The problem is, labels can be misleading. You’d need several pairs of hands to count the number of “100% Natural” claims you see in just one aisle of the supermarket. But that’s not because food manufacturers have suddenly gone on a health kick. Nope, it’s because neither the U.S. Food and Drug Administration nor the Federal Trade Commission have a strict definition for the term; the FDA says it “has not objected to the use of the term if the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances.” In other words, without getting so much as a wrist slap, so-called “natural” foods can still contain a wide range of processed sweeteners, lab-produced “natural” flavors and colors, additives and preservatives. More from Prevention.com: Healthiest Food Awards 2012 Lately, though, some brands’ health halos have been showing some tarnish. General Mills currently faces a lawsuit over claims its “100% Natural” Nature Valley granola bars contain two processed ingredients—maltodextrin and high maltose corn syrup—that don’t exist in nature. And Snapple recently beat a suit that took issue over the high-fructose corn syrup in its “natural” drinks (the company has since introduced recipes with real sugar). But those are just two examples—unfortunately, there are many others. Here, we take a look at the ingredients in some of your favorite “natural” foods, so you can decide for yourself what’s real and what’s not. Check out 9 “100% Natural” Foods—Exposed.
