What is natural about natural food?

Americans more and more are interested in knowing what’s in the food they eat. A 2008 study showed that more than half of consumers in the U.S. often read the food label before buying a new product, according to the U.S. Health and Diet Survey. “Using the Nutrition Facts Label” provides step-by-step information on how to read food labels and what the contents mean.

So it’s frustrating when the term “natural” is applied to food. What sounds like something healthy might not be, largely because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the main federal regulator for food products, has no formal rules or clear definition on what constitutes natural foods.

In the Chicago Tribune’s blog Julie’s Health, writer Julie Deardorff reports on why a popular ice cream is yanking its “natural” designation in “ ‘Natural’ claims under fire.”

-- Mary Forgione / Los Angeles Times