Artificially Natural

By Cliff Walsh

Reach into your pantry or refrigerator and choose any packaged food item. The most common scenario is that it is plastered with marketing claims like sugar free or immunity boosting. Or perhaps, one of my least favorite terms, all natural. The reason why I dislike it is because it means absolutely nothing and is only used to deceive buyers into believing the food item is healthy.

You will see a lot of foods labeled as natural or all natural. It sounds good. Many people think this means something similar to organic. In some consumer polls, the term natural or all natural has even garnered more consumer confidence than organic certification. But unlike organic, which requires USDA inspections and certification, the term natural is mostly meaningless marketing. No government agency, certification group, or other independent authority defines the term on packaging or ensures the claim is truthful.

The FDA oversees the claims made by food manufacturers. They have never given a definition of what a natural or all natural product should consist of. The only statement the FDA has made about these claims is that they do not object to its use if it does not included food dyes, artificial flavors, or synthetic chemicals.

That sounds like a reasonable definition, even though it is not official. The problem is that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), GMOs, partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats), and other concerning ingredients are often used in so called natural products. Without a legitimate characterization or government verification, companies can use the natural and all natural claims for whatever they want.

Left to their own devices, food manufacturers have created their own meanings of these claims, which has led to many misleading claims and confusion among consumers. The number of scandals the food industry has experienced is countless. While I believe consumers should be more vigilant, these companies should not be allowed to make their own definitions.

While the government doesn't appear to have gotten all that involved in overseeing the all natural claim, based on the fact that they haven't even defined it for food manufacturers, it hasn't stopped consumers from holding food producers and retailers accountable. Numerous lawsuits have been brought and won against some of the biggest companies in both groups. I expect this to continue. Americans are finally waking up to the fact that most companies put profit ahead of our health concerns.

Be sure to read the actual food ingredients list and ignore the marketing claim if you haven't fully researched the definition and the loopholes. Less ingredients is typically best. Whole foods are actually the healthiest option, but in the event you choose to eat a processed food, stay away from chemicals you don't understand. We need to be more vigilant about what we allow into your bodies. We cannot rely on the government to protect us from unscrupulous food manufacturers.