9 misleading food labels that probably don't mean what you think by Erin Brodwin on Sep 28, 2015, 10:25 AM Advertisement
 Ever find yourself mid-isle at the grocery store with a nearly-identical version of the same product in each hand, pondering whether to buy the one labeled "organic" or the one labeled "all-natural"? You're not alone. While many of these labels sound similar, they can have vastly different meanings, both in terms of how the food is grown or processed and how nutritious it is to eat. Here's a complete guide to the plethora of food labels you'll find. UP NEXT: 17 'healthy habits' you're better off giving up SEE ALSO: Here's the truth about 'healthy' milk alternatives "All natural"  What the label implies: Roughly two-thirds of people responding to a 2014 Consumer Reports survey said they thought the term "natural" on food meant that it was free of artificial ingredients, pesticides, and GMOs. The low-down: Not quite. According to the FDA, the agency "has not developed a definition for use of the term natural or its derivatives." In other words, it means diddly squat. “At present, the word ‘natural’ in food marketing is meaningless, and that’s the way food companies want it,” Gary Ruskin, executive director of US Right to Know, a nonprofit organization that promotes transparency within the food industry, told US News.
"Organic"  What the label implies: According to the USDA, products that are "certified organic" can't contain GMOs and should minimize pesticides and anything synthetic (ie: made in a lab). "100% organic" products contain strictly organics (minus the synthetics the USDA deems safe); "Organic" products contain at least 95% organics by weight. The low-down: A recent review of the past 50 years of scientific articles stacking organic foods up against non-organics concluded that they were "not significantly different." - Pesticides: Organic fruits and veggies typically have far fewer pesticide residues than conventional produce. But keep in mind that all residue levels — organic or not — are kept in check by government safety standards.
- The environment: Organic farming is tailored to help the environment by cutting pollution, protecting soil, and conserving water.
"Free range"  What the label implies: Freedom for chickens everywhere. The low-down: Not so fast. Unlike cage-free chickens, free-range animals do get access to the outdoors (yay!), but still, most free-range hens are subject to some pretty inhumane practices. These include having parts of their beaks removed and being starved to force molting (loss of feathers) to manipulate their natural egg-laying cycle, according to the Humane Society.
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