Just what the heck does the word "NATURAL" mean

The Truth about Natural Foods

As people are growing more conscientious about their health, natural foods are becoming increasingly popular. So how are we supposed to know if the word “natural” is actually worth all that extra money?

Unofficially, the term “natural” refers to food that contains no artificial ingredients such as flavoring or colors.

Legally however, the only requirement for using the term “natural” on product labels is that it not be misleading.

This vague guideline set forth by the FDA leaves many of us with a lot of unanswered questions.

The basic requirement fails to address whether or not pesticides may be used, nor does it address how the food was produced or processed.

While it’s clear that consumers are demanding better access to natural options, there’s a lot of work to be done before food labels can be completely trusted.

If natural living is important to you, take food labeling with a grain of salt. The terminology might not mean quite what you think.

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How Healthy is Your Protein Bar?

On our quest to be healthy, we often find ourselves combating a hectic lifestyle. With work and family commitments, it can be difficult to find time to exercise and eat right.

Protein bars make for convenient alternative to many home cooked meal options. They’re sold just about everywhere so you don’t even need to go out of your way to find them. Their packaging certainly makes them appear nutritious but do you know what you’re really eating?

Protein – This ingredient may seem quite obvious. Protein is actually one of the ingredients you should pay the most attention to. Most protein bars contain about 20 grams of protein, which is about half the recommended daily intake for an inactive woman. Consuming excessive levels of protein can cause all sorts of health problems including weight gain and calcium loss.

Sugar – You already know that consuming too much sugar is unhealthy. After all, that’s why you grabbed a protein bar, not a candy bar right? What you may not know is that many protein bars contain more than 6 teaspoons of sugar. That’s more than the recommended daily added sugar for women and 2/3 the amount recommended for men.

Artificial Sweeteners – Maybe your favorite bar has a low amount of sugar, but don’t let that fool you. Artificial sweeteners are often added to processed foods to make them taste better without adding sugar. These sweeteners have been shown to lead to gastrointestinal problems as well as cause increased junk food cravings.

Chocolate Coating – For the most part, protein bars aren’t actually coated in chocolate. Instead, hydrogenated palm kernel oil is used which creates a coating that, while tasty has a high concentration of saturated fat.

Preservatives – Protein bars are typically packaged months before you get your hands on them. To keep them tasting fresh, must be added to them. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) is a common preservative that has been linked to an increased risk of cancer.

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