What a "Natural" label really means

Consumers often think that “natural” means “healthy” or “organic,” but it does not. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), “natural” means a product does not contain artificial ingredients. For meat and poultry, which are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a natural food label means that the product was minimally processed without adding artificial ingredients, such as flavors, colors, and preservatives.

For a food to have “healthy” on its label, the FDA has explicit limits on the amount of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium it contains. Also, a “healthy” food must supply a significant amount of at least one of several important nutrients. “Organic” is a claim regulated by the USDA, which has specific criteria about the source of a food’s ingredients.

What “natural” does not mean

• A “Natural” product does not mean it’s low in sodium.
• “Natural” on the label isn’t any help if you’re looking for a heart-healthy food either. Given that the fat in butter and meat is natural, a food can be loaded with saturated fat and cholesterol and still be “natural.”
• A food labeled “natural” also has nothing to do with its sugar content.
• For meat and poultry, a “natural” label does not rule out other added ingredients that can change nutrient content.