Let’s be on our guard about vague labels.
The other night, I was invited to a presentation for "natural" products and supplements from a well-known direct-sales brand; it was a fascinating presentation, led by expert speakers and supported by some very engaging videos.
Aside from the appearance of the presenters—who, without exception, struck an expert in natural hygiene like myself as anything but healthy, what with their potbellies, bulging eyes, and various signs of bloating—I was struck by the fact that they marketed their products as "absolutely natural."
At the end of the presentation, there was a buffet and a chance to sample some of these "miraculous" preparations.
I took a moment to read the ingredients on the samples offered; the first one I picked up listed "flavoring" as the fourth ingredient.
What does "flavoring" mean?
The term "flavoring" refers to ingredients used to impart a specific taste to a food product, but it does not specify the origin of those flavors.
They could be chemical compounds synthesized in a laboratory or derived from natural sources, making it difficult to know exactly which ingredients were used.
What does "natural flavoring" mean?
Conversely, the term "natural flavoring" indicates that the flavors used are extracted from natural sources, such as fruit, herbs, or spices.
This implies that the ingredients used to create the flavors come from natural resources and have not been chemically synthesized.
In short, the difference between "flavoring" and "natural flavoring" lies in the origin of the ingredients used.
"Natural flavorings" are extracted from natural sources, whereas "flavorings" may come from a combination of natural and synthetic ingredients without specifying their origin.
So, if the term “flavouring” was used instead of “natural flavouring,” we can infer that the base ingredients of these flavourings are not entirely natural; otherwise, the manufacturer would have used the appropriate label, just as they do for other products.
Please, do read labels carefully
I will not comment on the rest of the content, because I would like someone to explain to me how a food product that has been treated, reduced, concentrated, and ultra-processed can possibly be defined as “natural.”
Nature is what it is, and ingredients are considered natural when they are used in their original state, without any processing other than washing or, perhaps, cooking. Do we agree on that?
