(Looks Healthy, Isn’t – Blog Series)
If you’ve ever flipped over a food label and seen the words natural flavors, you might assume it’s something healthy.
But here’s what you need to know:
👉 Natural flavors are not the same as natural food.
In fact, “natural flavors” is often just a legal term that lets companies hide dozens of processed, lab-created ingredients without listing them one by one.
So what are natural flavors made of?
They might start with a real ingredient—like a fruit or herb—but they’re typically extracted, chemically processed, mixed with solvents and preservatives, and then added back into your food.
And because of a loophole, companies don’t have to disclose what those flavors actually contain.
That’s a problem for anyone trying to eat clean—or avoid common allergens.
Natural flavors can contain:
Corn, soy, or dairy derivatives
MSG-like additives
Preservatives or stabilizers
And none of that has to be clearly labeled.
If you’re on a mission to feed your family clean, real food—this is a major red flag to watch for.
💡 My best clean eating tip for moms?
Flip the label.
If the ingredients list includes “natural flavors” and won’t tell you what that means—it’s probably not as clean as it looks.
Inside my Holistic Momma Bear group, I’ve created a guide called Looks Healthy, Isn’t where I walk through all the sneaky label tricks and what to look for instead. It’s under the “Guides” tab, and it’s free to check out.
Because just like so many food trends today…
It might look healthy—but it isn’t.
~ Let’s chat soon,
Christina
Holistic Momma Bear