So, what’s the difference anyway?

If all that spiel about natural, organic and recycled is leaving you confused, here’s a good place to start

June 26, 2017 05:57 pm | Updated 05:57 pm IST

The market, and consequently the mind, is flooded with products that promise a clean way of living. But it’s sometimes difficult to gauge whether what you’re buying is same-old or just new-and-improved or really made with a different formulation that takes into account current knowledge and research. Here, we help you clear through the clutter and the marketing spiel, so you make choices that actually benefit health.

Natural vs organic

Look for it in: *beauty products *clothes *food

The term ‘natural’ “generally refers to products made using natural ingredients with minimal manufacturing processes, which do not contain synthetic ingredients, artificial flavours or colours,” explains Karnesh Mahendru, co-founder, EcoTokri, an online marketplace for organic, green and eco-friendly products. However, because of lack of regulation, the term is used loosely. One way to tell: if most of the listed ingredients are born in the lab, steer clear of it. Also, ditch products that contain parabens, petrochemicals, phthalates and sodium lauryl sulphates.

“Organic beauty products are made with natural (plant-based) ingredients that are grown without the use of artificial fertilisers, pesticides and growth regulators,” explains Mahendru. Preservatives are usually from nature (like honey or essential oils).

Natural yarns are cotton, jute, hemp, wool and silk. A good example of an organic yarn is Kora (undyed) Kala Cotton. “It is even watered by the rain,” says Anita Dongre, the Chief Creative Officer at the organic line of clothing called Grassroot. Silk is organic when the leaves on which the silk worm feasts follow organic farm practices.

Be Savvy: The term organic is highly regulated, so look for a stamp. Agencies such as Ecocert, Indocert, GreenCert perform regular checks before awarding a certificate that meets standards. But a product may be anywhere from 70 to 100% organic. A beauty product may have only certain ingredients that are certified organic, for instance. Read the fine print. If you’re buying fruit and veg, ask the distributor whether the farms they source from have a certification. Generally, the more transparent the distributor is about where they source from, the more trustworthy.

Natural vs nature-identical

Look for it in *food

Food additives help to bump up flavour, colour, texture, consistency or extend shelf life. “Natural additives are naturally-occurring substances in food (plant- or animal-based) that may be extracted and used in another,” says Chennai-based nutritionist Dharini Krishnan. For example, curcumin, the yellow extract from the turmeric root, may be used to enhance the colour of custard powder. “Nature-identical additives are manmade copies of naturally occurring substances,” says Krishnan. Food scientists isolate the most distinctive flavour, colour or taste in a naturally-occurring substance and recreate it in the lab—retaining the same chemical composition. “The flavour of produce is highly variable. Too much rain can dilute the flavour of oranges for a season, for example. However, orange juice from a particular brand will always taste the same. ,” explains Krishnan. They may not be so great for your body, though. “While they are deemed safe for consumption, they may still trigger health issues such as skin rashes, asthma or wheezing, irritability in some, especially children,” warns Krishnan.

Be Savvy: Ditch processed and convenience foods and use natural ingredients: fresh spices and herbs to flavour your foods, real fruit pulp to make your own flavoured milk, lassi and desserts, natural colours (beetroot for red/pink, carrot for orange, turmeric or saffron for yellow, matcha or spinach for green). “Watch out for dubious words such as essence. Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste is made from real vanilla, while vanilla flavour or essence may be produced chemically,” says Krishnan. And don’t pick up any product that doesn’t declare the composition and ingredients on the label,” says Dr Sultan Ahmed Ismail, Director of Ecoscience Research Foundation in Chennai. The packaging can be misleading. “If that mango yoghurt doesn’t list mango pulp or mango extract as an ingredient, it’s not the real stuff,” says Ismail.

Natural vs recycled

Look for it in *clothes *household products *office supplies

Naturally-occurring materials—wood, cotton, silk, iron, clay, cane, bamboo, jute are biodegradable and therefore better than products made with synthetic material, like plastic, which take at least 450 years to decompose! However, some of these still cost the environment. “It takes 20+ years for hardwood to regrow, for example,” says Prashant Lingam, who founded Bamboo House India with his wife Aruna Kappagantula 10 years ago, to promote sustainable living. He says recycling is better. “It stops things from ending up in landfills and oceans, saves energy and reduces green house emissions,” adds Lingam, who last year started their second venture of recycling scrap to make furniture and structures.

“When you recycle, you extend the life of a product. Take it a step further and upcycle. This way, you are reconstructing something that would have otherwise gone to waste,” says Amit Aggarwal, who gives old saris a new lease of life. Brands such as his, H&M and even sporting brands also work with waste polythene.

Be Savvy: Remember that when clothing brands say they are made from polythene bags and bottles, the yarn is synthetic, not natural. Look for eco-friendly sustainable alternatives. Architects and interior designers can help you find the best for your family and the planet.

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