"No artificial flavors" just natural flavors made with other natural flavors. If you actually read the labels on most packaging they boast that they don't contain artificial flavors - just natural ones! So what does this actually mean?
I've seen natural flavors in a lot of food: from sparkling water to bags of chips or protein bars. I've heard some people demonize them and others suggest it is perfectly healthy but no one seems to actually know what they are. As TWthrive we really want to encourage you to be aware of what you are eating; mindfully choosing things instead of blindly consuming. Hence looking into natural flavors! I went to the FDA website and in their Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21 (1) they write that natural flavors are any aroma or flavor that is derived from plant or animal sources. Essentially natural flavor encompasses a whole lot of ideas for getting stronger flavors and aromas. It can involve essential oils, oleoresin, essence, extractives, protein hydrolysates, distillates, roasting, heating, and even enzymolysis. These flavors or aromas are acquired through distilling, fermenting, and other lab manipulation. I'm going to assume that you may not know what each of these words mean so lets break it down:
essential oil: highly fragrant oil derived from plants during distillation
distillation: a way to purify a liquid through heating or cooling
oleoresin: extracted with hydrocarbon solvent
essence: extract/concentrate
protein hydrolysate: breaking bonds in proteins to isolate what you want by adding enzymes
enzymolysis: using enzymes to change/biochemical decomposition (ie: fermentation in kombucha)
The definitions above give us a better understanding of what natural flavoring involves. Essential oils create a VERY concentrated oil, oleoresins encompass a more full body flavor, hydrolysates result in a faster absorption rate in the body (sometimes for the better sometimes for the worse). Any combination of the processes above can be used in creating these natural flavors and they can use up to 100 undisclosed chemicals in the process. It's not that chemicals are inherently bad, after all hormones are the chemical messengers of the body. Enhancing flavor results in a more pleasant food experience and many people appreciate the added flavor that can come without added sugar when natural flavors are involved.
If you're curious on our take, we have started trying to avoid natural flavors mainly because of how vague they are. While earning my Bachelors in Chemistry I spent a lot of time in the lab and gained an appreciation for the processes involved in isolating and manipulating compounds to create something "new". Despite my fascination with the world of chemistry, I also attained a hesitancy toward what I am putting in my body. I want to be fully aware of what I am choosing to consume and considering the vague-ness of natural flavors I am unsure if I am committing to consume an essential oil (which I would be comfortable with) or a wide variety of chemicals used to manipulate and create the "natural peach flavor" in my water (which I would not be comfortable with). Since outside chemicals - especially combinations that would not occur in nature - can cause added stress on the body - specifically the detoxification system - that is a risk I would rather not take in this season. That being said I would still rather consume natural flavors than artificial ones considering those are certainly made in a lab and sourced from inedible substances like petroleum (insert shook expression here).
Author: Charity Behage
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