GRAND Magazine - January/February 2012 - (Page 18)
“Natural” or not?
make sure the product label means what you think it does
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By CARA WElCH
Read the unabridged version here.
Dr. Cara Welch is Vice President of Scientific and regulatory Affairs at natural Products Association (nPA).
ooking for natural products in your favorite stores? Whether it’s what you eat, what you put on your body or what you use in your home, you may want to go natural, for yourself and for your grandkids. But how can you tell if the cosmetics or cleaning products on store shelves are the level of “natural” that you want? First, you should know that the companies that make these products are the ones that decide whether they can be called natural. There is no legal definition of the word “natural.” So the Natural Products Association (NPA) is helping consumers easily identify products that are truly “natural” with the NPA Natural Seal. Personal care and home care products with the Natural Seal are at least 95 percent natural—excluding water. NPA-certified products use natural ingredients, avoid ingredients with health risks,
don’t use animal testing, and include a majority of biodegradable or recycled material in the packaging. NPAcertified products use natural ingredients from a source found in nature. Products with the Natural Seal must list all ingredients on the package label. NPA also requires 100 percent natural fragrances for personal care products.
Tips to help you find natural products: • Read the label. Avoid ingredients like parabens, phthalates, synthetic polymers and silicones. • Do your research. NPA’s website lists products that have earned the Natural Seal. Visit the site to find local stores that sell natural products. • Connect via Facebook and Twitter. Visit the NPA Facebook page; follow Twitter for the latest updates. Tell your friends about the Natural Seal.
JAN FEB 2012
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - January/February 2012