Many “All Natural” Foods Are Actually Heavily Processed

As far as food manufacturers go, ice-cream maker Ben & Jerry's is actually pretty progressive. The company combats climate change through various campaigns, supports family farmers, and sources the paper for its containers from sustainably managed...

September 29, 2010 | Source: Change | by Sarah Parsons

As far as food manufacturers go, ice-cream maker Ben & Jerry’s is actually pretty progressive. The company combats climate change through various campaigns, supports family farmers, and sources the paper for its containers from sustainably managed forests. Plus, Phish Food is hands down the most delicious ice cream ever. But the company’s ice cream is not made from “all-natural” ingredients, and both Ben and Jerry finally stopped claiming that it is.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) recently asked Ben & Jerry’s to remove the “all natural” stamp from its ice cream containers, claiming that ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, alkalized cocoa, and hydrogenated oil are far from natural. These ingredients are, in fact, quite heavily processed. Ben & Jerry’s heeded CSPI’s demands and agreed to remove the “all natural” label from its ice cream containers.

Ben & Jerry’s may be the one taking heat from CSPI, but the ice cream maker is hardly alone in its misuse of the “all natural” label. Other ice-cream makers like Edy’s/Dreyer’s, Breyer’s, Friendly’s, Turkey Hill, and more do the same exact thing. Breyer’s advertises that its ice cream is “all-natural” even though it contains ingredients like corn syrup, alkalized cocoa, and malt powder. A carton’s of Edy’s also boasts “all natural flavors,” but lists ingredients like corn syrup, alkalized cocoa, and artificial food dyes like Red #40 and Blue #1. Corn syrup and alkalized cocoa may boost the dessert’s flavor, but they’re hardly all natural. They’re made in factories, for goodness sake!