What is Natural Flavouring

Updated on April 4, 2025

Do you read food labels when buying packaged foods? I didn’t use to, but in recent years, I’ve made it a habit—especially when purchasing health foods. One particular term that caught my attention is “natural flavour” (or “natural flavor” in US spelling). At first, I assumed it was a good ingredient—after all, “natural” means naturally derived, doesn’t it? But is that really true? Let’s uncover what natural flavouring actually is. 

What Are Natural Flavours vs Artificial Flavours?

According to the US Food and Drug Administration, natural flavour or flavouring means “the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional”.

In Malaysia, from where I’m at, the Food Regulation 1985 states “natural flavouring substance means any flavouring substance obtained by physical processes that may result in unavoidable but unintentional changes in the chemical structure of the components of the flavouring, or by enzymatic or microbiological processes from the material of plant or animal origin, and is not synthetic flavouring substance or any flavouring substance formed by chemical synthesis”.

Both are such a mouthful of words. Sounds complicated? Let’s break it down further.

Where Do Natural Flavours Come From?

Natural flavours originate from plant and animal sources. These flavours are extracted through methods like:

• Heating or roasting raw materials
• Distillation to capture aromatic compounds
• Fermentation or enzymatic processes to enhance flavours
• Extracting essential oils and essences

For example, “pandan” flavour. The pandan (screwpine) leaves are boiled or/and blended to extract their flavour as well as the colour giving you the appealing and aromatic “kuih-muih” (traditional sweet or savoury desserts). While this may safely be called natural flavour, it may be a different story on food labels of packaged foodstuffs.  Commercial food flavouring is far more complex.

In the food industry, natural flavours are created by trained flavourists, who mix multiple compounds to achieve the desired taste. These flavours are often highly processed and may contain:

• Preservatives
• Solvents
• Other chemical additives

In fact, a single “natural flavour” can be made from up to 100 different sources! Food manufacturers aren’t required to disclose whether these additives are natural or synthetic—as long as the original flavour source was plant- or animal-based, it qualifies as “natural flavour”. (1)

Are Natural Flavours Better Than Artificial Flavours?

Let’s compare natural flavours vs artificial flavours:

Criteria	Natural Flavours	Artificial Flavours
Source	Derived from plants or animals	Created synthetically in labs
Processing	Heavily processed with additives	Chemically synthesised
Nutritional Value	None	None
Cost	Usually more expensive	Cheaper
Taste	Can vary, often more subtle	Stronger and more consistent

Take vanilla ice cream, for example. Most vanilla flavouring is artificial because there aren’t enough vanilla beans to meet global demand. Instead, a compound called vanillin, naturally found in vanilla beans, is synthetically extracted from wood pulp, pine bark, or even beaver secretions!

At the end of the day, both natural and artificial flavours are heavily processed and chemically similar. They’re safe for consumption—but don’t assume “natural” means healthier.

The Health Perspective: Should You Avoid Natural Flavours?

Many people assume that natural flavours are healthier simply because they come from “natural” sources. The reality? They offer zero nutritional benefits. Their only purpose is to enhance taste.

While avoiding them entirely is difficult, you can make smarter food choices by:

In a Nutshell. Should You Worry About Natural Flavours?

The term “natural flavour” sounds good, but it doesn’t always mean healthy or pure. In terms of chemical composition and processing, natural and artificial flavours aren’t that different.

If you want to eat cleaner, the best strategy is to choose fresh, whole foods and opt for packaged foods with the least amount of flavour additives.

Still, avoiding natural flavouring completely is tough—even “healthy” granola bars contain them! That’s why I prefer making my own granola, muesli, and baked goods whenever possible.

Remember this – natural flavour listed as an ingredient on the food label does NOT mean you’re getting a healthy natural dose of flavour. It certainly does not make it’s healthier than food products made with artificial flavourings. Buying food and beverages containing NO natural/artificial flavourings and permitted colourings, and without preservatives is more sensible.

Although hard to avoid natural flavoured foodstuff, it is best to read the Nutrition Facts label to ascertain the nutritional value of the products to reap the health benefits.

I hope this article explains well what natural flavouring is. Share it with others who might benefit from it. Click the share button! And let me know in the comments—what’s your take on natural flavours vs artificial flavours?

Want granola or healthy snack bars without natural flavourings? Check out what I found for you below!

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