Subway Shifts to All Natural Ingredients

Subway Restaurants has announced that it will be changing its menu to be “All Natural,” by eliminating artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives from the food.

Over the next 18 months, the menus and ingredients at Subway will be gradually changing to all natural ingredients and the shift will be complete by 2017.

The eliminated ingredients include caramel coloring added to steak and pastrami. Subway came to this decision after doing marketing research, in which the company found that more than 40 percent of consumers view natural food labels as a very important aspect of their purchasing decision.

This change to Subway will not be easy, Elizabeth Stewart said. Due to the sheer number of locations, it will be much more difficult to convert to include more all natural ingredients, but doing so would show the company’s commitment to health and wellness.

Subway began its effort to convert to all natural foods last year, after internet activists had attacked the company over a chemical found in both its bread that is also found in yoga mats. Back in 2008, Subway had removed artificial transfat. It is now working on implementing all natural roast beef and chicken.

Overview of the Natural Food Labels Trend

Several nutrition experts and biomedical scientists have stated that the all natural food movement is a positive trend, and will hopefully encourage healthier lifestyle choices. However, the FDA insists that a certain level of food additives are safe and can help implement certain vitamins, and can help preserve the food.

While there is no guarantee that either adding or avoiding artificial additives will be healthy, many experts agree that additives increase the risk of obesity and other aspects of an unhealthy life. These facts and other implied benefits, like less fat and calories, have ultimately convinced the majority of consumers that “all natural” is the way to go.

Unfortunately, it has recently been discovered that these labels are not entirely truthful and has left many consumers concerned and distraught over what they have eaten.

According to the FDA’s policy, a food product can only use the term “natural” if there are no artificial or synthetic ingredients that would normally not be found in food.

Consumers complain that the companies trick them into purchasing these food products, which are often priced higher than supposed non-natural food products.

Essentially, the consumers state that these companies care more about profit then their health, and have benefited from their misplaced trust.

Numerous consumers, who have filed all natural class action lawsuits, have alleged that they felt deceived and misled when discovering that the “all natural” food labeling was not exactly true.

Marketing experts state that in recent years, consumers have become more conscious of ingredients in their food and have tried to take the all natural route, in the hopes of improving their health.

Food manufacturing companies have followed the trend of all natural food labeling, which focuses on naturally-grown or organic products that are free of chemical enhancements or interference. Many restaurants, like Subway, have done so as well.