Food Marketing Terms: What They Mean

Implies originality, tradition, or cultural legitimacy. Not a regulated term and has no fixed legal definition.

Implies a healthier choice or improvement. Relative and undefined without a clear comparison.

Implies detoxification or an internal “reset.”
Not a regulated term and not a recognized product-driven process.

The body naturally cleanses via the liver and kidneys. Certain foods can support normal liver and kidney function, which are responsible for the body’s natural cleansing processes.

From Google's AI search: Cloned meat isn't yet common in Canada, but Health Canada is updating rules to allow meat from cloned cattle/swine and their offspring into the food supply without special labeling, treating it like traditionally bred meat as it's considered as safe.While this policy was paused for public discussion in 2024, recent developments suggest it could proceed, meaning consumers might unknowingly buy it as no mandatory labels are planned, raising transparency concerns despite assurances of safety and nutritional equivalence.

Implies meaningful fruit content and natural sweetness. The product includes some amount of fruit juice, which may be from concentrate and used primarily for sweetness or flavour. Fruit juice concentrates can function similarly to added sugar depending on amount and use.

Implies recently made or minimally processed. Context-dependent and not always clearly defined. When we use it, we mean "produced within one week".

Implies support for digestion or gut comfort.
Not a regulated term.

Digestive tolerance and gut response can vary significantly between individuals, meaning an ingredient that is gut-friendly for one person may not be for another.

Implies fewer calories or a lighter taste. Only meaningful if a specific, measurable reduction is defined.

Implies recognizable, whole ingredients.
Not legally defined. When we use it, we mean no artificial preservatives, colours, or sweeteners, and ingredients you’d expect to find in a grocery store.

Implies simplicity and limited industrial processing. Not a regulated term and has no clear processing threshold. Often, ingredients need processing to meet safety, structural, or taste requirements.

Implies minimal processing and no artificial ingredients. Limited regulatory guidance and no single universal definition. When we use it, we mean no artificial preservatives, sweeteners, or colours.

Implies the absence of sugar and sweetness without calories. Sugar is not present, but sweetness is often achieved using non-sugar sweeteners, which may include artificial sweeteners that may cause digestive discomfort or alter taste perception in certain individuals.

Implies simplicity or lack of additives.
Not a regulated term. We use it to distinguish our Pure Bovine Collagen from our superfood-enhanced collagen, where collagen is combined with additional ingredients.

Implies foods made primarily from plants.
Not a regulated term and does not require being fully vegan.

Implies limited production and hands-on care. This term is subjective and unregulated, and does not indicate product quality. What matters most is whether food is made in a CFIA/FDA-regulated facility.

Implies ingredients harvested from the wild rather than farmed. Not a regulated term and practices can vary widely. Misidentification of wild species could occur. Wildcrafted ingredients may cost more due to limited supply and verification requirements, but higher price alone does not guarantee quality or safety.

Implies sugar replacement or reduced sugar impact. Indicates the use of xylitol, a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener.

Xylitol does not promote tooth decay and may support dental health by reducing cavity-causing bacteria, but as a sugar alcohol it is incompletely absorbed and may cause bloating, gas, or digestive discomfort in some individuals, especially at higher intakes.

Implies a food exceptional nutritional or health benefits. Not a regulated term and has no formal scientific definition.

It's rare that a single food provides extraordinary benefits on its own; overall diet and intake matter more.

We use this term for marketing purposes and to describe a blend of 15 different vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds, and fungi.

Implies meaningful whole-grain content and better nutrition.

The product contains some whole grains, but the amount may be small relative to refined grains.

This phrase does not indicate how much of the grain content is whole versus refined.

Implies agricultural practices that avoid synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, and GMOs.

A regulated term that requires certification. An organic product must meet strict percentage and handling requirements, while a product made with organic ingredients may contain only some certified organic components.

“Organic” refers to how ingredients are grown, not necessarily overall nutrition, processing level, or product quality.

Implies unprocessed or uncooked food.

Not a regulated term and may still involve processing such as drying, grinding, or pasteurization.

Some processing is required for food safety and shelf stability.

Implies ethical, environmental, or social responsibility in sourcing. Not a regulated term and standards can vary widely. Without specifics, the phrase does not indicate which practices or criteria are being followed.

Implies no carbohydrate impact.

A marketing calculation that subtracts fiber and certain sugar alcohols from total carbohydrates; not a regulated claim.

Fiber and sugar alcohols can still affect digestion and blood sugar differently across individuals.

Implies scarcity or short-term availability.
A marketing term indicating restricted production, timeframe, or distribution; not a regulated claim.
“Limited” does not imply higher quality, uniqueness, or superior ingredients.