Are “Natural Flavors” Natural? What the FDA Doesn’t Need You to Know…
What’s Really Inside “Natural Flavors”?
Have you ever picked up a food label and noticed “natural flavors” listed in the ingredients? It sounds harmless—after all, the word "natural" suggests something clean, healthy, and derived from real food sources. But the truth is, "natural flavors" are one of the least transparent ingredients used in the food industry today.
The Funky Situation…
The FDA allows companies to use the term “natural flavors” on ingredient lists without requiring them to disclose what’s actually in them. This means that when you see “natural flavors” in a product, you could be consuming a mixture of chemicals, additives, and even hidden animal byproducts without ever knowing it.
According to the FDA’s definition, natural flavors can come from plant or animal sources, but they are often processed and chemically modified in ways that make them far from their original form. While they technically originate from nature, the final product is often nothing like the whole food source it started as.
What’s more concerning? Many companies don’t even know the full breakdown of what’s inside the “natural flavors” they purchase from suppliers. As long as the flavoring is considered “generally regarded as safe” (GRAS) by the FDA, companies are not required to disclose the individual components used to create that flavor. This lack of transparency leaves consumers completely in the dark.
What Could Be Hiding in “Natural Flavors”?
Here are just a few things that could be lurking inside:
✅ MSG Derivatives – Some natural flavors contain monosodium glutamate (MSG) derivatives, which can trigger headaches, fatigue, and other unwanted reactions in sensitive individuals. MSG is often disguised under names like “yeast extract” or “hydrolyzed protein.”
✅ Preservatives & Solvents – Many natural flavors are mixed with preservatives, solvents, and emulsifiers to enhance stability and shelf life. These can include chemicals like propylene glycol and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)—ingredients you wouldn’t expect in a “natural” product.
✅ Hidden Animal Byproducts – Some natural flavors come from animal-derived sources, which can be problematic for vegetarians, vegans, or those with dietary restrictions. For example, “natural vanilla flavor” can be derived from castoreum, a secretion from beaver glands, yet it’s still labeled as “natural.”
✅ Artificial Processing – Just because a flavor starts from a natural source doesn’t mean it stays natural. Many undergo chemical extraction, enzymatic modification, and high-heat processing, stripping them of any real food benefits.
Why We Say NO to Natural Flavors
We believe you deserve to know exactly what you’re eating. That’s why we never use “natural flavors” in any of our products. Instead, we rely on real, whole-food ingredients—nothing hidden, nothing misleading. When you eat our snacks, you’re tasting actual nuts, seeds, fruit, and spices—not a chemically engineered version of them.
We stand by 100% ingredient transparency, because you should never have to question what’s in your food.
Want to snack with confidence? Explore our clean-ingredient snacks here.
