Anti-Aging: Beware of Natural Ingredient Deception in Processed Foods




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(Prevention.com) Pop quiz! If a product contains corn, canola oil, sunflower oil, whole wheat, whole oat flour, rice flour, corn bran, sugar, maltodextrin, and natural flavors—can it really be called…natural?

Maybe, but maybe not.

That’s the subject of a new debate, sparked by a recent lawsuit filed in New York. At issue are Frito-Lay snacks—SunChips and Tostitos, specifically—which bear “all natural” claims on their packages. The ingredients may look “natural” (more on that vague word in a moment), but according to reports, lab testing revealed that some Frito-Lay products slapped with the “all natural” label contained corn and oils from genetically modified plants.

The plaintiff, Chris Shake, said in a statement that he would never have bought the snacks had he known they contained GMOs.

Genetically modified organisms are ingredients that have had their DNA altered in a lab to give them desirable characteristics, such as drought resistance. While debate is ongoing about how safe they are, the question at hand is: Are they natural?

Now, if you’re scratching your head about this one, you’re not alone. Anyone who’s been to a grocery store knows how confusing it can be to make sense of all the health-food claims listed on food packaging—which is why some retailers, like Wal-Mart are tying to clear that up with new signage in its stores. Throw genetically modified ingredients into the mix and you have a recipe for serious confusion.

If you care about how natural your food is, your best bet may be sticking to whole foods—as opposed to foods that come in a box or bag. But when navigating confusing grocery story shelves, here are three golden rules to help you on your way:

1. Don’t believe the hype

The word “natural” has not been legally defined by the Food and Drug Administration—which means when you see it, be very wary. In its own words, the agency says: “FDA has not developed a definition for use of the term natural or its derivatives.”

2. Read the ingredient list—closely

We know the font size can make this task tricky, but it’s the best way to tell if a food contains synthetic additives of any kind (except GMOs—see below for that). If it does, it will be listed on the label as “artificial color” or “artificial flavour,” or similar terms.

3. If you want GMO-free food, go organic

As much as 80% of processed foods contain genetically modified ingredients. If you want to avoid them, look for the USDA Organic seal—foods that are verified and certified organic cannot intentionally contain GMOs—or the Non-GMO Project seal, or bot


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