The organic supplement market is attractive to consumers but what are they really getting? We’ve reported previously on the corruption that has crept into the organic market watering down the value of the word organic, and the USDA organic marketing seals. How do consumers determine if a product is truly organic? There are a few ways to help determine a quality herbal product and we explore them in this post. STANDARDS & TESTING Many herb wholesale suppliers test the bulk herbs they sell for quality. Herbal manufacturers today often require these test reports on the ingredients they use in their products. The testing will report on any chemical residues that may have been put on the crop. The National Organic Program developed the standard regulations for organic crop production as well as handling, labeling, and USDA enforcement. The organic program gleans information from the National Organic Standards Board, which is a federal advisory committee of 15 members. This committee was established based on the 1990 Organic Foods Production Act. However, certain circumstances may allow the market leaders to fudge standards due to: natural disastersdamage due to severe weather certain business interruptionspractices involving research The USDA crop standards for organic is that the land must be free of prohibited substances for 3-years before harvesting the crop. The banned substances are: Synthetics unless previously approved or are on the exception list.Fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides can be organic or synthetic. “Soil fertility and crop nutrients are managed through tillage, cultivation, crop rotations, cover crops and supplemented with animal and crop waste with allowed synthetic materials. Crop pests, weeds, and diseases are managed by management including physical, mechanical, and biological controls. When these practices fail synthetic substances are approved for use.” USDA In products labeled as organic, there could be a possibility under USDA standards to include non-certified organic ingredients. “In a multi-ingredient product labeled as “organic” all agricultural ingredients must be organically produced, unless the ingredient(s) is not commercially available in an organic form. Products sold and labeled as organic must contain 95% certified organic content. Products sold as “made with” organic must have 70% certified organic content. Products containing less than 70% organic content may identify specific ingredients as organic in the ingredient list.” USDA Section 205.606 ORGANIC TILTH STANDARD So, how do consumers avoid the watered-down organic products? There is a difference between the USDA’s organic standards and what is called Organic Tilth Standards. California was the first to establish commercial, organic growing practices even before the state passed the California Organic Foods Act in 1990. The Tilth Standards are strict compared to the USDA’s version. With the Tilth Standards, it uses: Tilling soil & crop rotationLand free of chemicals and has rested a minimum of 5 years to rebuild nutrients in the soilAged mulch to deter weedsUse of bio-pesticides made from plants, minerals, organic oilsHeirloom seeds (non-GMO)Prohibits fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicidesProhibits ethylene oxide gas used in pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides Therefore, the Tilth Standard crop is less likely to have chemicals of any kind even from cow manure often full of drug residues. A crop grown by Tilth Standards will provide more nutrients to support health, is considered more valuable, and is therefore more expensive. WILD-CRAFTED HERBS There are also products sourced as wild-crafted. This option can also provide plants that are healthier and without chemicals. Depending on where the plants are harvested, wild-crafted herbs can be an option. Often they are found in undeveloped areas, forests, or near creeks or streams. So, which would be better, Tilth Standard organic or wild-crafted organic? This may help: “Organic herbs tend to provide more consistency in their quality as they are produced under strict guidelines. However, wild-crafted herbs can be more potent due to their exposure to the natural environment and stressors.” The Homestead Challenge, June 2023 Therefore, if you want your herbs safe from chemicals then the Tilth Standard and the wild-crafted ingredient herb products will provide the higher quality. Look for products that signify these benefits. MANUFACTURING PROCESS Now that we have a product label that shows high-quality ingredients we also need to know something about the manufacturing process. The processing of organic ingredients must be able to protect the nutrition of the plants. For instance, herbs are sensitive to heat and light. This is why you will find your herb supplements in dark glass bottles. If the processing of the product exposes the herbs to heat, it will lower the nutrition and potency. Companies that follow the process of forced extraction will expose the plant ingredients to high pressure and heat that will chemically change them. Forced extraction is used by some companies when making herbal extracts or tinctures. This method is used to avoid aging the product, which is a 30-day process that produces a concentrated version of the plant nutrients and helps to protect potency. Herbal extracts or tinctures should also be cold-pressed to avoid additional exposure to heat. BE SELECTIVE – RECAP - WHAT TO LOOK FOR What this article highlights is that not only do the ingredients matter but the process equally matters when selecting a high-quality herb supplement. Here is your list to guide you: Tilth Standards or wild-crafted herbs = healthier cropsHeirloom (organic) seedsNo animal fertilizer or farm run-offCertified organic ingredients that are testedNaturally aged & cold-pressed protects potency In a systematic review of studies published from 1958 to 2008 analyzing the nutritional quality of organic ingredients compared to conventional, the organic sources contained more nutrition such as vitamin C, magnesium, and phenolic compounds (antibacterial properties). The European Food Information Council reported that consumers perceive organic food sources to have more nutrients (vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes). SYNTHETIC VS WHOLE FOODS Naturopath Melissa Wood did a comparison of the organic, whole food supplements compared to the synthetic versions. She feels most people are so used to looking at the isolated nutrients (such as vitamin A, C, D, E, etc.) on product labels that they don’t stop to realize that those are synthetic chemicals and there are no foods or herb ingredients listed. The synthetic supplements offer only fractionated pieces of the nutrition puzzle and the proportion of the vitamin is not in balance. Therefore synthetic supplements can cause an imbalance and lead to health problems. “Nature intended for us to consume food or herbs in its whole form because all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes are bound together in one package and work synergistically to deliver the nutrition our body needs.” Melissa Wood, ND Most synthetic vitamins will not list the source of the nutrient, just the chemical name. For instance does the product list vitamin C as citrus fruits or herbs (papaya, bell peppers, or rose hips) or is it simply ascorbic acid? Companies mass-produce a majority of synthetic supplements that contain fillers, colorings, and flavorings. These ingredients are known to cause allergies. I would insist on whole food supplements just as I would insist on organic produce, meat, etc. Understandably, consumers are using more supplements than ever before due to the questionable quality of conventionally grown foods. Make sure your supplements count and get high-quality herb supplements. Apothecary Herbs has been making certified organic and handcrafted whole-food supplements for over 20 years. We use Tilth Standard organic crops, which are naturally aged and cold-pressed without heat. All our products are made to avoid adding fillers, colorings, and artificial flavorings, which will weaken the product's potency. So, for authentic, organic, whole food supplements call Apothecary Herbs Inc. *This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Seek medical advice from a licensed medical physician before using any product or therapy.* Sources: https://thehomesteadchallenge.com/wild-harvested-vs-organic-herbs/#:~:text=In%20terms%20of%20safety%2C%20organic,pesticides%2C%20herbicides%2C%20and%20fertilizers. https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic#:~:text=The%20National%20Organic%20Program%20(NOP,of%20all%20USDA%20organic%20products. http://www.boschkitchencenters.com/homemade-vs-processed-food/ http://www.cookinggodsway.com/nutrition-food-articles/ http://stayhealthyandwell.com/whole-food-vs-synthetic-supplements/
