethargic and sick.
Some of his allergies are more severe than mine, so I made it a habit of reading every ingredient label before putting any foods in the shopping cart.
Yikes! đ±
It didnât take long to realize that more than half of the foods I had been buying could no longer go in the cart.
And I thought that I was eating healthy!
As it turns out, many of the ingredients found in our food supply have been getting more and more unhealthy, deceptive, and confusing.
The one ingredient that I distrust the most is âNatural Flavorsâ.
And itâs everywhere.
When you see the words "natural flavor" on the ingredients list of your favorite processed or ultra-processed foods, you might assume it's a wholesome, natural ingredient that comes straight from fruits, herbs, or spices.
After all, it's right there in the name, right?
âNaturalâ.
But the truth is, ânatural flavorsâ are not at all natural.
Donât believe the false marketing claims.
What Are "Natural Flavors"?
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
ânatural flavorsâ are flavoring agents derived from plant or animal sources.
Sounds pretty straightforward, right?
In theory, they could come from fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, or even meat.
However, hereâs the catch:
These ingredients are heavily processed and altered in laboratories to extract specific compounds that mimic a particular flavor. The end result is often nothing like the original source.
Even though ânatural flavorsâ may originate from natural sources, the processing involved can strip them of any beneficial nutrients or characteristics. What you're left with is a chemical compound designed purely to enhance taste and make you crave more.
Consumers are misled - intentionally - to expect ânatural flavorsâ to mean something fresh, simple, and unprocessed.
The Chemical Process Behind "Natural Flavors"
The creation of "natural flavors" often involves complex chemical processes, such as distillation, solvent extraction, and even fermentation, which bear little resemblance to how the original ingredients exist in nature.
To make certain ânatural flavorsâ even more potent and long-lasting, companies add various chemicals, stabilizers, and preservatives to ensure the flavor holds up under different conditions, such as heat or time.
"Natural flavors" are essentially chemically engineered flavor cocktails.
The combination of various compounds from different sources is designed to create a taste that mimics something completely different, often in a way that's far more intense than what you'd experience from the raw, whole food itself.
Why "Natural Flavors" Are in So Many Foods
So why are ânatural flavorsâ so prevalent in processed foods?
(1) Because they're cheap, efficient, and effective.
âNatural flavorsâ allow manufacturers to create consistent, uniform taste experiences without relying on expensive or perishable ingredients.
Instead of using fresh fruits, herbs, and spices (which can spoil, be hard to source, and cost more), food producers can use a small amount of ânatural flavorâ compounds to mimic those tastes in the foods they produce.
This includes foods like snacks, sodas, sauces, salad dressing, and even foods that are specifically labeled as being health food products.
For example, people avoiding animal meats have been deceived by meat substitute food products that are loaded with processed ingredients and ânatural flavorsâ, too.
(2) Because they mask undesirable flavors that occur from processing.
While ânatural flavorsâ make food taste better, they also serve as a way to mask undesirable tastes in processed products.
For example, they can cover up the chemical, artificial, or stale aftertastes that come from preservatives and other synthetic ingredients commonly used in ultra-processed foods.
Check out this list of preservative and synthetic ingredients that you should avoid:
(3) Because they make you want to eat more (and buy more).
They're often chemically processed and engineered to make foods taste like something theyâre not. And this is done intentionally by the food producers to make you want to eat more and buy more.
Learn more about âthe bliss pointâ - a perfect combination of sugar, fat, and salt that makes you crave, eat, and buy more foods that are often unhealthy for you.
Are "Natural Flavors" Safe?
Despite being labeled as "natural," the health risks of consuming artificial and processed flavorings are being heavily researched. While we wait out this verdict, many people prefer to err on the side of caution.
(You only get one body, so may as well treat it well, right?)
Did you know that food producers who use ânatural flavorsâ in their food products aren't required to disclose the individual chemicals used?
They have powerful lobbyists in government to keep it that way for a variety of reasons, including:
They donât want consumers to learn the truth.
Consumers might stop buying their products.
They could get into legal trouble for misleading product claims.
Even if a food flavoring is derived from a natural source, processing strips the nutritional value and wholesome qualities that make the original food good for you.
And, as with many other food additives, there's always the potential for allergic reactions or sensitivities to some of the chemicals or compounds used in the flavoring process.
How to Avoid "Natural Flavors"
Here are some of the best ways to avoid "natural flavors":
Eat whole, unprocessed foods as much as possible.
Cook from scratch and choose fresh, organic ingredients so that you can control what goes into your meals and skip the hidden chemicals found in processed products.
Stick to foods that are closer to their natural form, like fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, real dairy, and whole grains.
Only shop in the perimeter of the grocery store where whole foods are found. The interior aisles are mostly intended for shelf-stable packaged products.
If you're looking to add flavor to your dishes, consider using actual herbs, spices, citrus, or fresh garlic and ginger. These offer both taste and health benefits without the mystery additives.
Take time to read food product ingredient labels and watch for words like "natural flavoring," "flavors," or "artificial flavor".
Opt for food producer brands that are transparent about their ingredients or focus on products with minimal ingredient lists that you can trust.
When in doubt, put it back on the shelf and try something else.
Key Takeaways
"Natural flavors" may sound innocent enough, but they are just another way the food industry hides the true nature of what you're eating.
While they might give processed foods a more appealing taste, they are far from the wholesome, natural ingredients they claim to be.
The best way to avoid these hidden flavorings and additives is to stick to fresh, whole foods and stay away from foods that have long, unpronounceable ingredient lists.
By making mindful choices about what you eat, you can reduce your exposure to unnecessary chemicals and enjoy food that's as close to nature as possible.
Food is meant to nourish your body, not just taste good for a moment.
Keep it simple, keep it fresh, and you'll feel better for it.
If youâre not sure about a specific ingredient and want to learn more about whether it qualifies as Goo, leave a comment or reach out and ask me!
And if you enjoyed reading this story, but arenât ready to subscribe, you can:
(a Goo-Free coffee, of course!)
Iâm always reminded that several natural flavours, like arsenic and water hemlock plants, are so, so natural and organic even. And yet somehow that has nothing to do with âsafe for consumptionâ or edibility.
Itâs a huge problem. Trying to find any packaged food without natural garbage is impossible.
Iâm not a cook, I donât have the patience, but Iâm being forced to learn because even the simple stuff, like jam, is loaded with chemicals.
So, (patting myself on the back), Iâve made my first strawberry jam with quite reduced sugar and it tastes good enough that I donât have to buy this at the store ever again.
I guess thereâs worse ways to spend the day, than in the kitchen.
But my music/video skills are foundering for lack of time in the studio. đł