As it turns out, eating healthy and making good food choices is not as simple as reading a label. We want to make better food choices for healthy bodies and a healthy planet. A good start would be to incorporate more natural foods in our diets. Easy, right? You might think that when you pick up a food labeled “all natural” it has few or no chemicals, no added hormones, no pesticides, and is more environmentally-friendly. Unfortunately, that may not be the case at all. Why, you ask? Because the Food and Drug Administration, also known as the FDA, doesn’t actually have regulations for the term “natural” on food labeling. And when it comes to labeling food, words matter! For you, the consumer, challenges arise when everyone has a different understanding of what those words mean.
To help you make sense of it all, in this post I’m going to try and demystify the “all natural” label by talking about:
- What it is and what it isn’t
- What other food label words and phrases mean
- How you can make healthier food choices
According to consumer surveys, over half of Americans want to eat healthy! If this describes you, then keep reading to learn about “all natural” food labels.
Nutrition Labeling
Congress passed the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) of 1990 to provide food manufacturers with guidelines about what to put on food labels. This was an important step in helping consumers know what’s in the food they were buying. Essentially, the law requires most packaged foods to have standardized nutrition labeling. That’s why you may have noticed that all labels have basically the same information. Specifically, the law mandates that food labels include the:
- Amount of a serving size with number of servings per container,
- Amount of Calories per serving,
- Nutrient content, such as total fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, sugars, protein, and certain vitamins and minerals,
- Percent Daily Values (%DV) to make it clear for consumers the nutrient content in the context of a daily diet.
Other Terms in the NLEA
The NLEA also regulates the use of words that claim food’s level of health and nutrient content. A walk down any grocery store aisle and you will see words like “low fat”, “high fiber”, or “light”. These are terms which are required by law to be scientifically characterized. Food manufacturers have to meet certain criteria to include the terms “free”, “reduced”, “low”, “less”, “high”, “light”, or “lite”. The goal is to help you make informed food choices, improve dietary habits, and promote public health at large.
However, there are two terms noticeably absent in the NLEA: “healthy” and “natural”. Remember, the NLEA informs most of the FDA’s regulations of the food you buy, and omission of those words means the definitions are open to interpretation. Interestingly, “all natural” is one of the most commonly used phrases found on food labels!
Natural Means…What?
The FDA has put forth that they consider “natural” foods to be those that have no artificial or synthetic ingredients added. Although that is what it means, those expectations are not enforced. What “natural” doesn’t mean is that the product is free of genetically modified foods, hormone-treated organisms, antibiotics, or pesticides. Foods labeled as “natural” can also be processed, although there is an assumption that they are minimally processed. However, what constitutes “minimally processed” is also not really defined. All in all, foods designated as “all natural” are not considered to be healthier than other foods and they are not the same as certified organic foods.
Fundamentally, the FDA makes no claim that any food labeled as “all natural” is any healthier than the same food not designated with a “natural” label. Back in 2016, the FDA asked for public comments about the use of the word “natural” on food labels. Over 7,000 people added their comments for review. The FDA wanted to understand whether it is appropriate to define the term “natural”, how “natural” should be defined, and how it should be used on food labels. But, to date there have been no changes to the FDA’s stance on the usage of the term “natural”. If you are looking to purchase healthier alternatives, you might ditch the “all natural” foods and consider organic instead.
Organic Labeling
Organic food is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) rather than the FDA. Food with a certified organic label must meet strict guidelines. At least 95% of the product’s ingredients must be free of synthetic growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, biotechnology, or synthetic ingredients. If that percentage falls to 70% or below, then the food no longer qualifies as “certified organic”. Foods containing this lower percentage of qualified organic ingredients can have the label “made with organic ingredients”.
If you are wondering whether choosing organic food over non-organic food is healthier, you’re not alone. People want to know if organic food is worth the higher cost. Some studies suggest that there are slightly more nutrients present in certified organic foods. While other researchers found that organic and conventional foods are about the same.
Beyond nutrients, physicians and pediatricians agree that there are various increased health risks associated with exposure to pesticides. This makes organic foods a good option if you want products free of pesticides and other synthetic chemicals. To reduce the organic food price shock to your wallet, be aware that some non-organic fruits and vegetables already have low pesticide residue while others have high levels. I highly recommend reading the Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Produce to learn more about what to buy organic and non-organic. You don’t have to fill the cart with organic only to get the same nutrients and lower exposure to chemicals.
Certified Naturally Grown
Earning the USDA’s certified organic label requires farmers to participate in the National Organic Program. Unfortunately, the program can be costly to farmers and requires quite a bit of paperwork. Therefore, some farms who are practicing tenets of organic farming have opted to participate in the certified naturally grown program.
Certified naturally grown is a non-governmental organization that offers a peer review certification process. Farms that meet standards earn certification and can label their food with a “certified naturally grown” label. Food with this label has been produced under the same standards as certified organic, but has not been certified by the USDA’s National Organic Program.
Healthy Food is a Choice
Although you might think that choosing foods with “all natural” on the label is a healthier choice, the reality is there is no standard definition of what “natural” means. Food producers have recognized consumers’ desire to cultivate healthier, greener lifestyles, and have included “natural” labeling to attract buyers. Luckily, with a little knowledge about food labels you can go to the grocery store ready to make healthier food choices.
USDA certified organic and the certified naturally grown labeled foods are free of synthetic chemical pesticides, fungicides, or fertilizers. They also meet other standards established for sustainable agriculture. These foods are a great choice for healthy lifestyles.
But whether or not you choose to buy organic or conventional foods, the fact is that eating more fruits and vegetables will increase your overall health. What’s more, eating less processed food is also healthier and decreases waste and pollution in the environment. Now that you understand the “all natural” label you’re ready to green up and make healthy food choices!
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