What to Know Before you Buy

Organic vs. natural products: Is there a difference, and what do people need to know when making purchases, either for food or skincare? In fact, there is a difference between the two, according to experts. Organic products are subject to stringent regulatory standards and certification processes, ensuring compliance with specific criteria for organic production. Natural products, conversely, lack standardized regulations, leading to variability in ingredient sourcing and quality.

Food and Produce
To be sure that the food you’re buying is chemical free, look for the organic seal. It means that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has certified that the food contains no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, hormones, drugs or genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Here are some additional things to look for when searching for chemical-free products:

• Experts say don’t fall for the “natural” label. It isn’t the same as organic. The USDA only controls this label for meat, poultry, and eggs. Even then, it only means that the products are lightly processed and contain no artificial ingredients. It says nothing about the farm practices used to produce them.

• Be aware that most processed foods contain GMOs. If the label lists soybean oil, canola oil, soy  our, corn syrup, corn meal, cornstarch, sucrose, soy lecithin, or vegetable protein, the food was most likely made using genetically modified organisms.

If organic products aren’t available, look for:

• Meat and poultry labeled “No antibiotics administered/ USDA process certi ed.” Labels such as “No antibiotics” or “Raised without antibiotics” may be accurate, but they haven’t been veri ed by the USDA.

• Milk labeled “rBGH-free” or “rBST-free.” This is the producer’s promise that it doesn’t contain these arti cial hormones. Buying only organic products can be expensive, but it can be worth it. The following ideas can help you get the most for your food dollars while still adhering to a healthy, safe diet.

• Go organic for produce with the highest pesticide. levels: peaches, apples, nectarines, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, grapes, celery, bell peppers, green beans, cucumbers, potatoes and leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach and kale.

• Buy organic fruits and vegetables that are in season, when they’re plentiful and cheaper.

• Visit farmers’ markets and talk to the growers. Many small farms and ranches use organic methods but can’t afford to become certified.

Skin Care

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not actually say what’s in natural or clean skin care products. “There’s no set standard for these products, and no regulatory body requires the companies that make them to prove that they’re as clean or natural as they say they are,” said allergist Sandra Hong, MD.

She explained that many products that call themselves “natural” also use other terminology that may help you get to the bottom of things:

• Fragrance-free: These products don’t contain natural or synthetic fragrances. But “fragrance-free” isn’t the same as “unscented,” which often means that chemicals have been added to cover up the smell of other ingredients.

• Hypoallergenic: This term indicates that a product is made with ingredients that are unlikely to cause allergic reactions—but it isn’t necessarily reliable. The FDA’s website explains, “There are no Federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term ‘hypoallergenic.’ The term means whatever a particular company wants it to mean.”

• Non-toxic: This catch-all word is essentially a marketing term meant to convey the idea that a product is safe.

• Organic: Organic products use ingredients that are grown without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or other chemicals.