‘Organic’ and ‘Natural’: What’s the Difference?

Organic and natural – terms often used when describing food, beauty or home care products.

But what do they actually mean? Instinctively, organic and natural just sounds better but when we tried to articulate why they are in fact better we realized the answer was beyond us! So, we thought it was important that we get to the bottom of this!

WHY IS NATURAL AND ORGANIC IMPORTANT?

Impact on the environment: If a product is not truly organic and natural then it’s likely it’s been made using modern farming methods. These methods typically use genetically modified seeds, pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals to maximize yield and productivity.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with productivity. Except when it negatively impacts the immediate environment in which the plants are grown and the broader environment.

A good example is the run off of waste water or grey water from the use of pesticides and herbicides. This pollutes waterways, streams and rivers and eventually finds its way into the ocean.

Another classic example is the impact of pesticides on wild bee populations, which ironically has flow on effects to the agriculture industry and our food supply as bees are critical for pollinating many of the crops that feed humans. Unsurprisingly, our stance is to avoid (where possible) consumable products that rely modern farming practices that negatively impact our environment.

Impact on our health: When it comes to food, the jury is still out on whether organic and natural is better for you. Though, it’s been found that these types of food generally have higher nutritional value than non-organic produce. How much this benefits our health in the long run is still uncertain.

Considering the pesticides, insecticides and other chemicals used in the production process we take the precautionary approach to opt for organic and preferably local produce. Even though science doesn’t (yet) wholeheartedly support this position, our decision is not only based on our health but also the environment.

The same can be said for our skin. It’s our biggest organ and since it’s porous anything applied to it is absorbed into our bloodstream and lymphatic system.

The FDA and large cosmetic companies maintain that chemicals typically used in beauty products (e.g. parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, petrolatum, phthalates, synthetic polymers, synthetic fragrances) are safe in small quantities.

For quite a few years organic and natural products have been trending.

Which makes sense as we become more conscious about our health and the plight of the environment. But with this, of course, comes misleading marketing and false claims. Which causes confusion. It can be really tricky to know the difference between the real-deal and the not-so-real-deal. We try to shed a little more light on this below.

WHAT DOES ORGANIC MEAN?

Across the USA, UK and Australia, certified “organic” has a very similar definition. If you’re buying certified organic generally your products (food or the ingredients in your cosmetics, for example) come for a farming system which uses:

• No manufactured herbicides or artificial fertilizers
• No artificial or synthetic colours, preservatives or chemicals (including parabens and sulphates
• No routine use of antibiotics
• No GMOs (genetically modified organisms) or growth regulators
• Very limited number of pesticides allowed
• More sustainable land management

Organic farms are one of the most environmentally, socially and economically sustainable methods of production. For example, old school crop rotation, animal and plant manures and hand weeding are used to maintain and grow produce. A real win for the environment!

WHAT DOES ALL NATURAL MEAN?

While “organic”, for the most part, is a fairly regulated term (across the US, EU, UK and Australia), the same cannot be said for “natural” or “all natural”. Unless you spot a recognized certification label, natural doesn’t mean organic, in fact it can mean just about anything.

Some say the reason for lack of regulation is the difficulty in drawing the line between what is and what is not natural…for example, arsenic, mercury and poisonous mushrooms are “natural” but probably wouldn’t make the cut in a cosmetic or food context.

We think that’s a little weak. Most consumers trust marketing claims and slogans and generally don’t read the ingredient lists.

Thankfully, there are some certification bodies (more on these below) which have attempted to draw the line. Generally, “natural” means:

• Ingredients must come from plants, flowers and mineral origins found in nature
• No genetically modified (GMOs) ingredients
• No parabens, suflates or other harmful substances
• Limited or no petrochemical ingredients
• Never tested on animals
• Manufacturing process retains the integrity of the natural ingredients