Food, Nature Benefits

NATURAL, ECOLOGICAL OR ORGANIC, WHICH FOOD DO YOU PREFER?

What does each term mean? Are they synonymous or not? Did you pay attention to what the label says and what it means when you buy a product? Natural, ecological, organic… it can be confusing, don’t you think?

Cheese at farmers’ market

Different types of produce with some of these names on their labels are very fashionable. Often we choose them because we see the packaging with recycled paper and green letters or due to the packaging or container, and we think it’s much better when it says: “eco/ natural / inspired by nature / with natural ingredients / organic / green” etc but what does all this mean?

Tomatoes at a farmers’ market

HOW ARE THEY REGULATED? messages like “organic”, “natural”, “inspired by natural”, made with “certified organic ingredients” etc.

  1. Natural produce productos are rarely regulated. There are not many demands for all its ingredients to be truly natural and to be able to put all the details on the label.

So, look closely when you choose a “natural” produce. Many times producers take advantage and put “NATURAL” on the label when, in fact, that natural source from which the final product comes from was altered, modified and manipulated. That is to say only a very low percentage of produce is pure and natural.

So when does nature produce cease to be so?

For example when you buy “natural” bread, at what point does the wheat used to make that bread stop being natural? What processes make a food product natural or stop being natural or artificial? If it has additives, is it still natural? What type of additives? Is it natural if your molecule is transformed or modified? The term 100% natural means that it is all natural with no artificial ingredients at all?

What about cosmetics? The label that says a pot of cream is “natural” means that it is 100% natural or only one of its components is and the rest is not? If so, what percentage?

  1. Certification: For a product to be considered “natural”, certification is not always required. However, products that need to be certified organic do need certification. The Organic Certification is carried out by certifiers. They can be public or private entities and it differs in each country.

The Organic Certification is carried out by certifiers. They can be public or private entities and it differs in each country.

The official stamp that is granted to organic produce will depend on its constitution. That is to say 100% organic, in transition, or produced with organic products, which means that at least 70% of its ingredients are organic.

The US and the European Union (EU) have specific guidelines and rules, so the logo that indicates that it is organic guarantees it.
 
In the US, “natural” labeling on finished products is an inescapable requirement to sell these products for consumption in the market.
 
There is the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) that regulates the type of information that must appear on labels. It imposes different labeling standards for conventional food products, dietary supplements, medicinal foods, non-pharmacological cosmetics, non-prescription (OTC) drugs (conventional and homeopathic drugs) and prescription drugs (Rx).
 
When a product also has a certificate of “organic origin”, in addition to the FDA regulations, the provisions of the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) must be taken into account.
 
Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006 establishes in which cases the term NATURAL can be used in food. Eg “Natural source of protein” But it says nothing about
  • if a product, it can be entirely natural (100% natural). For Regulation (EC) 1334/2008 Natural does not mean “without additives” because it contemplates the term “natural” in additives. In addition, natural is not “unprocessed” because it says “Natural food products that have not undergone any transformation treatment do not fall within the scope of this Regulation”, in other words, they refer to processed natural foods.
    Natural is “ecological”? No, only the terms “bio” and “eco” can be used alone or in combination throughout the Community for the labeling and advertising of an organic product according to Regulation (EC) 834/2007.
     
    The regulatory framework in Latin America is relatively new. Codex Alimentarius is a legal instrument of international coverage and recognition in food matters and is used by Latin American Government Organizations as a basis for promulgating their legal and technical instruments. Eg for an additive to be used in a specific food, it must be included in the positive list of the Codex Alimentarius. Furthermore, all additives must be subjected to continuous observation and be re-evaluated whenever necessary according to new uses and scientific data.
     
    In the case of Argentina, the certifiers are private companies authorized for this purpose that must be registered in the Registries of Certifiers of Ecological, Biological or Organic Products of animal and vegetable origin, which depend on the SENASA (National Service of Agri-Food Health and Quality) . SENASA is the control authority of the system and audits the certifiers periodically and eventually the operators. Without this certification, this designation cannot be used for any product.
     
    The issue is a bit complex so, as a consumer, we have to pay attention to the information contained in each product so we know better what we are buying.
     
    THEN … HOW DO WE CHOOSE A NATURAL, ORGANIC OR ECOLOGICAL PRODUCT?
Green Diosa ADVISES YOU:
 
Labels by themselves don’t mean much. Pay attention to the ingredients and the certifications that the product has. Do not choose only for the packaging and take a good look at the seals of each product you buy.
Many of the ingredients have names that we do not know. We recommend investigating them. It will take a little time but it will give you a better idea of ​​the natural products for the face, for the skin, for beauty, natural products for sleep, for memory, natural edible products or natural cleaning products that we are going to buy. and eventually use, eat or apply.
Keep in mind that not everything natural is organic but organic is natural.
 
The “natural”, the “wild” or “artisan” does not mean that they are free of chemicals, antibiotics or hormones, if they do not have a certification that endorses them. CERTIFYING IS NOT MANDATORY, BUT THE PRODUCTS SHOULD NOT BE DESIGNATED AS ORGANIC, ORGANIC OR BIOLOGICAL UNDER NO POINT OF VIEW WHEN THEY ARE NOT. Don’t be bombarded with advertisements that advertise as 100% natural or all natural, organic, nothing artificial. Take a good look and choose certified products. You would be protecting yourself as a consumer by providing you with greater security and guarantee in the products you buy, being, in addition, more beneficial for your health and for our planet.

So, Remember:

If you take care of the planet, the planet takes care of you.

Green Diosa

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