Rachel Boutagy

Rachel is an Exercise Scientist, Fitness Trainer, Wife and Mum to two beautiful daughters. Having been qualified in exercise science for over 25 years, she's been fortunate to work alongside some of the leading authorities in the fitness industry. Rachel has a wealth of knowledge in health and nutrition, through her significant amount of evidence based research she has conducted throughout the years.

Recent Post

"Natural Flavours" isn't what you think it is.

"Natural Flavours" isn't what you think it is.
These days, most people are aware that a lot of foods are packed with artificial nonsense and ingredients you have never heard. And most people know that these are highly processed, and potentially harmful.

Products Used

Pure Vanilla Bean Whey Protein

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In most cases artificial ingredients are not necessary, other than extending the shelf life of the food, making it look or smell a certain way, or have a certain texture.

These chemical laden trickeries are designed to heighten the experience of the consumer, and usually dramatically reduce the cost of production.

In recent times there have been an increase in the number of 'natural' protein powders on the market with what appears to be a squeaky clean ingredients list.

The term 'natural flavouring' in particular is currently being tossed around like lettuce in a salad spinner. So lets have a look at what 'natural flavouring' actually means.

The current definition of natural flavouring is:

"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."

The largest difference between natural and artificial flavours is that natural flavours are derived from natural sources. The original ingredient is found in nature and then purified and extracted and added back into the food.

However that doesn't necessarily mean the "natural flavors" in your strawberry-cream protein powder are simply crushed-up strawberries.

Rather, they probably consist of a chemical originally found in strawberries, enhanced and added into your food in a lab. Artificial flavors, on the other hand, are usually entirely human made, as opposed to being derived from a natural source.

The differentiation is really down to the origin of those molecules, whether synthetically processed in a lab or purified in a lab but from a natural source. 
Added flavouring, both natural and artificial, could contain anywhere from 50 to 100 ingredients, and often contain some solvent and preservatives which can make up to 80 to 90 percent of the volume of the flavouring.

Those 'natural' flavours' are starting to not sound very natural after all, and once again add layers of confusion to consumers who believe that the product they are purchasing is all natural.

David Andrew, head scientist at the Environmental Working Group says "Most often, as far as I could find, the actual chemicals themselves could be identical or extremely close in terms of natural versus artificial." 
Aus Natural Protein was born when its founder could not find on the market a Grass-Fed Whey product that ticked all the boxes.
Locally made, the highest quality ingredients available, and only those that are beneficial to health. We wanted to provide something amazing because we care about what you put in your body.

We strive to only use real food ingredients to add flavour to our products which is why we don't offer dozens of different flavours in all sorts of exotic combinations.

If we can't find real food ingredients to create a flavour, then we won't make it.

Instead we encourage you to use our powders in combination with your favourite foods. For example if its blueberries that you love then get yourself a lovely fresh punnet of blueberries and blend it with our Pure Vanilla Bean Grass-Fed Whey Protein.

Or if you have a hankering for a choc-berry delight, then put some fresh raspberries in a blender with our Organic Artisan Cocoa Grass-Fed Whey Protein. Add cinnamon. Add freeze dried fruit powders (which actually are just crushed up fruits freeze dried to retain their nutrients).

The sky is the limit when it comes to combinations, but please look no further than the real thing. Be wary of the term 'natural'. Read the labels. Try and avoid foods that use 'natural flavours'. 

And you can always count on Aus Natural Protein to blend for you with complete transparency and integrity.

 

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