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The word "natural" gets bandied about a lot these days. It's used both cynically, by corporations trying to promote processed foods by evoking imagery of simplicity and rustic good health, and sincerely, by food-lovers applying it loosely to mean anything from "hand-made" to "unprocessed" to simply "healthy." But what does it really mean?
When it comes to FDA food labeling, not much. Except as applied to meat and poultry products, for which "natural" labels can only be put on foods not containing "artificial flavoring, colors, chemical preservatives, or synthetic ingredients" (whatever that may mean), the "natural" label has no official definition and can be used without any USDA approval.
So forget the FDA - what does "natural" mean to us, as it applies to our food? Does it mean that a food grows on its own in the wilderness, without human intervention? Does it mean the food can be grown by humans, but can't have anything added to it (pesticide- and wax-free apples, maybe)? Does it mean it can't be processed in a factory (nothing canned or frozen)? Does it mean it can be processed in a factory but can't include anything made in a lab (nothing containing flavorings, natural or artificial alike)?
The fact that food corporations use the "natural" label to sell anything from toaster pastries to salad dressing speaks to the fact that many many people take the word to mean "not man-made" which they take to mean "healthy." This is certainly not always the case. We can all agree that many things which occur in nature are unhealthy or even lethal for humans - arsenic (an element!), certain mushrooms, hemlock, etc. And all but the most extreme of us agree that many man-made things improve the lives of people all over the world - injectable insulin for diabetics, sewage systems for clean water, salt with iodine to prevent goiters. Some of these things - like the insulin - are even made in labs, a further step away from many common definitions of the word "natural."
My favorite book dealing with the natural vs. unnatural debates as they relate to food is sociologist Barry Glasner's The Gospel of Food, which discusses, among other things, just how strange and often illogical the laws over what can be called "natural flavoring" and "natural colorings" are, and how food companies often capitalize on the word "natural" to sell food that is more expensive and no healthier than similar products on the market.
What do you think "natural" means? Is it a meaningful designation? Should we come up with a more precise definition, or keep it off food labels entirely?
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2-23-2009 @11:20AM Biscuit Butcher said... Please keep in mind though that some corporations, though by far not all, do follow rigid in house criteria whenever they label a product as natural.
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2-23-2009 @12:04PM Rt said... If one says supermarket frozen foods are processed but home canning/freezing foods are not I would like to know the distinction. I suspect it is a perception of processes and not based on fact, this results in fear.
To put a finer point on it, if one peels a fruit or vegetable it has been processed. If meat has been butchered it has been processed - not being a lion I prefer butchered meat. I think you ask a good question, but it is just the beginning.
The real question, in my mind, is why are people so averse to processed foods? I have heard of one cult who won't use ice (I couldn't believe it, but that is what I am told). This applies to ingredients. Some people look at the ingredients on packages and don't understand their uses. If salt had to tell the truth we would all know it is composed of two poisons, yet is essential for our metabolism. Many 'additives' are there to enable the food to be shipped long distances. Complain if you want but I prefer the variety, village life is not for me (cue the Green Acres theme song :).
The fear seems to based in the unknown. Because some people do not understand the processes/additives they are afraid of them. This fear is encouraged by groups who have their own agenda (many groups, many agendas).
The only benefit I have seen is an effort by some companies to be more 'transparent' with their processes. I do not think they have become more safe, but I didn't think they were unsafe to begin with.
Certainly following one's instincts is a good idea (we lose fewer of the herd) but to have those instincts manipulated by others is dangerous. People need to be aware of the difference between acting on data and responding to emotion. Good luck with that :)
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2-23-2009 @12:52PM Sarah said... Another great book along the same lines is "In Defense of Food"
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2-23-2009 @12:53PM Brenda said... The most natural foods around are probably wild plants that are not descendants of domestic cultivars. More practically, the most natural things we eat are the foods that require minimal processing and intervention (for preservation, aesthetics, flavour enhancement, etc.). between the producer and the consumer.
Ironically, the foods that are sold using the word "natural" are often prepared foods that are already far removed from their original state. It's marketing doublespeak at its best.
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2-23-2009 @12:57PM vikki said... To me, food that hasn't been heavily processed simply tastes better. I understand that in order for food to keep over long distances, preservatives might be necessary, but I just choose not to eat those foods. I feel overall healthier knowing what goes into my food, especially considering I'm vegan, and it's not always possible to run to the internet and check all the random ingredients that I don't know.
Additionally, all the extra processing that goes into making food look better just seems wrong. If the food wasn't appetizing in it's natural form, why would I want to eat it because it's been colored or flavored differently?
Overall, I think why people might tend to gear towards natural food simply comes from a lack of information. If you don't understand how something was manufactured or the reason some ingredients are included, you might be a little more wary about what you are consuming.
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2-23-2009 @4:11PM Bernie B said... Anything containing HFCS should not be allowed to label their product as "100% Natural". As much as I really like Arizona Iced Tea, they really have big cajones marketing as an all natural drink.
I think sweeteners are probably the biggest offender of pretending to be a natural product.
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2-23-2009 @4:33PM Gary said... I did some computer consulting work for a flavorings company years ago and was told by one of the food scientists there that they can and do use the word Natural on any product that they can chemically reproduce a flavor for that makes it the same as the naturally occurring chemicals in the actual flavor. For example... Pick up a bottle of any iced tea that has "Natural Lemon" All that means is that they can product lemon taste in a lab that has the same ingredients as natually occurring lemon juice.
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