What Are “Natural Flavors”? (And Why Ventura Brands Like Rad Can Are Doing It Differently)

Did you know the term “natural flavors” can legally include more than 100 different substances — and companies don’t have to tell you what they are?

Most labels stop there, leaving us guessing what’s actually inside our drinks and snacks. The FDA allows the term to cover anything derived from a plant or animal, as long as it’s used for flavoring. That can mean fruit extracts, spice distillates — or highly processed compounds that bear little resemblance to their natural source.

It’s a gray area that many consumers don’t realize — and it’s exactly why Ventura producers like Rad Can are taking a more transparent approach.

The Loophole in “Natural”

“Natural flavor” sounds wholesome, but it’s often more chemistry than nature. Once extracted, these flavors are refined, mixed with solvents or preservatives, and stabilized to survive shelf life. The result may still qualify as “natural,” even if it’s several steps removed from the original plant.

And because formulations are considered proprietary, companies aren’t required to disclose what’s inside the blend — a problem for anyone with allergies, sensitivities, or simply a desire to know what they’re consuming.

Why Transparency Matters

For those striving to eat and drink clean, this lack of clarity feels at odds with wellness values. Knowing where your flavors come from — and how they’re processed — helps restore trust between producer and consumer.

That’s where small, mission-driven brands are quietly rewriting the rules. Instead of hiding behind the phrase natural flavors, they’re telling you what those flavors actually are.

A Ventura Example: Rad Can

Here in Ventura, Rad Can is one brand choosing to lift the curtain. Their functional beverages list the mushrooms that power each blend — like reishi, lion’s mane, shiitake, cordyceps, and chaga — right on the can. Instead of hiding behind the generic term natural flavors, they show what’s really adding the taste and benefit.

It’s a simple move that builds trust: you know what you’re drinking, and why it’s there. That commitment to transparency is quietly becoming Ventura’s calling card — proof that a community rooted in wellness values honesty just as much as health!

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Resources

• U.S. Food & Drug Administration – Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, §101.22: Natural and Artificial Flavor Definitionshttps://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.22

• Environmental Working Group – Understanding “Natural Flavors” on Labelshttps://www.ewg.org/foodscores/content/natural-flavor/

• Center for Science in the Public Interest – Food Label Transparency Guidehttps://www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/food-labeling

• Harvard School of Public Health – Reading Food Labels: What to Knowhttps://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-labels/

Sandpiper Magazine does not provide medical advice. This content is for informational and inspirational purposes only.