The Word "Natural" on food labels

United States
May 13, 2012 9:04pm CST
The word "natural" is not regulated by the FDA, but at yet it is on many food labels, such as whole wheat bread. People need to make sure they read the ingriedients on the labels to make sure they are getting their moneys worth. What are your thoughts about the 100% whole grain claim? There is more to the story than the food manufacturers are telling you.
2 responses
@peavey (16936)
• United States
14 May 12
That's true, there is a lot more than what they tell you. You have to read labels critically and do some research to be sure. "Whole wheat" for instance, means only that the product is made wholly with wheat, not that it's made with the whole grain of wheat. Then there are the additives that we can't pronounce. Why is it that I can make a loaf of bread at home that tastes just as good or better and not have to fill it with all kinds of chemicals, but they can't? One answer: Their bread lasts longer on the shelf. Yikes. It isn't supposed to. Natural is just a buzzword right now. It sells products so they'll use it regardless of what's in the package.
• United States
14 May 12
The companies that produce GMO seeds have made it nearly impossible to put on a lable that the product is not made with GMO because that will let the public know that there is a difference between non GMO foods and those containing GMO products and the FDA will not make the companies lable such foods as including GMO products. It has been proven that it cost as much to produce GMO foods as non GMO foods, the only real benifactors are those that get paid from the GMO cmpanies. Plus GMO foods are killing many aimals including frogs, salamanders, bees and many other animals that are benifical to humans.We need to tell people in office to make sure that labling foods with GMO products and to actually have indipendent people test them and not just the companies that produce them so that we as the public willknow the real truth. Also much of the milk thatg we drink comes from cows that are treated with GMOopduced growth horomones that have been proven to cause certain types of cancer. Letgs tell congress that we want truth in packaging and let people that want to sell non GMO products the right to state that on their packaging. Organic products can do it already but not non organic that do not use GMO products.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
14 May 12
Oh, yes, then there's GMO. If you buy organic, that's the only way to be assured because they have to be nonGMO. I agree that we have a right to know what we're eating and to be able to make our own choices. We have to speak up anywhere and everywhere that we can and do what we can. Too many people don't care or don't know. They need to know.
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
16 May 12
The word "natural" on food items can be misleading sometimes. I eat a vegan diet so therefore it is essential for me to know the ingredients. I like the label that says "suitable for vegetarians and vegans". In addition I have to see all the ingredients listed. Only then do I buy the product. With bread the reading the label is even more important because "whole grain" might not be the whole story. I like to eat a bread that is suitable for vegans and the grain came from my home country. It has essential seeds in it which add flavor and are healthy. I find it challenging to find a vegan suitable salad dressing and I know one supermarket offers a diet salad dressing which hasn't got egg in it. Therefore it is vegan but it does an artificial sort of sugar in it. I like to drink pure fruit juice and don't like it with sugar in it. I am drinking a cranberry juice that has been sweetened with grapes. It is delicious and very healthy.