This type of tea sold in supermarkets should be avoided according to 60 million consumers (it is dangerous for health)

In its last special issue Eat healthy and delicious60 Million consumers are interested in flavorings and flavor enhancers used by manufacturers in food products. Additives criticized for their impacts on health*, which often mislead the consumer about the nature and quality of the product purchased. These additives “compensate for certain aromatic fluctuations in raw materials, for example when the quality of the harvest is not good due to too much rain”, explains the National Union of Food Aromatic Ingredients (SNIAA).

How can we detect these additives which modify the taste of products? The magazine explains that the terms used in the list of ingredients often make it possible to define the nature of the aroma. For vanilla, “vanilla flavor” or “flavor” without precision means that it is a synthetic flavor made in the laboratory, while the mention “natural vanilla flavor” ensures that 95% of the flavor comes from the vanilla pod. Although it is always recommended to monitor the list of ingredients, certain types of foods are more likely to contain additives. This is the case for this type of tea sold in supermarkets.

Flavored green tea: an industrial product to avoid according to 60 million consumers

THE flavored green teas in bags are part of industrial products that often contain artificial flavors, although their packaging highlights beautiful, tempting fruits. Raspberry, passion fruit or raspberry tea… we almost always find green tea and artificial flavors. However, they are often sold at a higher price than classic green tea.

To limit the risks you can opt for loose teas, generally of better quality, which often contain natural flavors or even real pieces of fruit. Remember to systematically read the ingredient lists of teas you buy in supermarkets; a more expensive, bulk or organic product does not necessarily go hand in hand with an impeccable composition.

Artificial flavors: a better impact on the environment?

Some flavors, such as vanilla, require sourcing abroad. The question then arises of the ecological impact of this type of product : “This is a real question today when we develop products: we must always carry out this environmental and ethical assessment and ask ourselves whether, particularly for products with low added value and especially with low nutritional value, such as sweets, certain types of sweetened yogurts, the synthetic molecule does not present a better balance than the natural extract”, explains expert Benjamin Voirin to the magazine.

It’s up to you to find the right balance, depending on how often you eat certain types of foods. If you drink flavored green tea regularly, or even daily, we advise you to monitor the composition of this type of product a little more carefully…

Head of beauty/fitness/nutrition sections

After working for the Marie Claire and Prisma Media groups, Inès arrived at aufeminin in April 2022. Responsible for the beauty, fitness and nutrition sections, she likes to decipher the latest…