Many food products include “natural flavorings” among the list of ingredients. The term can seem a bit paradoxical. How can added flavoring also be natural? Further, what makes natural flavorings distinct from artificial flavorings? These questions also prompt us to consider the impact of added flavors on nutrition and health.
What Does Natural Flavoring Mean?
By the most basic definition, natural flavoring means that the additive is derived from organic sources like plants or animals. “Organic” in this sense means from nature, not organically farmed. In fact, there is no guarantee on how the sources of natural flavorings are farmed or grown.
Natural flavorings contrast with artificial flavorings, which are made from man-made chemicals and compounds. Some examples of natural flavorings include spices like vanilla and cinnamon, fruits and fruit juices, herbs, yeast, meat, eggs, and dairy.
Natural flavorings are added to a wide range of foods, including cereals, juices, and premade meals. They are among the top ingredients found on food labels.
Although natural flavorings are derived from plants or animals, they are processed in a similar manner as artificial flavorings. Common production processes include roasting and distilling. These processes can zap the source product of nutrients.
However, the primary purpose of flavoring—whether natural or artificial—is to boost the taste or smell of a food, not to improve its nutritional value. Natural flavorings do not offer any more nutrition than artificial flavorings. Neither type of flavoring offers fiber, protein, carbohydrates, fats, or any of the essential vitamins and minerals needed in a healthy diet.
“Natural Flavoring” According to the Food Industry
While natural flavorings must derive in some part from animal or plant sources to be categorized as natural, this does not mean they are not heavily processed. In fact, natural flavors may undergo as much processing as artificial flavors before they reach their final form. Chemists develop natural flavors by isolating chemicals and compounds found in a plant or animal source via distillation, roasting, extraction, and other techniques. Artificial substances may be added to create the desired flavor.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as long as some portion of the flavoring is organic in origin, it can carry the “natural” label. Many food companies take advantage of this, as health-conscious consumers often prefer the term “natural” to artificial. In some cases, a flavoring can be mainly non-organic and still fall under the FDA definition of natural.
There is one area where the definition of natural is stricter. Flavoring in organically-farmed foods must comply with industry standards. This means natural flavorings in certified organic products cannot contain any artificial ingredients.
Advantages of Natural Flavoring
There are many reasons why food manufacturers include natural flavorings in their products. Firstly, natural flavorings can make food taste and smell better—that is their primary purpose. Natural flavorings have been classified as “generally recognized as safe” by the FDA, which regulates their use in food.
Extracts from natural sources can also bring down the costs of food production. The savings are then passed to the consumer. For example, vanilla flavoring derived from cloves offers a vanilla taste without relying on more expensive vanilla beans.
Many people are interested in reducing their consumption of meat for environmental reasons and are replacing some of their burgers and steaks with plant-based meat substitutes. However, many of these products are not palatable for people used to the taste of meat. The addition of plant-based natural flavors gives plant-based meat alternatives a wider appeal and thus encourages more people to incorporate meat-free meals into their diets.
While natural flavorings do not add nutrition themselves, they make it possible for certain products to be fortified. When manufacturers add additional protein or vitamins to a food product, it can produce an unpleasant taste. Natural flavorings can make the final product more palatable.
Downsides of Natural Flavoring
Natural flavorings can contribute to some negative outcomes. One of the most significant problems is for people with food allergies. In the U.S., companies do not need to list the makeup of natural flavorings. However, natural flavorings may include components derived from shellfish or seeds. People with sensitivities to these ingredients won’t be able to tell, just from an ingredient list on the package, if a food product will cause an allergic reaction.
Recently, the FDA has required food producers to inform the consumer if there is a potential for common allergens like eggs and nuts to appear in the product. There is also a push for food manufacturers to provide more information about the components of natural flavorings.
Another issue with natural flavorings (as well as artificial flavorings) is that they can make food hyperpalatable. For example, natural flavors may purposefully start with a burst of flavor that quickly fades, which prompts you to eat more to try to regain that flavor. Some flavors are designed to trigger the brain into producing more saliva, which can increase cravings for food.
Conclusion
Natural flavorings are safe to eat, except for people with specific allergies to them, and they play an important role in keeping food products affordable and palatable. However, don’t be fooled—just because a product says it includes natural flavorings, this does not necessarily mean that it is healthier or more nutritious than a comparable product with artificial flavors. Flavorings don’t have any nutritional value, and both artificial and natural flavorings are highly processed.