You’re probably skeptical and a little sick of seeing the words “organic” and “natural” as descriptions of various mundane items from food to beauty products. It’s just a marketing ploy, a play on words to tug on your increasingly health-conscious being. Descriptions that don’t really mean anything anymore.
But we digress.
There are still a lot of products that perfectly encapsulate what it’s like to be both organic and natural. Products untouched by synthetic chemicals, minimally processed, and of course, contain no genetically modified ingredients. Out of the possible thousands of products that can legitimately lay claim to the “organic” term, we picked out five for you. See them below.
1. Bayani Brew
Brewed fresh from the vast Enchanted Farm of the Gawad Kalinga community in Angat, Bulacan, Bayani Brew originated from the hot drinks that the locals usually serve to volunteers and visitors alike. These drinks are made from native leaves like lemongrass and pandan. The Brew Crew, as they like to call themselves, took this concept one step further.
They came up with three different flavors (Lemongrass Pandan, Sweet Potato Leaf, and Moringa Dalandan) for the refreshing drink, using organically grown native ingredients sourced from the local community in the process. Bayani Brew can be bought on their FB page, on Marketa.ph, and through their website for bulk orders.
2. Ampalaya Plus
One of the most recognizable and trusted herbal food supplements in the Philippines, Ampalaya Plus is the flagship product of Nattural Quality Corp., a 100% Filipino-owned company established in 2002. It is a renowned company that produces quality supplements made from traditional herbs with known health benefits and medicinal qualities.
Ampalaya Plus, aside from its well-known capability to help the body normalize its blood sugar level, can also assist in reducing hypertension and aid in lowering the body’s cholesterol level. Aside from Ampalaya (Bitter Gourd), it also has Banaba (Lagerstroemia Speciosa), and Luyang Dilaw (Turmeric). You can purchase it on their website, on Lazada, Mercury Drug, and other leading drugstores nationwide.
3. Delite Herbal Tea
Another quality product from Nattural Quality Corp., DeLite Herbal Tea can be enjoyed in three flavors: Ampalaya, Turmeric-Ginger, and Salabat. These three contains no artificial flavorings and fat, ensuring an all-natural and organic refreshment. Can be served hot or cold, DeLite is also infused with Calamansi, the Filipino version of lime. The Calamansi is responsible to the tangy taste and lack of any bitterness.
Like Ampalaya Plus, the ingredients for this tea are gathered from clean and pollution-free farms. This can be purchased on Nattural Quality Corp.’s website, on Lazada, Mercury Drug, and other leading drugstores all over the Philippines.
4. Mushroom Chicharon
We wouldn’t be surprised if Mushrooms are the last things you could think of if asked for a suitable replacement for the guilt-inducing but definitely tasty crispy treat that is chicharon. The Lees family would beg to differ, though. From their farm in Indang, Cavite, what was originally a kitchen experiment turned into a profitable business venture.
The Mushroom Chicharon is made from oyster mushrooms. The oyster mushrooms are then coated in an egg mixture (cassava flour and tapioca flour) and later fried in coconut oil. To remove the excess oil and preserve the natural mushroom taste, the chicharon are “de-oiled.” For the toasty flavor, the chicharon are later baked. You can buy this scrumptious snack on Lazada.
5. Human Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil
Probably the most well-known product from Gandang Kalikasan Inc., the company behind the Human Nature brand, the Sunflower Beauty Oil is a 100% natural hypoallergenic that is packed with vitamins A, D, and E.
The Human Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil is famous for its “23 miracles from head to toe,” a list that shows the many beauty and health benefits that this beauty product brings. These include the following: softening and lightening underarms, lightening dark posts and pimple marks, as an undereye moisturizer, makes skin glow and helps keep it youthful-looking, and diminishes fine lines around the eyes among others. It can be purchase on their online shop, in any of their brick-and-mortar shops, and on Lazada.
Support Local
Other than the health and beauty benefits that one can get from these organic products, there’s also the added benefit of having supported local, and more often small, businesses. These businesses, in turn, source the ingredients of their products locally, from small-time farmers or community managed cooperatives. The ingredients are then as fresh as can be while at the same time empowering the small communities.
Buying organic isn’t just about the products themselves, it’s also about supporting local businesses that empower people. Most of all, It’s about going natural.
