"Natural" foods are kind of a big lie

Basically, my inspiration for this came from one of my many trips to the fridge. I grabbed a can of Sierra Mist because I enjoy light pops such as 7up and Sprite (even though I'll take whatever is in the fridge). I quickly downed the can within thirty seconds and noticed something I hadn't before. The can was different than normal, a lighter color with bubbles and water all over it as apposed to the usual green and yellow stripes. The can said it was "natural" with other "natural flavors". It made me wonder exactly what that meant and if that made it any better for me to consume.

In short, it means almost absolutely nothing. The FDA does not regulate what it means for a product to be considered "natural". Sometimes this can be good. If a company sold, say, a bag of trail mix, they could put the word "natural" all over it. People would see it and probably consider it a better choice than a bag of trail mix without the word "natural" on it. In some situations, however, giving a product the label "natural" it can potentially jeopardize a persons choice in diet. For example, someone could purchase the "natural" Sierra Mist because they think it will be healthier for them. I found that the "natural" Sierra Mist has the same amount of calories and the same ingredients (carbonated water, sugar, citric acid, and potassium citrate).

I guess it isn't surprising that companies do this. Its really all about getting people to buy their product. Slapping "natural" on a label is an easy and very inexpensive in relation to the potential profit gained. The average consumer is not very intelligent. Using the right words or the right design on a product is all it really takes for a majority of people. These days, the average person doesn't have time to mull over the pros and cons of a particular type of soda, and often people don't really care because they could just go buy another 12 pack.