It appears we are still searching for an answer to our original question: what does the word “natural” mean? So far, I haven’t found an answer that I’m happy with. I’ve learned that “natural” labeling can be misleading and ingredient lists (although they do give us some valuable info) don’t necessarily solve the problem. Furthermore, experts have tried, but have trouble agreeing on a practical, modern-day definition of the word “natural”, leaving us some clues, but no real solution. So, today, I want to go back to the creation of the word and find out what it was originally intended to describe. Time for some etymology!
Today we are going back to the 14th century (which really isn’t too long ago) to find the first uses of our word in question. “Natural” comes from the words “naturel” (Old French) and “naturalis” (Latin). Both words mean essentially the same thing: “from birth, according to nature.”
Now, if that definition sounds familiar to you, there’s probably good reason. In our March blog, we saw some very similar definitions and they all seemed to fall short. So, before we begin that whole process over, let’s pause for a second and avoid going down that same route again. Rather, let’s suffice it to say that the definitions that we saw previously are in line with the original intention of the word “natural.” We already know that those definitions didn’t quite give us the answers we were looking for. Instead of repeating the same questions, we need to start asking some new ones.
[One quick note before we do: While researching the etymology of “natural”, I also learned that the Hebrew language (which is older than both Old French and Latin) does not have a word for “natural”. Instead, they use the word “creation” to describe the world around them that was made independent of humans. This description fits what we have been looking at with our definitions for “natural” and shows that this concept has been around since the beginning of humans on Earth.]
Okay, now it's time for some new questions. Or perhaps even a completely different approach. In order to take a look from a more simple point of view, I’d like to try a quick thought experiment.
Imagine that we are the very first humans on Earth (picture it with me) At this point, we don’t have much. There are no cell phones, computers, cars, houses, chairs, plates, clothes... you get the idea. But, at the same time, we have quite a bit. We have all the resources that existed before we were created. That includes the trees, plants, rivers, oceans, mountains, dirt, sand, ore, clay... we have a lot to work with! And as the definitions have pointed out, this is what constitutes our natural world. We haven’t messed with it yet. It’s exactly how it’s supposed to be. But we need its resources… Which leads me to my question: how can we use what has been given to us without making it unnatural?
According to some of the definitions we saw in March, it’s impossible. As soon as we touch it, it’s no longer natural. But we’re natural, aren't we? And if a bird can make a natural nest, then we should be able to make something natural too! But what would that look like?
I think this is the question that have been trying to ask. Because in order to really understand what we are hoping to answer, we must remove ourselves from our current environment. There is too much stuff in our world to make sense of it all. But, like in science, if we can isolate the rest of our variables and experiment with only the parts that we want to focus on, we may be able to come to a conclusion that we can apply to our life today.
So, now, let’s try to make something. First, picture yourself on a tropical island (take a deep breath with me as you take yourself there, inhale...... exhale......) Now, feel the warm sun on your skin... Feel the wind on your face... Listen to the rhythm of the waves... To a Midwesterner in the middle of winter, it's like a dream come true! But, unfortunately, the dream doesn't last too long... Soon you realize that the sun is actually fierce and the ocean is way too salty. A vacationer's paradise quickly becomes a daily challenge.
In just a few days, your skin has become a desert. It's dry, cracked, and dying for some moisture (not to mention that it's the color of a tomato...) And although it would be nice, solving your problems is not as easy as staying in the shade and drinking lots of water. Remember, you have to find your own food and water, you don't have any clothes, and you don't have any shelter from the elements. You have a lot of work to do and you can't be worrying about your skin the entire time. Luckily, you’ve learned that the coconuts on the island contain a hydrating oil. The only issue is that you must figure out a way to get it out of the coconut. Let's walk through what that might look like, ensuring that the oil stays natural the entire way through.
You already know that the oil is not the liquid that you find when you crack open a coconut (that’s referred to as coconut water). Rather, it is found in the flesh (the white, edible part) of the coconut. So how do you get it out? Well, the first step is to remove the shell in order to get to the flesh. To do so, you would need to crack it on a rock or make a tool like an axe to open it up (if you've ever tried to open a coconut, you know just how difficult this is). Once the coconut is open, you could chip away the rest of the shell and separate the flesh from the other parts of the coconut (just plan on a couple hours here...)
Step two is to press the oil and milk out of the flesh. You could do this by squeezing the coconut flesh between heavy rocks (good luck) or grinding it with a heavy tool. The best way though is to chop the coconut into pieces (to increase the surface area) and lightly heat the coconut in water (being sure not to overheat it, which would destroy important nutrients). Again you can probably assume a couple hours of work and a lot of sweat.
After removing the oil and milk from the coconut flesh, you'd need to separate the two. This third step takes a bit of heat and a lot of time. With the assumption that you've already made the tools necessary for this last part, you could proceed by heating the mixture and skimming off the fat from the rest of the liquid (another couple hours). Finally, you would have to simmer the remaining fat until you find yourself with a brown byproduct and the product that you’ve been after all along: coconut oil!
Now, at this point, if you are picturing yourself drenched in sweat and exhausted from an entire day's work for a small amount of oil, congrats! Your imagination is accurate! In the end, your skin will thank you, but the time you put into making the oil may have you reconsidering your options. Even with modern tools, the process is long and laborious. And just like our thought experiment, the natural route is usually the most difficult.
Unfortunately, this is a big reason why many companies will do whatever they can to take shortcuts. Increasing yield and speeding up production mean more money in the company’s pocket. To them, the quality of the oil is not their primary concern. And with all the steps involved, it’s easy to see how those companies might try to alter the process of producing coconut oil for their benefit. Even still, many of those companies will be able to label their products as “natural” or “organic”. As a consumer, this makes things much more confusing. Just like we saw last month, grocery stores are lined with coconut oils of all varieties, many of which are advertising their naturalness. And online shopping is even worse! So how can you, as a consumer, make an informed decision with all of the claims out there? How do you know what is truly natural?
I think this is where you have to decide for yourself. Where do you draw the line? Which oils are natural and which aren't? What would you say about about oil that is pressed by machines or oil that is extracted with chemicals? What about oil made from dried coconuts or oil that is heated at high temperatures during extraction to increase yield? What about oil that is bleached, deodorized, fractionated, or otherwise refined? Where along the processing does natural stop being natural for you?
Want to read more? Come back on the first Tuesday of May, when our next blog graduates from “draft” to “final version”!
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