Organic vs All-Natural

Organic vs All-Natural

two women picking organic fruits

 

 

 

What is the difference between “organic” and “all-natural”? You have definitely seen products that have these labels in the supermarket. Do you know what it means?
 
They sound like they would mean the same thing. But in fact, they’re not. Let us explain more to you. 
 
DEFINITION
By definition, organic means - produced or involving production without the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, or other artificial chemicals [1].
 
All natural means - free of synthetic or artificial ingredients or additives [2].

 

ORGANIC
USDA organic label
For companies to hold a legitimate claim of "organic", they'll need to follow certain regulations. For example by United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA) or Australian Certified Organic (ACO). These are the two most popular certifications in essential oils.
 
According to USDA, we are not to make such claims without getting certifications. But, we can state the organic certified ingredients used and its percentage [3].
 
The USDA requires between 70% to 94% organic ingredients for companies advertising their product “made with organic ingredients”.

 

ALL-NATURAL
But, there are no regulations for someone to hold a legitimate claim of "all-natural". No regulatory body exists that can hold someone accountable for putting the label of “all-natural” ingredients in their products.
 
So it could either mean that the products are organic without certification or not organic at all. We have to have faith that there are no added preservatives or synthetic chemicals in the products.
 
One way is to read the ingredient list to spot if indeed there are any added preservatives.

 

To make it easier to understand the difference, see the table below. [4] [5] 

INGREDIENT / PROCESSING

ORGANIC

NATURAL

Artificial flavours

No

No

Artificial colours

No

No

Artificial preservatives

No

No

Artificial fertiliser

No

May be used

Artificial pesticides

No

May be used

Sludge & Irradiation

No

May be used

Genetically-modified ingredients

No

May be used

Certification required, including inspections

Yes

No

Legal restrictions on allowable materials

Yes

No

 

What about Calla Me products?

Our balms are 100% organic. We only use pure essential oils which are USDA certified organic. Which means that you’ll get the most out of the essential oils we use.

We would only want to use the best on ourselves, and we know you deserve it too.

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer
The article written represents the writers' opinions based on their findings. It is not meant to be expert/medical advice. Users are solely responsible for fully understanding the safety and risks of essential oils. 

[1] - www.dictionary.com. 2020. Definition Of Organic | Dictionary.Com. [online] Available at: <https://www.dictionary.com/browse/organic?s=t> [Accessed 31 December 2020].

[2] - U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2020. Use Of The Term Natural On Food Labeling. [online] Available at: <https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/use-term-natural-food-labeling> [Accessed 31 December 2020].

[3] -  Ams.usda.gov. 2021. Organic Labeling | Agricultural Marketing Service. [online] Available at: <https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/labeling> [Accessed 6 January 2021].

[4] - Do "Natural" and "Organic" Mean the Same Thing? (The Short Answer: Nope.). (2013, September 03). Retrieved January 23, 2021, from <https://www.stonyfield.com/blog/natural-and-organic>

[5] - Bareburger. (2018, September 19). What's The Difference Between Organic and All-Natural? Retrieved January 23, 2021, from <https://medium.com/@hellobareburger/whats-the-difference-between-organic-and-all-natural-16eb21bad2ca>



 

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