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What Do "Natural" and "Organic" Mean on Product Labels?

Natural and Organic….

The most abused and nebulous terms in health and wellness products….

What does “natural” mean?
If we first take the word “natural” and look it up in the Concise Oxford Dictionary we would find this description of natural thus; “existing in, or caused by nature; not artificial; uncultivated; wild existing in natural state; not disguised or altered”. It seems pretty clear what “natural” actually means to me! Does it to you? However when vested interests get hold of the word natural they put a whole new slant on it. It may seem pretty clear to you and me exactly what we mean by natural but for the marketing men they obviously haven’t read the dictionary and start bending the interpretation of natural to suit themselves.

Many labels have long lists of chemical names, some followed by the phrase “derived from …” (some natural substance). This is grossly misleading for consumers who are looking for genuine natural products.

When chemicals such as Cocamide DEA or Sodium Hydroxysultaine are followed by the words “derived from coconut oil” the consumer is led to believe that these synthetic chemicals must somehow be “natural”. While this may be true in some cases where a natural oil or extract is actually used, it is ultimately irrelevant because what you end up with after the chemical solvent extraction and processing is usually anything but natural or pure. It is just another chemical concoction with some rather awful sounding long names to describe the process the “natural” product went through. (According to Dr. Mercola, “beware of the ingredients listed on the product label with long names and hard to pronounce…”)

Now what about “organic”?
Again if we look in the dictionary for the word organic it is pretty obvious to us what we expect to find as far as safe products in general are concerned. Would you say in the context you are expecting to use or find the term organic that this would be a fair description; “produced and involving production without the use of pesticides, artificial fertilizers or synthetic chemicals.” To me it seems rather elementary that when describing a product as organic that this is exactly what the customer would expect. However to the marketing men this is not what they mean by organic. Lets delve a little deeper into this play on words

To create Cocamide DEA, a foaming agent found in some shampoos, requires the addition of a synthetic chemical and known carcinogen, Diethanolamine – DEA, to the coconut oil. It is therefore no longer natural, or safe! If we look at the term “organic” on a label, we usually think it means “grown and cultivated without the use of chemicals” as stated above. That is the conclusion most skin care companies would like us to come to when they use the rather loose term organic.

Unscrupulous companies are cynically using the chemistry definition of “organic” –  which is also defined in the dictionary as “a compound that contains a carbon atom” to confuse consumers. This is known in the trade as confusion advertising so the real picture becomes blurred. Carbon is found in everything that has ever lived. Vested interests by using this definition of organic, they are saying that a toxic petrochemical preservative called Methyl Paraben is “organic” because it was formed from leaves that rotted over thousands of years to become crude oil, which was then used to make this preservative. How absurd is this when consumers are looking for safe non-toxic products?

The play on the word organic gets even worse. An increasing number of companies are now claiming to use “organic” herbs in their products. But, what about the rest of the ingredients? Are they safe? Are they “natural” or from an “organic” source?  Surely there must be an authority that governs the use of the term “organic” on labels?

What’s the difference?
Natural is not the same as organic. Products labeled “organic” require auditing and certification (and carry a seal); “natural” is not regulated at all. There are, however, USDA guidelines, which state that: “A product containing no artificial ingredient or added color that is only minimally processed (a process which does not fundamentally alter the raw product) may be labeled ‘natural.’ The label must explain the use of the term (such as no added colorings or artificial ingredients; minimally processed).” Thus, natural products should have no artificial preservatives, chemical additives artificial sweeteners, no hydrogenated oils, no GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and no synthetics. They cannot be irradiated. Unfortunately, “natural” is one of the most nebulous terms. You’ve got to read the label. High fructose corn syrup, one of the most highly processed and controversial foods, is used in products labeled “natural” because it is derived from corn—i.e., not a chemical or synthetic product. While organic products also observe these standards, “organic” is a labeling term that certifies that the products have been produced under higher standards of regulation as mandated by the Organic Foods Production Act. This includes no pesticides, hormones or antibiotics and other standards. Some products labeled “natural” observe these same standards but elect not to go through the incremental cost and paperwork to be certified organic.

The USDA regulates the term organic under a federal law, the Organic Foods Production Act, passed in 2002. The objective of the act was to foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance and conserve biodiversity.

Organic Agriculture
An ecology production management system that promotes biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. The primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of the interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people. Organic farming methods respect the earth and nurture animals. Consumers who choose organic products contribute to promoting sustainability and the health and well-being of the planet. They also ensure that they are consuming products that are pesticide-free, non-irradiated, and not genetically modified or biologically engineered.

Certified Organic
To include the term organic on packaging, a manufacturer must create its product in accordance with USDA rules. The USDA’s National Organic Program certifies products as organic based on farming, handling, manufacturing, distribution and labeling practices. Requirements include: no antibiotics or growth hormones for animals, animals must be raised on organic feed and have free range to graze, crops must be raised with no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers containing synthetic chemicals, no sewage-sludge fertilizer, no bio-engineered foods or irradiation, and no GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Farming practices should enhance and preserve soil and water. A government inspector must certify the farm after visiting it; farmers must keep detailed records on crops.

100% ORGANIC
All ingredients, not counting water and salt, are organic. Products with this rating can use the green and white USDA Organic seal.

ORGANIC
At least 95% of the ingredients, measured by weight (excluding water and salt), must be organic. The remaining 5% can only be natural or synthetic ingredients that are not available organically, drawn from a preapproved USDA list. Products manufactured to this standard may use the “USDA Organic” seal on the label.

MADE WITH ORGANIC INGREDIENTS
Products with at least 70% organic ingredients may say “Made With Organic Ingredients” and list up to three ingredients. This category may not use the “USDA Organic” seal on the label.

Many illnesses that we take as misfortune are preventable and are linked to the chemicals in our food, water, general environments, and in the products we use. Again, you’ve got to read the label!

Sources:
Organic Natural Living
USDA Publications – Organic Production/Organic Food: Information Access Tools

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