Are you a victim of greenwashing? Do you ever walk down the aisle at the grocery store, department store or pharmacy and get lured into looking at a product or food with a large flashy label saying “all-natural,” “organic,” “safe,” “chemical free,” or “doctor recommended?”

I know I have and automatically thought to myself, “I’m good, it's safe for me. The product says so.”

Did you know that due to lack of FDA regulations, a company can put almost whatever it wants on the label without having to prove it’s true? Many companies use these eye-catching words for marketing purposes only without having any evidence to back it up. 

Greenwashing, as defined by the Oxford English dictionary, is the “disinformation disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally responsible public image.” If you visit the Food and Drug Administration website, you will see that the law does not require cosmetics and food labels to have FDA approval before it can go on the market. 

When a product says “natural” on the label is it natural? Since the FDA does not regulate it, it may mean that all or even just one ingredient is mineral, or plant based and not synthetic. That doesn’t mean there aren’t other harsh and toxic ingredients in it as well.

Even when a company tells you they are committed to providing natural, safe products or food, it doesn’t necessarily mean it's guaranteed to be safe. The only way to have a better idea of its safety is to read its ingredient list. That is, if there even is one on it. A lot of cosmetic companies consider their ingredient lists or fragrances to be a trade secret and by law they don’t have to disclose them to you.

A few years ago, my twin sister developed an allergy out of nowhere and her eyes and lips were swelling daily. She tried looking on all her products labels like her laundry detergent and Clinique face lotion bottle for some common irritants her dermatologist told her to watch out for, but the ingredients were nowhere to be found. She then went on the website to look for the ingredient list. Again, no lists were found. After numerous phone calls and emails, she was finally able to get a copy emailed to her to discover many irritants in each. 

One of my favorite examples of greenwashing is for new moms who are told to go buy Dreft baby detergent or Tide free and clear to wash all their new clothes in because babies can’t handle harsh chemicals, and these are safer for them. First, neither of these are void of harsh chemicals no matter what they claim. And second, if they aren’t safe for a baby, why do people think they’re safe for adults or kids? They aren’t!! Most detergents and products are filled with hormone disrupting, carcinogenic, toxic ingredients that aren’t safe for anyone to use, baby or adult! 

So how can you see what is safe or healthy for you and your family? One of my favorite apps or websites to visit to help find clean, safe, non-toxic products is the EWG skin deep or the Healthy living App. You can type in a product or food name and a safety score will not only pop up, but a list of the ingredients will also pop up, explaining the safety or toxicity of the ingredient. 

I strive to make healthy decisions for my family and myself daily. I am by no means perfect and certainly do not shield my children from all things unhealthy like candy, dye-filled popsicle or Doritos always. I simply try and implement balance in all things, food included, and do what’s best for my family and myself.

These choices are not right for everyone and some may disagree with me, but in the end when picking something off a shelf, remember it’s not always what it says on the packaging. Just stop and think for a second, “what’s in this?” and read your labels!!!