Read Labels: The Buzz on Organic Products

Over the past few years, there has been a surge in the production and consumption of organic products. Not only are organic food products available more often in supermarkets across the country, organic skin and hair care products have been on the rise, as well.

Many common chemical-based products that most of us have bought throughout our lives have taken a back seat to, or at least been hindered by, the rise in the availability of organic products. The seemingly recent discovery of the harmful ingredients in many cosmetics, such as skin and hair care products, has sparked a new wave of organic alternatives.

Many people ask us: are your products certified organic?
All BeeAlive products are 100 percent natural and free of any synthetic ingredients, including parabens, artificial colors, fragrances, preservatives, genetically modified organisms and nanoparticles. However, at this time, we are certification-free.

Why?

We cannot track flight patterns of bees.

Some bees travel 55,000 miles to make just one pound of honey. Farms that call themselves "organic" in their practices, therefore, do not know how far their bees have traveled. Some bees may have foraged thousands of miles away in areas that use harmful pesticides. The true organic content of bee products, therefore, is very difficult to determine. Because all BeeAlive products contain bee products, we have not certified any organic at this time due to unknown bee migration.

Are certified-organic products really organic?

Every day, it seems, new organizations are emerging that offer organic certification logos for product packaging -- at a cost. Each logo differs in the percentage of organic content, or, more importantly, the amount of synthetic ingredients they allow for products to receive certification. As more and more companies wish to market their products as "natural," logos appear more frequently and, as a result, greater emphasis is being placed on organic certification.

The trouble with the multitudes of seals is that they lull consumers into a false sense of safety, making them feel as if they don't have to read labels.

These certifications were crafted by large corporations that predicted buying decisions of conscientious consumers, easily influenced by packaging seals.

"Hey, this product's got a natural/organic seal -- it must be safe!"

Not so fast. That's like saying baby carrots that have been sprayed with chlorine are safe just because they've been certified organic. Think that doesn't happen? It does. The USDA permits a certain amount of chemicals in products that are certified organic. Even in your drinking water.

As consumers, it is our right and responsibility to read, question and make informed choices about the products we put in and on our bodies. We implore you...

READ LABELS!