Don’t Be Fooled By “All Natural” Claims
When purchasing food, it’s a good idea to follow the “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean 15″ lists if you’re worried about pesticide and chemical exposure. What about with other products? When you’re purchasing groceries, body care products, or pretty much anything else, what rules do you follow? Make sure you are an informed shopper because a lot of products make false claims. One thing you can do is read your labels to ensure you are spending your money wisely and you’re receiving a product that you feel is beneficial.
All Natural Claims Don’t Mean Anything
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) doesn’t monitor products that claim to be “all natural”. In fact, a few years ago 7up was claiming to be all natural and actually changed its label because it was so misleading. Seriously, a product that contains HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is all natural? Okay.
I can see why companies tout the “all natural” label. It sounds better to consumers. Would you buy brand A lunchmeat that is made with Honey Baked Ham, or would you buy brand B that is made with all natural ham? Chances are, if they are close in price and you’re a health-conscious shopper, you’re going to go with the all natural.
Many items will claim to be all natural, ranging from shampoo to face wash to bread. In fact, many of these items will contain a chemical cocktail that you’re probably trying to avoid!
Certified Organics
The FDA actually tests and certifies organic food. Farmers have to go through testing to have their farms certified organic. There are policies and regulations in place to ensure that farmers and companies comply with the organic regulations. Of course, even organic foods aren’t going to be perfect, so spend your dollars wisely.
Were you aware that “all natural” doesn’t really mean anything?
yes, I was aware that “all natural” meant nothing – because Annie’s “All Natural” Macaroni & White Cheese has been sold at exorbitant prices for years in the “natural food” section of the grocery and it was almost identical to Kraft Mac & Cheese, just minus the orange colour.
And when THAT story broke (some 2.5 yrs ago), the poop REALLY hit the fan here in Ann Arbor with the upscale parents who had been buying it, believing they were doing something amazing for their kids, only to find that they could’ve saved the money and the back-patting. There were so many angry parents – and yet, Annie’s had never misrepresented their product, they said “all natural” on the box – the parents interpreted that to mean “organic” or “healthier” than the conventionally-prepared competitors.
So yes, I knew that – and I figured that we survived this long by washing our fruit & veggies… and that’s what I do in my house. I shell out for raw milk, but the rest of it is conventional, healthy whole foods of the non-organic type.
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Intellectually I “know” that the all natural designation doesn’t mean anything, but subconsciously I’m still a sucker for natural-as-marketing. It’s sad, really.
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How about natural flavors? Natural flavors used by food companies look the same as artificial flavors. The only difference between the two is that artificial flavors are produced totally artificial, while natural flavors are taken out of natural things like apples. This process is, of course, also very artificial but it allows food companies to claim that their product is “all natural”. As far as I am concerned, there is nothing natural about a vile of natural flavors added to water to make “all natural” apple juice. I don’t find it quite as insulting if food companies are adding water to a concentrate to make all natural juice out of it.
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Sometimes it’s a scam, for sure, but sometimes it’s not. I used to work for Boulder Ice Cream, which made organic and “all-natural” ice cream, and when they said “all-natural” they meant “we make REAL ice cream, you know, with cream and eggs.” You just need to read the labels.
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The basic claim that corporations are greedy has been stressed almost to the degree of it’s lost meaning. But let’s look back a second here; It’s undeniable.
Corporations making claims like ‘all natural’ or ‘we donate so and so to charity’ is all nothing but a masquerade on trying to appear selfless while hoarding billions in dosh a month.
Obviously, most corporate execs have sold their souls to the urban environment long ago, probably not even remembering what a flower smells like. Asking a corporate exec what all natural means is like asking a Neanderthal to write Python for you.
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