You may have already noticed “no artificial flavours” on various food and drink labels. An appealing assurance, granted - but also a susceptible one for misinterpretation. This is what it broadly translates to:
What it means
Essentially, the product is free of artificial flavourings. But the flavour should be added by other substances which are described as natural in food rules. To find out more about Natural Flavourings, visit a site like //foodieflavours.com/collections/natural-flavourings
That can include things like:
Flavours naturally derived from plants (and sometimes animal) sources
Extracts (for example, vanilla extract)
Flavour profiles cared for by the concentrates and distillates.
Though, in the case of a product that’s meant to taste like strawberry or vanilla, there could indeed still be some strong-tasting variety being added: it just wouldn’t necessarily contain artificial flavouring.
What it doesn’t mean
Does not mean automatically “No artificial flavours.”
Additives (sweeteners, colours, preservatives and stabilisers may be in there still)
Does not contain the ingredient flavoured (For example, “strawberry flavour” may not come from strawberries)
Healthier (nutrients vary on sugar, salt, fats, portion size, etc.)
No-known allergen (some flavour compounds can come from an allergenic source)
How to check quickly
If you want the complete story, dive into the ingredient list and find wordings such as flavouring(s) or “natural flavour(s)” including extractions.
It can help you to find a good pick and not get conned. Take your nutrition knowledge to the next level and demonstrate up-to-speed label reading before hitting the checkout.
