Food Identifiers Debunked

It's that time of year again, nutrition month! During the month of March many of us tend to focus on wellness goals; whether that be exercise, hydration, or simply including more healthy foods in our diet. It can be pretty stressful deciding which products to buy that will have the best overall impact on our well-being. When choosing foods for your family, it's hard to ignore buzzwords on packaging such as “all natural”, “organic”, “cage-free” and "healthy".

But, how do we choose the best option? Is it really worth the extra dollars for the fancy label? Let’s dig a little deeper and learn more about what these food identifiers actually mean.

Natural: 100% Natural or All Natural means that there are no artificial or synthetic colors or flavors in the food item. Natural does not mean the product is made without pesticides or genetically modified organisms (GMO’s). This term is not currently regulated by the FDA, so there are no strict guidelines that manufacturers must meet to claim their products as ‘all natural’ like there are for some other labels which we’ll explore in a moment. Keep in mind that just because a product says it is all-natural, that does not automatically mean healthy! Check out the nutrition label to find out more than what is on the front of the box.

Buyer beware of the phrase “natural flavors”, which is a combination of flavoring agents used to enhance taste of the product and must be derived from a plant or animal source. Natural flavors are complex mixtures which can include small amounts of synthetic additives, but manufacturers are not required to disclose this information. This phrase has not been proven to be any healthier or less processed than artificial flavors on the ingredient list.

Organic: Organic foods are regulated by the USDA. They are made with only the use of natural fertilizers and pesticides from an approved list - there are a few synthetic pesticides approved for organic farming as a last resort. There is no use of GMO’s, and no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives are used in processed organic foods.

Choosing a “100% organic” or a “certified organic” product means that the product is or is made of 95%-100% organic ingredients. The term “made with organic” means the product is at least 70% organic and will not include the USDA certified seal. Organic foods have not been shown to be nutritionally different from conventional products.

When looking to add organic foods into your diet, the Dirty Dozen is a good place to start. This list of fruits and veggies help you decide where to spend the dollars and where to save. Keep in mind, if your budget doesn’t allow for extra dollars spent this month, that is perfectly ok! Eating more conventional fruits and veggies is better than none at all!

Grass-Fed: This label is regulated by Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) which is under the USDA, but not strictly enforced. Simply put, grass-fed means that cattle are only fed grass and hay during their lifetime once weaned off mother’s milk. They cannot be fed any grain products and must have access to pasture. Grass-fed claims are then verified by USDA auditors.

It’s important to note the difference between the USDA grass-fed label and the American Grassfed Approved label, which is handled by the American Grassfed Association. The latter requires that animals are not only fed an exclusive grass/forage diet, but also are not treated with any antibiotics or hormones. So what does this mean for your next shopping trip? Is grass-fed really the healthier choice? Does it have more nutritional value than grain-fed cattle? There has not been significant research to show that grass-fed beef is nutritionally superior to grain-fed beef. You might hear that grass-fed is the healthier option, and while it does provide some nutritional benefits like higher amounts of vitamin A, E, and overall lower fat content than grain-fed beef, it is not that much more significant. For example, fat content of beef depends more on the cut of beef (part of the animal like shoulder, belly, etc.) rather than the cattle’s individual diet. Conventional beef still contains important nutrients, like iron, so it might be wise to save some extra dollars on these products.

Healthy: Ok so we’ve talked a lot about different types of labels, and if those labels equate a food to being healthy. The word “healthy” seems like such a broad term when talking about our well-being and choosing which foods to include on a daily basis. While that is definitely true and the term feels subjective, the ‘healthy’ food label is actually regulated by the FDA and therefore must meet certain criteria in order to accurately use this identifier. Some of the most notable requirements include:

Limits for added sugar, saturated fat and sodium are consistent with current 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Food item contains 10% of the daily value for one or more of these nutrients: iron, protein, fiber, Vitamin C, calcium, or Vitamin A

In 2022, the FDA set forth a proposed rule to update the initial claims. These updates are still in line with current dietary guidelines, yet are really focused on making sure foods using this claim are nutrient-dense. This means they contain a certain amount of food from these categories: protein, grains, dairy, fruits, and vegetables.

Which came first, the egg or the label? If you’ve taken a trip down the egg aisle at the grocery store, you’ll probably recognize a lot of eye-catching phrases such as cage-free, free-range and pasture raised. But is one really better than the other? Let’s dig in.

Free-range eggs mean that the hens have some access to the outdoors, yet doesn’t always mean that they can roam freely. These chickens may have the ability to go outside, yet the outside space might just be a small fenced in space and time outside might be limited.

Cage-free eggs come from hens that are not kept in traditional battery cages. Instead, they are housed in open spaces within a barn or poultry house. Cage-free systems allow hens more freedom of movement compared to traditional caged systems. However, there are no regulations for these chickens to actually spend time outdoors. The term really just refers to the animals not kept confined to actual cages.
Pasture-raised eggs typically come from hens that have continuous access to the outdoors and spend a significant amount of time on pasture. This label often implies higher welfare standards, although this term is not regulated by the USDA.

And here comes the question you’ve been waiting for…what do I buy? As we know, eggs are considered a nutrient powerhouse, being a good source of protein, folate, phosphorus and vitamin A. Yet the above labels refer to more to the environment of the hens rather than the actual nutritional benefits of eggs. If you are interested in supporting more humane farming practices, pasture-raised or free-range options might be the better fit for you.

It can be difficult to get sucked into health and nutrient claims when trying to make the healthiest choice for you and your family. By knowing what some nutrient claims mean, you are set up to make better, more informed decisions. The choice is really all yours! We recommend considering your budget, values and wellness goals when deciding which products to put on the checkout line.

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At FLIK Hospitality Group we believe in great food, great service, and great people. Our wellness first approach ensures our food supports healthy and delicious choices, specially curated by our team of culinary experts and registered dietitians. At FLIK, we believe in seasonality in sourcing our ingredients and providing a customized approach to the culinary and hospitality needs of each client. Our dedication to providing quality hospitality service is unparalleled in the industry.

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