The word ‘organic’ is blasted all over the media, and all over the packaging of our food, our cosmetics and more. The problem is, there’s not much information around as to what the word organic really means.

Starting With the Dictionary

The easiest place when looking for any definition is to start with the dictionary, and this is what Dictionary.com has to say:

–adjective
[...]
11. pertaining to, involving, or grown with fertilizers or pesticides of animal or vegetable origin, as distinguished from manufactured chemicals: organic farming; organic fruits.
[...]

There were 14 points in that dictionary definition, and only at point 11 do we get some idea of what ‘organic’ might mean for our food, clothing and household products.

What Does it Really Mean?

When we hear the word organic in relation to the products we buy, it’s usually related to organic farming methods. It means that chemicals have not been used to fertilize the crops or as pesticides. It also means that the land where crops are grown is farmed organically.

The word organic also means that animals have to be kept completely organically, they can’t be injected with any kind of growth hormones or antibiotics, and must be fed organic feed.

In general, organic is to do with farming methods rather than animal welfare. It’s important to bear this in mind when you make any ethical health decisions.

Organic Labelling

There are natural standards regarding which products can label themselves as ‘organic’. If you want to read the full information it is available on the USDA website for those in the United States, and the DEFRA website in the UK (NOTE – both links will take you to a PDF download containing information about the regulations). Remember that policies vary from country to country. In some countries, use of the word ‘organic’ may not be as strictly regulated.

Don’t Be Misled

Whilst there are regulations, at least in certain countries, over the use of the term organic on labelling, it can still be misleading. For example, organic doesn’t necessarily mean that the products are locally grown, or that the food is more nutritious (though there is evidence to suggest that avoiding the ingestion of chemical pesticides/ fertilizers) is better for our health.

Similarly, don’t be misled by terms such as ‘natural’ or ‘healthy’ – these don’t come with strict standards like the term ‘organic’.