Question from our in box:

What does the word natural mean on the food label? I have been trying to buy as much natural products as I can, but am wondering if it’s worth my efforts.

KA

KA that is a good question considering “Natural” foods are jumping off the shelves these days. First I would like to define the word Natural. According to definition.net the word natural means “having undergone little or no processing and containing no chemical additives”. With that said we are led to believe that when we see the word NATURAL on the food label it means the same thing. Unfortunately, this isn’t exactly the case. A recent episode involving Kashi cereal exposed loopholes in our current labeling regulations. Kashi cereal buyers were outraged when they found that some Kashi breakfast cereal products contain genetically modified ingredients despite being marketed and labeled as “natural”.  This is a perfect example of fancy but meaningless “natural” marketing. In all fairness to Kashi, the company never marketed themselves as “non-GMO” or “organic.” They only focus on being “natural”. So, exactly what does that term mean.

Surprisingly enough, there is no formal definition for the use of the term “natural” on the food label. And currently the Food and Drug Administration is using a policy developed 19 years in 1993 which states: The FDA does not objected to the use of the term on food labels provided it is used in a manner that is truthful and not misleading and the product does not contain added color, artificial flavors or synthetic substances. Use of the term “natural” is not permitted in a product’s ingredient list, with the exception of the phrase “natural flavorings.”

The USDA also has its own “policy” which allows the use of the term “natural” to be used in meat and poultry labeling on products that contain no artificial ingredients or added color. The product also must be only minimally processed. The label must explain the use of the term natural, for example, no added coloring; minimally processed.

As you see, it doesn’t clearly state that the whole product has to be natural in order to be labeled as such. Therefore, the term on its own is meaningless and doesn’t mean that the product has any automatic health or nutritional benefit. Here is a perfect example: The other day I was shopping and I spotted a label that stated “Made with All Natural Oils”. This would be fantastic and appropriate if the label I was reading was from a bottle of “oil” but it wasn’t, it was actually from a bag of Cheetos. I had to laugh. Cheetos “NATURAL” how absurd. Cheetos has an ingredient list 14 lines long. Made with natural oil? Yes – it says “vegetable oil (corn, canola, soybean, and/or sunflower oil).” But the same bag also contains partially hydrogenated oils, as well as Red 40 lake, Yellow 6 lake, Yellow 6, and Yellow 5 in the seasoning mix. There’s nothing natural about these!

Another good example is nitrite-free ham which is sometimes marketed as “natural” ham. The producers claim that they don’t use any SODIUM NITRITIE in the making of the ham, but in its place they use celery juice extract or celery powder. As mentioned in an earlier article, celery juice and celery powder contain high amounts of naturally occurring nitrites. So do you think its right for the high-sodium processed luncheon ham, cured using processed celery powder be allowed to be called “natural ham”?

The bottom line is buyer beware when it comes to foods labeled as “Natural”. Take such claims with a grain of salt until the term “natural” is better defined and regulated. And remember, just because it says its “Natural” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy for you.

If you have a nutrition question you’d like answered in this column or if you like to schedule an appointment. Contact the office at 706-473-5801 or email us at oconeenutrition@yahoo.com

Lisa Eisele, RD, CSO, LD is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian. She also holds a Board Certification as a Specialist in Oncology Nutrition. Lisa and her partner Stacy Paine, RD, LD own Oconee Nutrition Consultants, LLC located at Cowles Clinic. (706) 473-5801