Eat Well Live Well: Understanding Food Marketing Terms

A trip to the grocery store to find healthy food can seem mind-boggling when trying to distinguish what different food marketing terms mean. There are lots of terms food companies use today to help promote their products, which can leave us confused as to what these words and phrases actually mean. Listed below are some popular food marketing terms you may see on packaging and their actual meaning.

- Abigail McAlister

Natural: When we see a food with “natural” on the package, this means nothing artificial or synthetic has been added to or included in a food that would not normally be in the food. Foods with “natural” on the label do not take into account food manufacturing techniques like pasteurization, nutritional qualities of a food, or use of pesticides. “Natural” can also be used on meat and poultry labels if the product does not contain added color or artificial ingredients and the food is minimally processed. Keep in mind that just because a food has “natural” on the label does not necessarily mean it is a healthy choice.