How to Read Labels: A Clear, Practical Guide to Hidden Ingredients

Episode 75 | How to Read Labels: A Clear, Practical Guide to Hidden Ingredients 86/78

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Early on when I was waking up to understanding how to read labels, I was at the store standing in the supplement aisle…

holding two bottles that looked almost identical.

Same ingredient.

Same dosage.

Same promises on the front.

And one was almost double the price.

And I remember thinking…

There is no way these are actually the same. Whats the difference?

So I flipped them over.

And the label told the story.

One had a long list of fillers, colors, and additives I didn’t recognize.

The other had just a few simple ingredients…

and mentioned independent testing.

That moment stayed with me and I learned less is more with ingredients and dug in to learn what it means to be independently tested and why that mattered.

Because it revealed something I’ve now seen again and again—

Two products can look nearly identical on the outside…

and create completely different results in the body—

based on what’s actually inside.

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Hey friends, welcome back to Becoming Natural.

I felt like this was a conversation we needed to have—

because so many of us are standing in the aisle,

trying to choose between products that all look good…

and not really knowing how to tell the difference.

I continue to call out making sure something is “quality”, but how do you know what is quality with all the marketing terms, ingredients, promises?

Today, is Episode 75 and I’m going to walk you through | The Becoming Natural 5-Filter Test

how to read a label in a really simple way—

and the five things I look for

that help me decide very quickly if something is worth bringing home.

Have you ever stood in the store…

comparing two products…

and felt completely unsure which one to choose?

Maybe it’s a supplement.

Maybe it’s a protein powder.

Maybe it’s lotion… or shampoo… or even something as simple as peanut butter.

Both say “natural.”

Both say “clean.”

Both LOOK trustworthy.

But something in you hesitates.

Because deep down you’re thinking—

I don’t actually know how to tell the difference.

And that’s what we’re going to change today.

Because this doesn’t just apply to supplements.

This applies to:

• what you put in your body

• what you put on your body

• and what you bring into your home

Food.

Body care.

Wellness products.

Labels are everywhere. And the longer and more confusing they are becoming.

Once you understand how to read them…

So much becomes clearer. There will still be a lack of clarity at times, but knowing just a few important clues will take you a long way in knowing whether to put it back on the shelf or in the cart.

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Something that may or may not surprise you.

Not all labeling language is regulated.

Some words are.

Many are not.

For example:

The word “organic” is regulated—

but only when it’s paired with an official certification. Like USDA Certified Organic

This is one of those small details that changes how you read labels.

“Organic” only carries its full meaning when it’s backed by the USDA Organic seal.

Without that, phrases like “organic” or “made with organic ingredients” can be used much more loosely and are really good at fooling the consumer….meaning us!

Words like:

• natural

• clean

• non-toxic

• pure

• premium

• clinically proven

Those often have no standardized definition. None.

Which means companies can use them…

without proving much at all. So if you see those words, its best to pretend they aren’t even there at all. Go straight to the label. The louder the front shouts, the more cynical I become unfortunately. If its trying a little too hard, its a sure sign its not what you think it is.

And studies in consumer behavior have actually shown that people are significantly more likely to trust products labeled “natural,” even when the ingredient quality is identical—that’s been demonstrated in multiple food-label perception studies over the past decade.

That’s not necessarily malicious.

It’s marketing.

Entire teams study consumer psychology.

Color choices.

Font styles.

Word selection.

Because the human brain makes decisions quickly. No one wants to spend hours at the store reading labels on everything we purchase.

We associate:

• green with healthy

• white with clean

• gold with premium

And marketers know that before we ever read the label…

we’ve already formed an opinion.

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Now layer in the science side of this…

Independent analyses of supplements have found that some products contain significantly more—or less—of an ingredient than what’s listed on the label, and in some cases, entirely different compounds have been detected.

And with body care…

your skin is not just a barrier.

It’s a living organ.

Research in dermatology and pharmacology shows that certain compounds—especially small, fat-soluble ones—can pass through the skin and enter circulation.

So when you’re applying something like a scented lotion or body product, some of those ingredients aren’t just sitting on the surface—they can actually be absorbed into the body.

And with food packaging…

studies have shown that chemicals from plastics can move into food over time—especially with heat or fat.

Think about something like microwaving food in plastic or leaving a water bottle in a hot car—those conditions make that transfer more likely.

So this isn’t about fear.

It’s about awareness.

Because small exposures—repeated over time—can add up. Just the same as small changes for the better, repeated over time can add up as well! We just have to be educated.

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So instead of trying to memorize everything…

I use a simple checklist

And this works across:

• supplements

• skincare and body care

• packaged foods

• kitchen products

We can call it The Becoming Natural 5-Filter Test

Every product passes through five questions:

1️⃣ Meaningful certifications

2️⃣ Independent testing

3️⃣ Manufacturing transparency

4️⃣ Ingredient purity

5️⃣ Material safety

You don’t need to know everything.

You just need to know what to look for.

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[Filter #1 — Certifications vs Marketing]

This is where I always start.

Certifications require proof.

Marketing language does not.

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Meaningful certifications include:

• USDA Organic: Focus: HOW something is grown and sourced

This certification is about:

• farming practices

• soil quality

• pesticide use

• GMOs (not allowed)

• how ingredients are produced

👉 It answers:

“Was this grown cleanly?”

• NSF: Today, it’s officially called NSF International: National Sanitation Foundation

Focus: SAFETY + contamination + facility standards

This looks at:

• contaminants (heavy metals, microbes)

• manufacturing conditions

• label accuracy (to a degree)

👉 It answers:

“Is this safe and properly made?”

USP Verified

Focus: PURITY + potency + performance

This verifies:

• correct ingredients

• correct dosage

• proper breakdown/absorption

• pharmaceutical-level consistency

👉 It answers:

“Is this exactly what it claims to be—and does it work as expected?”

These involve actual inspection and verification processes. I can instantly find a reputable product if it has the USDA organic certification seal on the front or NSF certified or USP Verified and trust it. And if a product has achieved these certifications, they aren’t going to hide it. They are going to display it with pride.

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Marketing phrases that sound meaningful—but aren’t regulated:

• “All natural”

• “Doctor recommended”….remember you can see an asterick at the bottom of pharmaceutical commercials indicating the person in the lab coat with the stethoscope around their neck is actually just an actor. {insert eye roll}

• “Clinically proven”

• “Non-toxic”

• “Chemical-free”

Everything is made of chemicals.

Even water.

So “chemical-free” is not even a scientific statement.

It’s a marketing phrase.

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Certifications require evidence.

Marketing requires none.

[Filter #2 — Independent Testing]

Testing answers one question:

Is what’s on the label actually in the product?

Third-party testing can verify:

• identity

• potency

• contamination

And contamination matters.

Studies analyzing supplements have found the presence of heavy metals like lead and arsenic in some products, as well as microbial contamination when manufacturing controls are weak.

Now—quick discernment moment.

COAs—Certificates of Analysis—are helpful.

But:

Check the date.

Check the batch.

Because testing should be ongoing.

Not something done once years ago.

And while most companies are honest, there have been more than a few documented cases in industry investigations where COAs were reused across batches or completely misrepresented. It is becoming more and more difficult to verify COAs as the bad players know consumers are becoming more educated consumers and getting pretty creative at crafting fake COAs.

So we stay aware…

without becoming suspicious of everything.

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[Filter #3 — Manufacturing Transparency]

This filter is really about one thing:

Visibility.

How much can you actually see…

about how this product was made?

Because quality companies tend to be open.

They don’t hide behind vague language.

They show you their process.

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You’ll often see the term:

GMP — Good Manufacturing Practices

And that sounds technical…

but it’s actually very practical.

It means the product is made in a facility that follows standardized procedures for:

• cleanliness

• quality control

• consistent dosing

• documentation of every batch

So instead of guessing…

there are systems in place to make sure each bottle is produced the same way, every time.

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Why this matters more than people realize

Without strong manufacturing practices…

two bottles of the same product could be completely different.

Different potency.

Different purity.

Different contamination risk.

And that’s not theoretical.

There have been cases where inconsistent manufacturing led to products being under-dosed…

over-dosed…

or contaminated.

So GMP helps reduce that variability.

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Now let’s talk about traceability

Traceability simply means:

If there’s a problem…

can we track it back to the source?

Can we identify:

• where the ingredients came from

• how they were processed

• what batch they belong to

Because when something goes wrong—

whether it’s contamination or inconsistency—

traceability determines how quickly it can be identified and corrected.

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And this is where label language matters

There’s a small detail here that most people miss…

but it tells you a lot.

The difference between:

“Made in the USA”

and

“Bottled in the USA”

Those are not the same thing.

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Here’s what that can look like in real life:

A product might say “Bottled in the USA.”

Which sounds reassuring.

But what that can actually mean is:

• the raw ingredients were sourced overseas

• shipped in bulk

• and simply packaged here

With very little visibility into how they were grown…

processed…

or handled before arriving.

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Whereas a product that is:

• sourced

• processed

• manufactured

• and bottled

within the same controlled system—

typically offers much stronger traceability and oversight.

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Simple question to ask here:

How much is this company willing to show me?

Because transparency builds trust.

And vague language usually means…

there’s more to the story.

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Grounding moment (keeps your tone steady, not alarmist)

Again, this isn’t about perfection.

There are good products sourced globally.

This is about awareness.

Because the more visibility and transparency you have…

the more confident you can be in what you’re choosing.

[Filter #4 — Ingredient Purity]

The ingredient list.

Because the front of the label is the sales pitch.

The back is the truth.

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IN SUPPLEMENTS:

Look for unnecessary additives:

• artificial dyes…why do we need something dyed a certain color?

• synthetic fillers….keyword fillers means unnecessary and synthetic means fake. Why do we need fake unnecessary ingredients at all?

• preservatives without purpose…

• artificial sweeteners…so many products have sweetners that they don’t need

Artificial sweeteners like sucralose (look back 2 weeks ago at our fake sugars episode) have been shown in some human and animal studies to alter gut microbiome composition and potentially influence insulin response and appetite signaling.

So one of the simplest questions I ask is:

What is sweetening this product?

Because that alone can eliminate a surprising number of options.

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IN FOOD:

Watch for:

• added sugars under multiple names

• refined oils in unexpected places

• flavor enhancers

And especially the phrase:

“natural flavors”

Because regulatory guidelines allow “natural flavors” to represent complex mixtures of compounds that don’t have to be individually disclosed. I started to deep dive on natural flavors here and was more surprised than I expected at all the things hidden under “natural flavors”. So I am going to cover them high level here and expand on what can be under the “natural flavors” umbrella” and why it matters in a podcast all to its own. Way more information than I expected.

A “natural flavor” is not a single ingredient.

It can be a mixture of dozens—even hundreds—of compounds that are:

• extracted

• isolated

• concentrated

• and chemically processed

to create a specific taste or aroma.

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Many Natural flavors are generally recognized as safe in small amounts….but how much processed food with “natural flavors” listed as ingredients do you have in a day? Those add up.

Bottom line

👉 You don’t have full transparency

👉 “Natural doesn’t always mean simple.”

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IN BODY CARE:

Look for:

• parabens

• phthalates

• synthetic fragrance blends

Fragrance mixtures have been studied for their potential to contain dozens of undisclosed components, some of which have been evaluated for endocrine-disrupting potential.

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Simple guiding question:

Does this ingredient list make sense…

or is it trying to hide something?

1. “Natural” is loosely defined

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration generally interprets “natural” to mean:

nothing artificial or synthetic has been added that wouldn’t normally be expected

…but this is:

• not strictly enforced in most cases

• not tied to a percentage or volume

• not standardized across product categories

👉 A product can be labeled “natural”…

and still contain a large amount of non-active ingredients. Ingredient purity is VERY important when choose the right products that go anywhere on, in or around your body.

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[Filter #5 — Material Safety]

This is often overlooked.

But incredibly important.

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Plastics and chemical migration

I bet you have heard a million times that something is BPA free? What does that actually mean? Compounds like BPA have been widely studied because they can mimic estrogen and interact with hormone receptors in the body—something demonstrated in research from institutions like the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Because of this, many products now say “BPA-free.”

But BPA is often replaced with similar compounds like BPS or BPF, and early research suggests these may have similar biological activity. When you think of plastics you are focusing not necessarily on the product, but the product packaging.

Is it in a plastic jar and the plastic leeched into your food or lotion? Its Always best to choose a glass jar and even better an amber glass bottle if its an option. Amberglass prevents light damage or breakdown of any valuable natural ingredient.

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Heat changes everything

Studies have shown that heat increases the rate at which chemicals migrate from plastic into food.

So things like:

• microwaving plastic

• hot food in plastic containers

• water bottles in the car

all increase exposure.

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Safer materials

• glass

• stainless steel

• ceramic

Not perfect.

But more stable.

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Let’s make this practical.

Two jars of peanut butter.

Jar one:

“Natural”

“Protein packed”

“Heart healthy”

Plastic Jar.

Flip it over:

Peanuts

Sugar

Hydrogenated oils

Natural flavors

Jar two:

Peanuts

Salt

Glass Jar

That’s it.

Clarity.

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Let’s review some common mistakes most of us have made—myself included—when we’re trying to choose better products.

Because once you see these, you can’t unsee them… in a good way.

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Mistake number one… trusting the front label.

You know what I mean—

“natural,”

“clean,”

“made with real ingredients,”

“no artificial anything.”

It feels reassuring.

But the front of the package… is marketing.

It’s designed to catch your eye, not necessarily to tell the full story.

So one of the simplest shifts you can make is this:

Don’t let the front of the package make the decision for you.

Let it invite curiosity… but not blind trust.

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Mistake number two… ignoring the ingredient list.

This is where the real information lives.

And I get it—sometimes it’s tiny, it’s overwhelming, or it just feels like…

“Do I really have time to decode all of this?”

But even a quick scan tells you so much.

Are the ingredients recognizable?

Are there long, complex names that don’t sound like food?

Is “natural flavors” doing a lot of heavy lifting?

You shouldn’t need a chemistry degree to read your food labels.

The ingredient list is where the truth quietly sits.

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Mistake number three… assuming higher price means higher quality.

This one surprised me the most.

Because there are plenty of products that look premium…

beautiful packaging, earthy colors, a higher price point…

…and they still contain the same fillers, stabilizers, or vague ingredients.

Price can reflect branding just as much as it reflects quality.

So instead of asking,

“Is this expensive?”

We start asking,

“Is this transparent?”

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And this is really the heart of the 5-Filter Test.

Not perfection.

Not fear.

Just learning how to pause… and see more clearly.

Because when you know what you’re looking at,

you start making decisions from a place of understanding instead of confusion.

And that’s where things begin to shift.

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You don’t have to change everything overnight.

You don’t need to clear out your entire kitchen tonight. The system that has worked for me to prevent getting overwhelmed is not by removing everything in my pantry or bathroom that are poor, but as I buy new groceries or bathroom products i simply replace what I need with safe, quality products using the 5 steps. I memorized my way thru school using acronyms, so perfectly suited for the Becoming Natural 5 filter test, I created the

“Make It Matter In Moments” Acronym

1️⃣ Meaningful certifications

2️⃣ Independent testing

3️⃣ Manufacturing transparency

4️⃣ Ingredient purity

5️⃣ Material safety

And small, steady shifts.

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Because underneath all of this…

ingredients…

labels…

testing…

certifications…

is something much simpler.

Stewardship.

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In

1 Corinthians 6:19–20,

we’re reminded:

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit…

you are not your own;

you were bought at a price.

Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

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And I think sometimes…

that verse can feel heavy.

Like every decision has to be perfect.

Like we’re supposed to get everything right all the time.

But that’s not the heart behind it.

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This isn’t about pressure.

It’s about awareness.

It’s about recognizing that your body matters.

That it was designed with intention.

That it’s worth caring for. And even better, when you care for it properly, you FEEL so much better. You don’t have aches, you don’t get sick, you feel lighter, less inflammation. It’s all wins when you treat your body like a temple.

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And stewardship doesn’t have to look like a complete lifestyle overhaul in one day.

Sometimes it looks like:

pausing long enough to read the label

asking one better question

choosing a slightly cleaner option when it’s available

Not perfectly.

But intentionally.

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Because the truth is…

none of us are going to get this right 100% of the time.

Our food system is complex.

Our environment is complex.

Even the best options aren’t always perfect.

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And the beautiful thing is…

once you understand what to look for…

you don’t have to rely on guesswork anymore.

You don’t have to chase every new wellness trend that may not be good for you anyway!

You don’t have to memorize brands.

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You just learn how to ask better questions.

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Because you don’t need more information.

You need a filter.

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So the next time you’re standing in the aisle…

holding two products that look almost identical…

come back to this.

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The Becoming Natural 5-Filter Test

1️⃣ Meaningful certifications

2️⃣ Independent testing

3️⃣ Manufacturing transparency

4️⃣ Ingredient purity

5️⃣ Material safety

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Five simple questions…

that bring clarity back into your hands.

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And that, in its own quiet way…

is stewardship.

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You don’t have to know everything…

you just have to know a couple top things to look for.

And when you do—

clarity replaces confusion.

You might even make a small cheat sheet from today’s episode—

something you can keep on your phone and take with you into the store.

Five simple questions…

that bring clarity back into your hands. Make it Matter in Moments:

1️⃣ Meaningful certifications

2️⃣ Independent testing

3️⃣ Manufacturing transparency

4️⃣ Ingredient purity

5️⃣ Material safety

Keep becoming…

one intentional step at a time.

If something in today’s conversation stayed with you…

share it with someone who might need it too.

And if this podcast has been a steady voice in your week…

leaving a rating or review is one of the kindest ways you can help it reach more women.

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Thank you for being here.

For learning.

For growing.

For paying attention in a world that often moves too fast.

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Keep becoming—

one small, faithful step at a time.