Organic vs. natural

There's a lot of confusion out there about the distinction between organic and natural, and we think it's a shame, because the differences can be huge! The first thing you should understand is that, except for meat, "natural" doesn't have a set, strictly defined or regulated definition, while "organic" does.

When you see the word "natural" on food packaging, it can mean any number of different things, depending on where in the US you are, who the food manufacturer is and what store is carrying the product. In fact, you might be surprised to learn what can be considered "natural."

But the term "organic" is strictly defined in the US by uniform, federal regulations. "Organic" means the food or fiber bearing the label was made with a set of farming and production practices defined and regulated, in great detail, by the USDA.

When you see "organic" on a product label or packaging, you can be assured that the organic product was made without the use of toxic, persistent pesticides, GMOs, antibiotics or artificial growth hormones.

Differences at a glance