
Organic’ and ‘natural’ are the new buzzwords of the 21st century. From food to cosmetics to skincare, it’s the trend everywhere. The minute products are labelled as such, they are generally perceived to be relatively safe with results guaranteed.
Natural vitamins
There are no legal regulations or guidelines for natural products. The products are made of anything that grows naturally or is found in nature such as a plants and minerals. Natural products are not produced in a laboratory.
They are free of common chemicals such as artificial fragrances, preservatives, colourants and other synthetic additives. But this does not necessarily mean that they have organic ingredients.
For example, green tea extract is natural but the green tea leaves may have been sprayed with insecticides which makes it natural but not organic. Natural products may not always be safe.
For example, you can’t preserve apple pulp in a jar and use it on your skin for days, because a million microbes will grow over the pulp. A certain level and type of preservative may be required to protect such ‘natural’ ingredients from becoming rancid.
Synthetic Vitamins
Synthetic nutrients do not include “whole food supplements,” which are made from concentrated, dehydrated whole foods.
The majority of supplements available on the market today are made artificially. These include vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and amino acids, among others.