Herbal Tea Blends and What Labels Hide: "Natural Flavors" and Proprietary Mixes
What "natural flavors", "proprietary blend" and a long list of herbs can and cannot tell you about a herbal tea blend, based on US labeling rules and agency fact sheets.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
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A herbal tea blend can tell you less than you expect. In the United States, the labeling rules we read let some ingredients appear under a general word such as "natural flavor", and supplement-style labels can list a blend without an amount for each herb. That matters if you take medicines, are pregnant, have an allergy, or want to compare a product with a study. This page describes the rules as the sources state them. It is not advice for any one person. The rules below are US federal rules; we did not read sources describing blend labeling in other countries.
Two kinds of label
The same tea bag can be labeled in different ways. FDA says a product can be sold in a conventional food form such as tea and still be a dietary supplement, but only if it is not represented as a conventional food and is labeled as a supplement. [1] So you may see an ingredient list (food style) or a "Supplement Facts" panel with "Other ingredients" (supplement style). For more on this, see Are herbal teas regulated?.
What the wording can hide
| On the label | What the sources say | What it does not tell you |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredient list (food style) | US rules say ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance by weight. [2] | The actual amount of each herb. |
| "Natural flavor" | The rule allows spice, natural flavor and artificial flavor to be declared by those general terms. [3] Natural flavor is defined as an essence or extractive containing flavoring constituents from plant or other food material, whose significant function is flavoring rather than nutrition. [3] | Which plant or material the flavor came from. |
| "Proprietary blend" (supplement style) | FDA describes that amounts per serving are provided for each ingredient except those that are part of a proprietary blend. [1] | How much of each herb is in the blend, so you cannot match it to a study. |
| "Herbal" or "wellness" blend names | Not described in the sources we read as a legal term for ingredients. | Whether the herb in the name is the main ingredient. |
Because "natural flavor" can be a plant extract, a blend labeled "peppermint" or "chamomile" may contain more than the named herb. We did not find a source that measures how often this happens, so we make no claim about how common it is.
Why it can matter
Allergy. NCCIH says people are more likely to react to chamomile if they are allergic to related plants such as ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, or daisies. [4] EU regulators likewise say chamomile medicines must not be used by people allergic to chamomile flowers or other plants of the Asteraceae (daisy) family. [5] If you have this kind of allergy, a blend that names chamomile needs a closer look, and "natural flavor" gives you no way to rule other plants in or out. See herbal tea allergy and cross-reactions.
Medicines. NCCIH reports interactions between chamomile and some drugs processed by the liver and with warfarin (a blood thinner). [4] A blend that lists several herbs can add up to more than one possible interaction. Read how interactions work and ask a pharmacist, who can check every herb on the list.
Licorice and caffeine. Some blends include licorice root or true tea. Those are covered on licorice in tea blends and caffeine in herbal teas.
Pregnancy. The NHS says there is not much research on drinking herbal teas in pregnancy, so it is safest to limit how much you drink, and it advises avoiding teas containing liquorice root. [6] A long blend makes that harder to check. See herbal tea in pregnancy.
Product quality. NCCIH notes that some products sold as dietary supplements, mainly those promoted for weight loss, sexual enhancement and bodybuilding, may contain prescription drugs or other ingredients not listed on the label. [7] That warning concerns those product groups, not herbal tea in general; we did not find a source in this review measuring hidden drugs in ordinary herbal teas.
What a reader can do
- Read the full ingredient list, not only the front of the box.
- Look for each herb's botanical name; see reading an ingredient list.
- FDA suggests contacting the manufacturer directly for more detail than the label gives, using the name and address on the label. [1]
- Bring the package to a pharmacist or clinician if you take medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have an allergy.
- For testing programs in general, see quality testing and certifications.
Frequently asked questions
Does "natural flavor" mean there is no added ingredient?
No. The US definition describes a flavoring made from plant or other food material, such as an essence or extractive, whose main job is flavor. [3] It is an added ingredient, just named by a general term. [3]
Can a blend hide how much of each herb it contains?
On supplement-style labels, FDA describes an exception to per-ingredient amounts for ingredients that are part of a proprietary blend. [1] On food-style labels, the list is ordered by weight but gives no amounts. [2]
Is a blend with chamomile safe if I am allergic to ragweed?
We cannot say. NCCIH says allergic reactions to chamomile are more likely in people allergic to related plants such as ragweed. [4] Ask an allergy clinician or pharmacist before trying it.
Should I avoid blends altogether?
The sources we read do not say that. They show that blends make it harder to know what you are getting. Checking the list, and asking a pharmacist about medicines, are the steps they point to. [4]
Who decides whether a blend's ingredients are safe?
FDA says manufacturers and distributors are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their dietary supplement products before marketing. [8] FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are sold. [1]
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Questions and Answers on Dietary Supplements. Read 2026-10-22.
- Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School. 21 CFR 101.4, Food labeling; ingredients. Read 2026-10-22.
- Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School. 21 CFR 101.22, Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Chamomile. Read 2026-10-22.
- European Medicines Agency (EMA). Matricariae flos - herbal medicinal product (public summary, 2016). Read 2026-10-22.
- NHS. Foods to avoid in pregnancy. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Using Dietary Supplements Wisely. Read 2026-10-22.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Dietary Supplements. Read 2026-10-22.