jeudi 5 mars 2015

Why Organic Vegan Soap Is A Better Choice

By Leslie Ball


People often turn to a vegetarian lifestyle when confronted with the cruelty that some domestic animals endure while being prepared for commercial slaughter. Although soap is not an edible item, it can contain fats originally derived from cattle and other creatures originally grown for food. Organic vegan soap is made without ingredients containing residual growth hormones or pesticides, and product testing is not conducted on animals.

Non-vegetable based fats have been used to make soaps and similar personal products for thousands of years. Unless otherwise indicated by labeling, products manufactured today also contain additional chemicals used to enhance foaming, as well as imparting a fresh smell and an attractive appearance. Many contain traces of hormones or antibiotics used to stimulate animal growth prior to slaughter, unlike most vegetable-based products.

Beef fat and coconut oil are the two most common ingredient in most commercial brands, in combination with mixtures derived from other fat sources commonly including palm oils. While those ingredients are abundant, soap can be made from any type of fat in combination with ash or alkali. Animal fat is not really needed, but is widely used because of its easy availability and low cost.

Products advertised as organically produced may not qualify as truly vegan. Natural ingredients such as lanolin, beeswax, honey, royal jelly, fish, emu, and mink oil, and others are made by or from creatures that may have enjoyed life on a humane, sustainable farm, with no additional pesticide use or chemical growth additives. They are still organic, but are not considered vegetarian.

Rather than combing stores or websites to find products not containing any trace of beef tallow or lard, many people have begun to make their own personal soaps. There are many recipes available online, and any type of vegetable fat will work, although some are preferable to others. Cocoa butter is a popular ingredient with a reputation as an excellent moisturizer. When firm bars are needed, coconut oils hold their shape while producing abundant lather.

Olive oil is the prime ingredient in making the mild variety widely known as Castile, which generally produces fewer allergic reactions or skin irritations. Shea butter comes from an African tree, is is touted for its moisture-retaining properties, and is also manufactured for use as a product by itself. Sweet almond oil adds a feeling of lightness, and conditions the skin. Many oils are blended for use as more effective combinations.

Even though palm oil is a vegetarian product, it is increasingly produced by huge plantations located in tropical south Asia. These massive farms are often located in formerly wild areas, and rapid deforestation destroys the habitats of many endangered species, while generating multiple environmental problems. Some palm oil is produced in a sustainable fashion, and that is usually indicated on the label.

Vegan and organically grown are not interchangeable descriptions, and eliminating animal fat does not automatically make a commercial product superior. Those interested in purchasing, using or eating only vegan products must be conversant with the terminology of labeling. The word natural is widely used, but is no guarantee that humane practices were employed, or that chemical additives are not present.




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