🌶 Food Law: Defining Natural
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The Gist:
Natural” has no legal definition applicable to 80%+ of American food. Most often it is a marketing tool used by food producers to make money not a food label regulated by the government.
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The Juice:
Food labeling laws in the U.S. are regulated by two federal agencies: FDA and the USDA.
The USDA is in charge of meat, poultry, and eggs. The FDA is in charge of almost everything else ( ~80% of our food supply).  
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The FDA has not formally defined natural. It has not created parameters or metrics for a food to meet to be able to bear the label.
The USDA HAS formally defined “natural” and it applies to 3 major products: meat, poultry, eggs. .
This means for everything that is not meat, poultry, or eggs. “Natural” has no formal meaning and is able to be used as one of the greatest food marketing terms in our consumer history.
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Why is it such a great marketing term? Because according to the Consumer’s Union association, 90% of American consumers believe that “natural” indicates, at the very least, that the natural product is somewhat healthier than the product without the natural label. Food producers make minimal (if any) changes, slap on the word natural, make the packaging brown, and hike the price up 30%. A superior scam.
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Does this mean that all food that has a natural label is attempting to deceive? No.
Lots of companies have defined what natural means to them and stick by their own definition or adopt standards from other associations and countries that have more strict policies on the word “natural”. And some companies are taking advantage of a consumer trend and a legal loophole. .
In sum:
Law permeates every aspect of your world. Especially in the United States.
Wellness goes beyond green smoothies and instagramable diets; it also has to be about about understanding labels, food law, and the entities regulating EVERYTHING that you consume.
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HG 2020 will feature a LOT more law and legal analysis of health and beauty issues. Might as well put this degree to use 😉💛 @healthgeenie #QuarantineShot #WithJay ...read more