What does it mean to be natural vs organic? At Honey Girl Organics, we are proudly Certified Organic. This means every ingredient and process meets strict organic standards, ensuring you receive products made with the highest integrity. Many companies claim their products are organic or contain organic ingredients; however, there is no guarantee without organic certification. In this blog post, we’ll explore the key differences between "natural" and "organic" and explain why being certified organic truly matters.
Natural vs. Organic
When it comes to the difference between “natural” and “organic,” many consumers of cosmetics, food, and other products often assume the two terms are interchangeable. However, they are far from synonymous. The confusion largely stems from the way these terms are advertised and marketed. Clever marketing tactics have led many companies to blur the lines, making consumers believe that “natural” and “organic” mean the same thing—when, in fact, they don’t.
All-Organic
What does it mean to be truly all-organic? To earn the USDA Certified Organic label, a product must meet strict, detailed standards enforced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In fact, the USDA’s organic regulations span over 500 pages, according to the FDA. Only companies that fully comply with these rigorous guidelines can legally label their products as organic. Violating these standards—or falsely marketing products as organic—can result in serious federal penalties, including fines or even the shutdown of the business.
Why Go Organic?
There are plenty of compelling reasons to choose products that feature the USDA-certified organic label. According to a recent study published in the journal Nutrients, consuming organic food has many increased health benefits. According to the study, organic consumption is linked to lower rates of infertility, reduced risk of heart disease and stroke, decreased inflammation, fewer instances of cancer, fewer birth defects, and a reduction in allergies.
This systematic study included 35 observational and clinical trial studies and is arguably the most comprehensive study to date on eating an all-organic diet. The research study compared to consumers who followed a fully organic diet with those consuming conventional foods. These clinical studies all involved short-term observations on food substitutions – anywhere from replacing one organic ingredient to the substitution of an entire diet from conventional to organic. Most of these trials lasted around two weeks, and while researchers emphasized the need for longer-term studies to fully understand the health impacts of organic diets, they did observe a significant reduction in participants’ exposure to pesticides through organic food consumption. According to the study, most of the trials lasted two weeks, and the researchers concluded that longer studies must be done to better determine the impact that organic diets have on overall health. However, the study did find significant reductions in the exposure to pesticides in the food that the participants ate.
The researchers and authors of the study state that the FDA does not currently consider the consumption of pesticides unsafe. However, the approval process for pesticides does not require rigorous testing for pesticide mixtures. They emphasize that further research is necessary to better understand the potential harmful effects of pesticide exposure.
“If you wouldn’t eat it, why put it on your skin?”
These benefits are comparable to those offered by premium skincare products like the ones we offer here at Honey Girl Organics. But what does the organic label really mean? Keep reading to learn more.
Organic Label
As previously mentioned, products must pass a strictly regulated federal certification program to have the certified USDA-organic label legally. In the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets the standard for which products qualify as organic. It’s important to note that organic certification requirements may vary from country to country.
According to the FDA, the USDA requirements for products labeled "organic" are separate from the laws that the FDA enforces. Products that are ordinarily under the FDA's jurisdiction and labeled with organic claims must comply with both USDA National Organic Program (NOP) regulations for the organic claim and FDA regulations for food labeling and safety.
In the United States, the NOP is a federal regulatory program that develops and enforces consistent national standards for organically produced agricultural products sold in the United States.
All-Natural
What does it mean when a company claims its product is all-natural? Simply put, the natural label has no defined standards and is not subject to verification. Many customers think that an all-natural label means the product contains no GMOs, pesticides, synthetics, and so on, but this is not necessarily the case.
Currently, the FDA defines "natural" products as having no artificial ingredients and not being "fundamentally altered" during processing or production. Consumer advocate groups in favor of stricter regulations for what constitutes “all-natural” labels have been calling for a stricter definition of what these labels mean for many years.
All-Organic: Why it Matters
If you’re choosing between all-organic or natural products, experts like those at the Mayo Clinic recommend going for the all-organic option whenever possible. Unlike labels that claim to be all-natural, only organic products can contain labels that include government assurance that products are not processed without the use of antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones, toxic chemicals, and so on. Organic products are among the most heavily regulated in the U.S. This is why it matters to choose all-organic products and why it’s worth it to trust products that contain organic labels.
More customers have chosen the all-organic label in their food, skincare, and other products. Currently, the label of natural or all-natural only means what the company producing the product says it means. When it comes to food, labels such as hormone-free, free-range, and non-GMO can even further confuse consumers who are looking to buy organic. For many, the organic label carries real weight—and it’s especially meaningful to our customers here at Honey Girl Organics. We believe it’s always worth taking the time to research and choose the best USDA-certified, all-organic products.
What else does it mean to be all-organic? Here are some other important distinctions:
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No toxic pesticides
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Nothing synthetic
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No petroleum
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No artificial colors or flavors
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No artificial preservatives
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No GMOs
Customer Reviews
Here are just a few reviews out of hundreds of customers who love Honey Girl Organics:
“Honey Girl Organics offers great organic products! If you are invested in health and skin care, their face and skin products are wonderful. Great quality products that nourish your skin and give you peace of mind that you are giving your skin the very best. I love it and highly recommend it!” — Marilyn F.
“I’m a honey girl. I love Honey Girl! They always send samples and make it look so beautiful when you get your package! I have and will continue to buy their products because I love all I have tried!” — N.M.
“I’m new to Honey Girl Organics. I received my rose face and eye cream last week. I’ve been using it for about a week now, and I love it. My face feels so hydrated. I have very sensitive eyes, and applying this cream at night makes my skin feel so soft and moisturized. It is a product I would highly recommend. I’m looking forward to a long relationship with Honey Girl Organics. Aloha.” — Elizabeth O.
Honey Girl Organics: Our Promise to You
Our promise to our customers is simple: our products will never contain harmful toxins, GMOs, synthetic fragrances, parabens, phthalates, emulsifiers, or sulfates. We are firmly committed to never testing on animals or using ingredients that harm the environment. We are proud that most of our products carry the USDA Certified Organic label. While all our products are manufactured in a USDA Certified Facility, a few contain minerals such as diatomaceous earth which are not ever considered organic.
As our customers know, the secret ingredient in Honey Girl Organics products is you, our customers. We take great pride in our premium skincare products, and we love hearing your feedback. Many of our customers leave reviews and tag us on Instagram. We look forward to hearing your review!