Flavours, Natural Flavours…What the heck are they?

2 May

Let’s quickly answer the question… we actually don’t know what they are! Read on for why this is concerning!

If you are a food label reader like me (highly recommend!) you have probably noticed these ingredients; “Artificial Flavours”, “Flavours” and as of recent times more and more food products are stating “Natural Flavours” in their list. Be wary of the plural “s” added at the end, sometimes it is just “flavour” or “flavouring” which would be one flavour, however majority of the time they sneakily add that “s” confirming it is multiple.

My big issue with these is that they are ingredients within an ingredient that we are not privy to! They are so called trade secrets… but basically, they are chemical cocktails, that you need to be aware of! It is the same with the word “fragrance” in household items like cleaning products and beauty products such as skincare, makeup and cosmetics. These are considered to be trade secrets with intellectual property rights, which results in zero transparency for consumers.

What Products are Flavours in?

Flavours and Natural flavours are legitimately in every food product imaginable… if it’s processed and in a packet, there is unfortunately a very high chance they could be on the label. From supplements to ice cream, biscuits, yoghurts, cereals, spreads…. everything I tell you, the market is saturated with them! Flavours are used with the intention to make processed food taste real.

What are Flavours?

From my research, flavours (or flavor if you’re U.S based) are extremely complex mixtures that can comprise up to 100 chemicals or more!
Not only this, but solvents, emulsifiers, MSG, refined sugar, preservatives, BHA, propylene glycol, parabens and any other incidental additives can make up to 80-90% of that mixture.
Basically, who knows what the heck you are eating as they are not required to disclose any of this (nor would it even fit on a food packet...).

In Australia and New Zealand our food standards are regulated by FSANZ (Food Standards Aus & NZ) they define flavours as…
“flavouring substance means a substance that is used as a food additive to perform the technological purpose of a flavouring in accordance with this Code.”
Soooo pretty much anything! And a lot of food companies are using flavours instead of real ingredients as they are a fraction of the cost and also have a longer shelf life. These are specifically listed on FSANZ to be permitted in the preparation of “flavourings”: Benzyl alcohol, Ethanol, Ethyl acetate, Glycerol diacetate, Glyceryl monoacetate, Isopropyl alcohol, Butylated hydroxyanisole, Triethyl citrate.

What is Natural Flavour?

In the US natural flavours are derived from plants or animals and artificial flavours are synthesized in a lab. Natural Flavours cost more but manufactures are willing to pay to advertise the word “natural” to consumers.

HOWEVER,

In Australia and New Zealand, FSANZ basically don’t distinguish the difference between artificial and natural flavours…. This means that there is zero legislation identifying the differences between artificial flavour/s and “natural” flavour/s and therefore can be used interchangeably (purely for marketing purposes, to trick consumers into thinking a product is healthier than it is)!

In saying this… it could be?? But who knows because they aren’t telling us!!
It is a massive loophole that food manufactures are using to their advantage.

FSANZ are not looking at where the flavours are derived from and that is a problem.

As for genetically modified (GM) flavours, a product is not required to label that it is GM if the “flavouring substance that is present in the food in a concentration of no more than 1 g of flavouring/kg of food”. I don’t care about the amount, as consumers we deserve to know what we are eating and what it is derived from. So basically, natural flavours (and I’ll add colours too) can be derived from a substance grown by a GM microbe.

It has been brought to FSANZ attention in an appendix I found, with a comment saying that there were difficulties in “the interpretation of flavours and nature identical flavours, problems working out the schedule of ingredients”. However, this is not dated, and time will tell if anything is done about this.

Flavours in Action

Sometimes products state just “Flavours” and other times they will say something like “Natural Caramel Flavour”. This still doesn’t tell us what’s in it, how it’s processed or what it’s derived from.

Also have you ever noticed some products with labelling on the front of the packet that say things like “vanilla flavoured yoghurt” rather than “vanilla yoghurt”, it’s because if you turn over the packet and read the ingredients, there actually is only “vanilla flavours” and imitation vanilla, same goes for fruit... rather than using real fruit they use imitation “flavours” to mimic them, it’s cheap and sneaky. But they are abiding by food labelling legislation by using the word flavoured on the packet *eye rolls*. To prove the point, this is the ingredients from the first “Vanilla Flavoured Yoghurt” I clicked on online (no vanilla… just natural flavours):

“Milk, Water, Sugar, Milk Solids, Thickener (1442), Maltodextrin (From Tapioca), Calcium Phosphate, Natural Flavours, Stabiliser (440), Acidity Regulators (330, 331), Live cultures (Including Bifidobacterium), Vitamin D.”

And this one:

”Organic milk, organic raw sugar, water, organic cream, milk solids, rice starch, organic milk solids, natural vanilla flavour, vanilla bean macerates, citric acid, live cultures (incl. probiotic acidophilus and bifidus).”

Compare that to one that actually uses just vanilla:

”Milk, Milk Solids, Water, Sugar, Cream (Milk), Thickener (Modified Starch), Natural Flavour, Acidity Regulators (Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate), Probiotic Cultures (Milk): B. lactis (BB-12™), Yoghurt Cultures (Milk): S. Thermophilus, L. Bulgaricus, Vanilla Bean (0.01%)”

Side note on vanilla, castoreum is an additive used to produce vanilla flavour and it is derived from… basically the anal sacs of beavers... yep.
Read more about synthetic biology-made Natural Vanilla Flavour here.

This is just one example but there are unfortunately soo many!

Bottom Line... Should you Avoid Flavours?

Yep. These additives are made in a lab are extremely interfered with. Although natural flavours are ‘presumed’ to have started from a natural source, the processing and chemicals involved leads to a completely different product compared to the natural source.

By all means you can contact the food manufactures and ask them what exactly their “natural flavour” is, but in reality, after all we have learnt from this article, your safest bet is to stay clear and avoid them. In saying that, there are some brands that have fantastic values and will uphold their integrity and happily disclose and be transparent with you. Don’t be afraid to contact them and simply ask them exactly what their “flavour/s” consist of (I have done this a few times).

How to NATURALLY Flavour your Foods

Obviously avoid any products that contain these mentioned in the ingredient list. Thankfully, mother nature has provided us with so many natural ingredients to enhance flavour.

Here’s some tips when cooking at home:

Change up your cooking methods, it’s amazing how this can change the taste and texture. Try roasting, grilling and slow cooking.
Herbs & Spices are your BEST friend. To make them extra aromatic try heating spices in a dry pan. Also crush whole spices, rather than using pre ground which deteriorate faster. Herbs and spices also contribute to our nutrient intake and are some of our best sources of polyphenols, which are fantastic for gut health, cell maintenance and fighting oxidative stress.
Freeze leftover herbs in ice cube trays in oil or butter, ready to add to meals.
Freeze leftover citrus zest.
Marinate Proteins like Meat. Just amazing how much flavour it retains.
Healthy fats often contain beautiful flavour, using these will contribute to the overall flavour profile. Extra Virgin Olive Oil/Coconut Oil, Grass-Fed Ghee and Butter… delish!
Garnish. The possibilities are endless... herbs, squeeze of citrus, nuts and seeds, go crazy!

Let’s Take Control

Let’s go by this motto… If it’s made from a plant... eat it! If it’s made IN a plant don’t eat it!

We are becoming so far removed from real food and I don’t want to be a part of the experiment. Read food labels and pick products that do not list “flavours/natural flavours”, they exist I promise, you just have to be wary. In doing so, you are supporting amazing companies with fantastic ethical values.

If you are ready to take control of your health, ensure what you are eating is REAL food, become a master at deciphering food labels then my My Low Tox Food Program is for you! Let’s make sure we are not lab rats and instead are empowered and aware of exactly what we are putting into our bodies, as well as our families.