“Going back to basics, natural and organic” is certainly on many people’s menu these days. With so many possible toxins and carcinogens being found in household products, foods and plastics, some people are finding comfort in going the organic router; same for e-liquid or e-juice. Is using organic e-liquid a healthier way to vape? Read on and find out the answer to your question.
Organic: Deciphering its Meaning
The $3 billion E-Cig industry estimated to grow into a 7-digit figure in the next years or so is getting ripe with competition. The word “organic” is a marketing spiel that comes big to consumers who like using products that have no extraneous chemicals except for what are supposed to be there. There is nothing wrong with the use of “organic,” but can often be misleading and inaccurate as a description.
According to USDA (US Department of Agriculture), for a product to be considered “70 to 95% organic,” its ingredients must come from a certified source or have been produced in a USDA-approved method. “One hundred percent organic” means every ingredient used in the product was produced and harvested from an approved and certified organic environment by the USDA.
Be warned that most “organic e-juice” sold on the market isn’t organic in the technical sense. Some makers use the term “organic” loosely to describe natural ingredients. Some openly claim that they get their flavors from wild caught plants and ingredients, but not technically “organic” in the USDA sense. Ultimately, there are chemical and technical reasons why e-juice can’t be organic.
E-Juice: A Mix of Synthetic and Probably Natural Ingredients
E-liquid is only composed of a few ingredients. It is basically made up of a base liquid; propylene glycol (PG) and/or vegetable glycerin (VG) – that vaporize when heated, artificial flavors, and nicotine concentrate base liquid. The juice may also contain distilled water or extracts from real tobacco.
PG and/or VG are added to e-liquids to dilute the ingredients and vaporize at heating temperatures, while offering no unusual taste to mar the artificial flavor. PG or VG can be used singly or blended to achieve a particular balance and hit. VG is derived from veggies; if sourced from certified farms, it can be organic, but not the PG.
PG is synthetic. It is an important ingredient because it binds the flavors to the base. This means it cannot be organic even when using natural flavors, which are often not organic as well. If the flavor is indeed natural or organic, be warned that they can contain lipids and other biomolecules that can’t be vaped; this can cause lipid pneumonia.
Then there’s nicotine, which according to USDA, is not classified as an organic product even if it natural and comes from organic tobacco. This means that only nicotine-free, VG based e-juice can be possibly organic.
So What Is Organic E-Liquid Exactly?
Before you completely dismiss “organic” e-juice, there’s more to it that needs to be talked about. For starters, it must be 100% Organic Vegetable Glycerin based only. If it contains nicotine, (which you most likely want it to,) it may not technically be organic by definition, but that’s not all that goes into the juice. Remember those “Artificial Ingredients”? This is where you really have no idea what was put into the liquid you inhale in vapor form. In this CASAA article, Kristin Noll-Marsh wrote the following “Artificial food flavorings are often called “the great unknown” when it comes to electronic cigarettes.” Because, although those ingredients are ok for human consumption and digestion, it may be a whole other story when inhaling them into your lungs.
It doesn’t stop at flavor, as additional artificial additives are used for coloring, sweetening, or other chemicals to try and brighten or bring out certain flavors and tastes. Many people have already made the choice to eliminate these ingredients from their daily diet, and if they vape, it becomes natural to do the same for your nicotine liquid.
This is where organic e-liquid differentiates itself even further than just having organic VG base juice. All those artificial mystery food flavorings and additives are eliminated and replaced by all natural USDA organic certified ingredients. Many users claim that organic tastes better, and especially for electronic cigarette e-juice. You have to consider that many artificial flavor additives are really not all that good, in taste, or for your health.
Is Organic E-Liquid Worth It?
That becomes a personal choice, who am I to preach to anyone about the great advantages of going organic. In the end, there’s still debate on the need to go organic, and the fact that so many fraudulent businesses use the term to lure unsuspecting shoppers into paying a premium price for a totally non-organic food product. In the end, it’s your choice to make, and if you like the taste of organic e-liquid better, you’re not alone, after testing a few brands myself, I found that some natural flavors do taste stronger and have less of a candy palette. Fruits actually taste like the fruit, instead of a jolly rancher version of it.
Just don’t fall victim of any manufactured product out there carrying the label of 100% Natural or All Organic. In order to use all organic products and be able to market it as so, all those items must be USDA certified. The cost difference is often not large or sometimes non-existent when compared to some top selling e-liquids. Here are the top U.S. manufactured E-Liquid Makers that I can highly suggest both for quality and flavor choice:
Virgin Vapor E-Liquid
In Conclusion
In the end, organic e-liquid, although not fully organic if containing nicotine, is really not a bad thing. If you are already on an all-natural diet, it completely makes sense to supplement it with organic e-cig juice. That’s a simple choice for those already onboard, but for everyone else still on the fence about it, I would say this – You don’t need organic e-juice, but it won’t hurt to try, and if you happen to like it better, or feel better using it, than it’s worth every penny. The cost difference is not huge as mentioned, and your mental state can greatly affect your well-being, so I say even if it ends up being a placebo, it’s still great for your health!