We have been led to believe by health organizations, and even food manufacturers, that the word “natural” means a particular food item is healthy and good for us. You probably believe this yourself, right? However, viruses and other debilitating, even deadly, microorganisms are natural. But that does not make them good for us. So what does natural really mean anyway?
If you see the word natural on a food label, is that good news? According to the consumer advocate magazine Consumer Reports, this can be a very misleading term. While not too many food manufacturers will put the term “unnatural” on their foods, food described as natural can be healthy, unhealthy or have no effect on you at all.
Consumer Reports believes so strongly that the natural label is being applied to possibly unnatural foods that it has urged the FDA to ban its use on food labels.
By the way, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the United States has not even come up with a hard definition of what natural really means on a food label. The same problem exists in many other modern countries. That is why manufacturers of otherwise unhealthy products have been slapping the natural label on their food for years.
If the “Natural” Labeling Process Seems Confusing, You Are Not Alone
A recent survey of 1,000 shoppers conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center revealed that 60% of the survey takers actively searched out the term natural on food labels. 66% of those polled expressed a belief that the term natural means food with no artificial ingredients, genetically modified organisms or pesticides. But none of those requirements are mandatory for a food to carry the natural designation.
With no hard and fast rules as to exactly what natural means, this adjective could be trusted too much as it applies to food. Having said that, what steps should you take to find out if the food you are considering buying is actually “natural” or not?
Your first move should be to contact the manufacturer. It may take some time, but get someone on the phone. Ask some hard questions. Record the name of the individual you are talking to, and ask for any and all relevant information to be sent to you via snail mail or e-mail.
If a representative for a food manufacturer or processor tells you that information is “proprietary” and cannot be revealed, alarm bells should go off. Also, don’t forget that foods with tons of sugar and calories may truthfully be natural, but that does not make them healthy. The bottom line? Try to avoid packaged foods wherever possible. Eat whole foods, and more fruits and vegetables than processed food items, and you will automatically enjoy more truly natural and healthy foods.
"Tumeongozwa kuamini na mashirika ya afya, na hata wazalishaji wa chakula, kwamba neno ""asili"" linamaanisha bidhaa fulani ya chakula ni ya afya na nzuri kwetu." Yaelekea wewe mwenyewe unaamini jambo hilo, sivyo? Hata hivyo, virusi na viumbe wadogo wengine wanaodhoofisha, na hata kuua, ni vitu vya asili. Lakini hilo halimaanishi kwamba ni nzuri kwetu. Kwa hiyo, asili inamaanisha nini? "Kama unaona neno ""asili"" kwenye lebo ya chakula, ni habari nzuri?" Kulingana na gazeti la Consumer Reports, hilo laweza kuwa neno lenye kupotosha sana. Ingawa si wazalishaji wengi wa chakula watatumia neno "si asili" kwenye vyakula vyao, chakula kilichoelezwa kama asili kinaweza kuwa na afya, si afya au hakina athari kwako kabisa. "Kulingana na ripoti ya Consumer Reports, ""kitambulisho cha asili kinaweza kuwa na athari kubwa kwa chakula cha kawaida, na kwa hivyo inapaswa kuondolewa kwa mara ya kwanza.""" Kwa mfano, FDA (Usimamizi wa Chakula na Dawa) bado haijatoa ufafanuzi wa kina wa nini asili inamaanisha kwenye lebo ya chakula. Tatizo hilohilo lipo katika nchi nyingine nyingi za kisasa. "Kwa hiyo, kwa miaka mingi, watengenezaji wa vyakula visivyo na afya wamekuwa wakitia alama ya ""asili"" kwenye vyakula vyao." "Kama ""Mazingira"" Labeling Process Inaonekana Confusing, Wewe Si Peke yako Utafiti wa hivi karibuni wa wanunuzi 1,000 uliofanywa na Ripoti za Watumiaji Kituo cha Kitaifa cha Utafiti ulifunua kwamba 60% ya waliochukuliwa utafiti walichunguza neno ""asili"" kwenye lebo za chakula." "Kama asilimia 66 ya wale waliohojiwa walionyesha imani kwamba neno ""asili"" linamaanisha chakula bila viungo vya bandia, viumbe vilivyobadilishwa chembe za urithi au dawa za kuua wadudu." Lakini hakuna moja ya mahitaji hayo ni lazima kwa ajili ya chakula kubeba jina la asili. Bila sheria ngumu na ya haraka kuhusu nini hasa asili inamaanisha, sifa hii inaweza kuaminiwa sana kama inatumika kwa chakula. Baada ya kusema hivyo, ni hatua zipi unapaswa kuchukua ili kujua kama chakula unachokuwa ukifikiria kununua kwa kweli ni <unk>asili<unk> au la? Hatua yako ya kwanza inapaswa kuwa kuwasiliana na mtengenezaji. Inaweza kuchukua muda, lakini kupata mtu kwenye simu. Uliza maswali magumu. Angalia jina la mtu unayezungumza naye na uombe habari yoyote muhimu itumiwe kwa barua pepe au barua pepe. Kama mwakilishi wa mtengenezaji wa chakula au processor anawaambia kwamba habari ni <unk>proprietary<unk> na haiwezi kufunuliwa, kengele ya kengele inapaswa kwenda mbali. Pia, usisahau kwamba vyakula vyenye sukari nyingi na kalori huenda vikuwa vya asili, lakini hilo halimaanishi kwamba ni vyenye afya. Ni nini msingi wa jambo hilo? Jaribu kuepuka vyakula vilivyotiwa ndani ya vifurushi iwezekanavyo. Kula vyakula kamili, na matunda na mboga zaidi kuliko vyakula vilivyotengenezwa, na kwa moja kwa moja utafurahia vyakula vya asili na vyenye afya zaidi.