I
truly believe in the effectiveness of a whole foods diet, and that we
should do our best to avoid processed foods. However, even products
that we may think of as whole foods based (such as orange juice) have
interesting ingredients. Realizing this has made me start to read
labels more and more. Something I've noticed is that lots of food
have “natural flavors” on their ingredients lists. In fact there
are quite a few statistics showing that “natural flavor” is the
4th
most common ingredient in most foods. However, very few of these
actually let us know what food these flavors come from. So I decided
to do a little bit of research and here's what I found.
What's
“Natural”?
The
FDA has released several statements about “natural flavors.” One
of these says that “for purposes of ingredient labeling, 'natural
flavors' means flavor constituents derived from a spice, fruit or
fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark,
bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry,
eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products from these foods.”
In short, the material must come from a plant or animal. So far it
sounds good. Right?
Here's
where it starts to get interesting. “natural favors” don't have
to come 100% from a plant or animal. In fact, most of these “natural
flavors” are made up of 50-100 different compounds, many of which
are synthetic. These synthetic chemicals play different roles in the
make up of the “natural flavors,” such as solvents,
preservatives, and flavor modifications. In fact, most “natural
flavors” are mostly made up of these chemicals.
Why flavor food?
Mostly
it comes down to consistency. Each orange tastes slightly different
from the last. One might be sweeter, one more tart. But when
companies have a product that includes these oranges (like orange
juice), they want their product to taste the same every time. This
is where “natural flavors” come in. Companies add these flavors
to their product to ensure a consistency of flavor.
One
of the other reasons these companies add flavors to their foods has
to do with making more money. They want to create repeat consumers.
In order to do that, they have to find a way to get us to
consistently choose their product over their competition's product.
Making the flavor more intense is one way to do that.
What does it mean for
health?
The FDA does not
require companies who use “natural” or even “artificial
flavors” to label exactly what is in these flavors. This can be
pretty dangerous for people with certain allergies and/or
sensitivities. For instance, I have a good friend who is horribly
allergic to capsaicin (a chemical found in peppers of all kinds).
Paprika is basically smoked, and ground peppers. It's also a spice
that is commonly used in the creation of certain “natural flavors.”
My friend should not be eating food that includes “natural
flavors” made with paprika. However, many companies do not even
add allergy warnings for capsaicin like they do for soy, milk,
peanuts, etc. In short, we don't know what's in our food when we see "natural flavors" listed in the ingredients.
Aside from the food
allergy possibilities, there are also side effects from the synthetic
ingredients in “natural flavors.” Side effects such as
dizziness, nausea, brain tumors, depression, seizures, allergies,
fatigue, anxiety attacks, etc. Many of these are the same side
effects you would find from “artificial flavors.”
I hope I have raised
your awareness of “natural flavors” and how big businesses might
be hiding synthetic ingredients in their food. If you have any
questions or comments please leave them below.
Resources:
Natural vs Artificial
Flavors: Organics.org:
https://www.organics.org/natural-vs-artificial-flavors/
Synthetic Ingredients in
Natural Flavors and Natural Ingredients in Artificial Flavors: EWG
(Environmental Working Group):
http://www.ewg.org/foodscores/content/natural-vs-artificial-flavors#.WeYktGhSy00
The Truth About Natural and
Artificial Flavors: Bon Appetit:
https://www.bonappetit.com/story/truth-about-natural-artificial-flavors
What are Natural Flavors
Really?: Daily Burn:
http://dailyburn.com/life/health/what-are-natural-flavors/
What Does the Term “Natural
Flavors” Really Mean?: Well and Good:
https://www.wellandgood.com/good-food/what-are-natural-flavors/
What's the Deal with Natural
and Artificial Flavors?: Serious Eats:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/04/what-is-the-difference-between-natural-and-artificial-flavors.html
My family has always been skeptical about this. However, I don't believe there is much we can do about it, other than to consume it. Alternates are rarely available, and to change the rules, mass is required.
ReplyDeleteThere are some good natural alternatives out there, but they won't taste exactly the same. Largely because our food has been modified over the years to have more and more sodium and sugar content than what is really necessary. The best option is to make as much as you can at home. However, that is very impractical for many people.
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