Natural Flavors: Because ‘Organic’ and ‘Healthy’ Totally Mean Chemical-Free… Right?
Nina Scheets
Sep 9, 2024
2 min read
Right… if you live in opposite world.🤪
Once you learn that what you’re eating is basically poison... okay, maybe not in low doses, but if you’re eating this stuff every day? That’s where the problem kicks in. It’s why you have to check every single ingredient on every food package. Yes, every. single. box. Just like I learned with Simple Mills—not all of their products are free of seed oils! One might be safe, but the next? Not so much.
So, let’s dive into natural flavors... I know, I know, don’t come for me for pointing out all the junk we’re unknowingly consuming! But hey, we’ll get through this mess together. ♡
I’ve always been drawn to natural flavors because, let’s face it, I’m an outdoorsy, “keep it real” type. But after digging into the science, I found out that “natural” doesn’t always mean what we think it does. Sure, natural flavors come from plants or animals, but they can be processed so much that they end up almost identical to artificial ones. Chemically speaking, they’re practically twins! Both natural and artificial flavors can have over 100 added chemicals—like preservatives and solvents—yep, even the so-called “natural” ones. According to the Environmental Working Group, companies don’t even have to disclose whether these additives are natural or synthetic. As long as the original flavor came from a plant or animal, they can slap that “natural” label on it.
So while we think “natural” means healthy, the truth is, both types are packed with extra chemicals. Who knew nature could be so… processed?
I’m all about avoiding products with natural flavors, so naturally, I’m checking every label... get it? Naturally? Haha, couldn’t resist!
Anyway, the other day I was doing some online shopping on Thrive Market, hunting for a good soup. And guess what? 90% of the soups they sell are packed with natural flavors—plus our favorite inflammation buddy (seed oils). I felt that little sinking feeling like, “Great, guess I’m gonna have to make my own soup now.” And sure, homemade soup would be awesome, but I’m already juggling a million other kitchen projects. I just want my soup to be easy!
But fear not! I found one—Amy’s Original! No seed oils, no natural flavors, just the soup flavors I actually want, without the side of poison. But hold up—don’t get too excited, because not all of Amy’s products are in the clear. Ugh. So for now, we’re sticking to Lentil and Fire Roasted Southwest Vegetable... and I guess I’ll have to dig up some motivation to make my own soups!
Check out these informative articles! So ya know I’m not blowing smoke!
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