Are All-Natural Products Really Better?

When you're out shopping and have a choice between regular products and "all-natural" ones, which ones do you choose? If you're like me, you'll choose the natural ones. I guess somehow choosing "all-natural" products makes me feel better. Maybe it's because they give me a sense of security that I'm choosing "healthier," more back-to-nature foods.

Or maybe deep down I believe that all-natural means that there won't be any harmful chemicals or pesticides in there. And that maybe they are more earth-friendly than the others and by choosing them, I'm doing some good for the environment and the Earth. Whatever the reason, all-natural products appeal to me - and millions of others like me.

But does "all-natural" mean "healthier?" Not necessarily so. For instance, all-natural corn chips could be made with the freshest ground corn and no preservatives, but be deep-fried in lard. Lard is "all natural," right? But that doesn't make it good for you. And while "all-natural" foods won't contain any artificial dyes or additives, they can be laden with "natural" sugars and fats.

And when it comes to natural health and body care products, be sure to read the label carefully. The FDA doesn't define the term "natural," so a product can call itself that even though it only contains a few drops of an all-natural ingredient.

So when shopping for "natural" skin care or beauty products, check the ingredients for added chemicals. You'll want to stick with products that contain only natural ingredients and no dyes, preservatives, or other chemicals. Ideally, a product should be created with at least 90 percent natural sources with very little or no chemical processing. A good rule of thumb is, the less ingredients, the closer to nature it is. This goes for skin and beauty products as well as food.

"All-natural" doesn't mean "organic" either. Some people tend to confuse the two, but they have very different meanings. "Organic" means it contains ingredients that were grown and produced with no pesticides, preservatives, or growth hormones. Something that has been certified organic has gone through government testing. "All-natural" means that a certain percent of the ingredients are from natural sources, not that they're necessarily free from unwanted chemicals. There is no standard for "natural" products either, it could be 1% natural or 100%.

The most important thing you can do when buying food or health and beauty products is to read the label and be familiar with both the ingredients you want in, and those that you're trying to avoid. Do a little research before shopping or ask a salesperson to help you find products that suit your needs, whether you're looking for "all-natural" ones or organic. Or both.