The “Natural” Myth
Nutrition labels are often confusing and often deliberately misleading. Anyone who has tried to compare labels at the supermarket in a quest to find the healthiest options is likely to feel good about choosing products with the word “natural” on the label. But what exactly does “natural” mean, nutritionally speaking?
It might be disappointing to find out that a claim of “natural” on a food label means only that the product contains no artificial ingredients. Sounds good, right? Well, yes, until you start thinking about all of the not-so-good-for-you foods and ingredients that are 100% natural. Saturated fat, the type found in most meats and animal products that we strive to limit in our diets, is completely natural. Sodium is also so perfectly natural that it is an element on the periodic table! If you are looking to reduce your sodium intake, you are far better off looking for the words “low sodium” than to rely on “natural” to steer your choices.
Sugar is another ingredient that is 100% natural, but most people would not argue that it is “healthy.” The point is that “natural” is put on labels to lure you into thinking that a product is better for you than a product that does not have such a label. The truth is, however, that there are countless unhealthy, high fat, high sugar, high sodium products lining the supermarket shelves that use the word “natural” to delude us into thinking we are making a nutritionally-sound choice. Even high fructose corn syrup can be found in “natural” products if the high fructose corn syrup is produced without adding any synthetic ingredients!
Finally, “natural” on meat and poultry labels has nothing to do with how the animals were raised or fed or their saturated fat content. Look for labels of “lean” or “extra lean” (generally less than 10 g and 5 g of saturated fat, respectively) to find healthier meats. Furthermore, even processed meat products, such as smoked, cured, or salted, can still be called “natural” since the processing involves non-artificial ingredients. The fact is that we must, as savvy consumers, look beyond the lure of “natural” on a label and into the greater depths of the ingredient list.
So now you know. Next time you’re at the supermarket and see the word “natural” on a label, pick up the product and read the ingredients. Even more importantly, look at the nutrition label for saturated fat, sodium, sugar, and calorie content, and seek out products with low quantities of each. Or, for the easiest way to get truly natural and healthy options, choose foods with no labels whatsoever: fresh fruits and vegetables, and lots of them.
Eat up!
(Nutrition article written by Samantha Reiff, Nutrition Student at FMAR)
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