Heather Bedard, C.H.E.
Natural flavors are added to a lot of processed products because in the processing of the product, and the pasteurizing of it, much of the original flavor is lost. Companies add natural flavoring to help make sure that the product actually tastes like what the customer is expecting it to taste like. This helps to keep flavors consistent across specific brands as well. All Frito chips taste the same, and so do all Heinz ketchups. Companies will pay a lot of money to flavor scientists to create flavors that are going to make their special blend and keep their products tasting the same from bag to bag or box to box. Did you know a flavor scientist was a thing?!
Here is what the FDA says is the definition of a natural flavor: It is the essential oil, oleoresin essence, or extractive protein, hydroxylate distillate, or any product of roasting, heating, or enzyme molasses, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb bark, bud, root, leaf, or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.
I don't know if you're confused yet, but that's a pretty wide definition for what a natural flavor can be. The gist of what I’m getting from this definition is that basically a natural flavor comes from a natural source. To make the “natural flavors”, manufacturers often add over 100 different chemicals. And these chemicals are just adding flavoring to the flavor. They'll add emulsifiers and solvents and preservatives as well. Just because a natural flavor comes from a natural source doesn't necessarily mean that it's good for you. It may have been derived from a plant, but through the chemical processes, it can change into something that is not the best choice for your body.
The quantity of natural flavors that are going to be in processed foods are not always a concern, but it can be, especially if you're really trying to remove a lot of these chemicals and toxins from your body and get healthy. Organic natural flavors must be produced without synthetic solvents, carriers, and artificial preservatives. That's the only difference between an organic natural flavor and just a regular natural flavor.
Now, here's an interesting fact; the FDA requires a natural flavor to be labeled as an artificial flavor If it is added to a food to give it a taste that is not naturally occurring in the food. So, for example, if you have a natural apple flavor added to a vanilla ice cream, that would be considered an artificial flavor because it was added to create a new taste and not necessarily enhance the vanilla flavor that's already there. So sometimes when you see artificial flavors, that doesn’t always mean they are from an artificial source. They might just be a natural flavoring that is added.
One of the concerns about consuming natural flavors is that the flavors are designed to give a bolder taste in their natural counterparts. What this can do is mess with your brain. It can leave you wanting more of that product, and it can make whole, natural foods not always taste as good because you're used to strong synthetic flavors. For example, I’m sure you’ve had at some point, a real strawberry. If you have that real strawberry and then right after it try some strawberry ice cream, you’ll notice that the flavors are really different. Sometimes the synthetic flavor doesn't even taste like a real strawberry so it can kind of mess with your taste buds and your brain and leave you wanting to have the stronger, more bolder flavors than the natural sources that are really going to be the best for you.
People on a strict diet should also be aware of the chemicals that are being used in the processing of these flavorings. Take, for example, the allergen information for the fries from McDonald's. What you'll see is that they have natural beef flavor. That natural beef flavor is added to the fries with wheat and milk. If you have a serious wheat or milk allergy, you might want to avoid the McDonald's fries. I don't know who knows how much of that wheat or milk product is actually in there. McDonald’s doesn’t give you the amounts, so it's just something to be cautious of.
All of this goes to show that these natural flavors aren't really so natural. They're created in a lab, and they often utilize a lot of different things that you wouldn't think would be in a natural beef flavoring or other flavoring for that matter. These “natural flavors” also don't add any nutrients, so don't let that fool you. If you think, “Oh, it's natural flavoring. This going to be a better choice”, that might not necessarily be the case. In my opinion, it's really not adding any nutrition to your food so I'm sure you know what I'm going to say. Make the majority of your food choices whole foods. They are so much better for you. Don’t be afraid to experiment with spices as well! Your body will thank you!
This article is intended for informational purposes only. Nothing in this article is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice.