That tasty, "all-natural enhanced"... what?

What amazes me is how marketing for foods is such an incredible science and that billions of dollars are pushed at consumers every year through bright colors, product placement, and key terms like "natural" and "enhanced with vitamins". My thought; if it's good for you - then why do we need to be told that it's natural, and why does it need to be enhanced with anything? 

The same goes for beef being labeled "grass-fed" and eggs labeled "free-range, cage-free". How have we gotten to this point?

Well, that may be an argument for another day, but I want to go back to the first two terms in the first paragraph. This first article is about how kids are now getting too many vitamins because the cereals and snacks they're eating have been "enhanced with vitamins". Why? None other than to make their parents not feel guilty about feeding them sugar-laden foods for breakfast (in my humble opinion). If you feed your kids healthy alternatives, like the smoothie recipe below (credit Simple Green Smoothies), then you won't need to worry about them getting added vitamins OR added sugar.

ORANGE JULIUS  |  Serves 2

2 cups spinach, fresh; 1 cup almond milk, unsweetened; 3 oranges, peeled; 1 banana

Secondly, we have the term "natural". This NPR article is short, but eye-opening in the fact that IF IT'S NATURAL, WE DON'T NEED TO BE TOLD. Right? Not so fast. Apparently, there aren't many guidelines about companies using the term "natural" for foods with GMO's and pesticides. It gives the illusion that if something is labeled natural, that it's automatically good for you. Not so much.

So, read your labels to find out what's really in your foods. Stick to items with 5 or fewer ingredients, that you can actually pronounce. Or, better yet, don't buy things with labels. Buy organic, local, fresh foods. And don't get anything that has to tell you what should be obvious... Happy shopping.