The Raw Truth About "Natural" Flavors

“Natural flavors” are a far cry from an extract or fruit juice, there are over 80,000 different chemicals that can be hidden in “natural flavors” like maltodextrin, BHT, MSG and many more.

What are “Natural Flavors”

• Why include “natural flavors” on the ingredient list if it's just a fruit juice or extract? What are you hiding? “Natural flavors” are a fruit juice or extract right? Unfortunately, no. The flavor needs to be preserved and stabilized with chemical agents to help it mix into the product such as propylene glycol, BHT, BHA, MSG, and polysorbate 80.
• “Natural flavors” on a label are not very likely to be just a fruit juice or extract. Although “Natural Flavors” could be nothing more than a simple extract or essential oil, you can't count on that because the FDA does not make companies tell you what's in their “Natural Flavors” so unless the brand will disclose this formula, you can’t know exactly what you are putting into your body! We believe in transparency in ingredients which is why we only use ingredients we can explain.
• Around 80,000 different chemicals and artificial components can be used, often used as processing or stabilizing aids. In products like LMNT there is more maltodextrin in their “natural flavors” per serving than potassium, calcium, and magnesium COMBINED. And even though maltodextrin is an additive, it doesn't have to be labeled because it is part of the dreaded “natural flavors”. (maltodextrin has a very high glycemic index meaning it could spike blood sugar) Even if it was completely safe, it's not needed and there's controversy around it so we just simply don’t use it.
• American consumers often assume the FDA ensures the safety of flavor additives, but the agency has basically given this responsibility to food companies, creating potential conflicts of interest and limiting transparency.

Evident Electrolytes uses real lemon juice powder for flavoring, not man made chemicals from a lab!

Research

• The “Natural” vs. “Natural Flavors” Conflict in Food Labeling: A Regulatory Viewpoint
• What’s in a Flavor? A Proposal to Address Consumer Confusion Surrounding Natural Flavoring
• Secret ingredients lurk in food, hidden as 'artificial flavor,' 'natural flavor,' and 'spices' | Center for Science in the Public Interest
• The Bizarre Truth About “Natural Flavors”