What Are Essential Oils Learn About Using Essential Oil From Plants

Do essential oils come from plants?

Essential oils come from various species of flowers, grasses, fruits, leaves and trees. They are found in the secretory system of plants (in other words, the bark, seeds, leaves, petals, stems and roots). On average, essential oils are 80 times more potent than the dried form of the herb.

What do essential oils do for plants?

What are Essential Oils. Essential oils are aromatic substances present in the specialized cells or glands of certain plants used by them to protect themselves from predators and pests, but also to attract polinators. In other words, essential oils are part of the immune system of the plant.

How are essential oils extracted from plants?

Essential oils are generally extracted by distillation, often by using steam. Other processes include expression, solvent extraction, sfumatura, absolute oil extraction, resin tapping, wax embedding, and cold pressing.

What plants can be used to make essential oils?

Some of the most popular and useful herbs to grow for extraction of essential oils are basil, benzoin, bergamot, black pepper, camphor, cedarwood, chamomile, cinnamon, clary sage, clove, coriander, cypress, eucalyptus, fennel, frankincense, geranium (pelargonium), ginger, hyssop, jasmine, juniper, lavender, lemon, ...

Who should not use essential oils?

Young children and the elderly may be more sensitive to essential oils. So you may need to dilute them more. And you should totally avoid some oils, like birch and wintergreen. In even small amounts, those may cause serious problems in kids 6 or younger because they contain a chemical called methyl salicylate.

Why are essential oils bad?

Some essential oils used in the wrong doses or too high a concentration have been found (in animal and laboratory studies) to contribute to tumor development and other harmful changes in the body. Some essential oils can even be damaging to the skin, liver and other organs if used improperly.

What's the best essential oil?

The 10 Best Essential Oils to Try

Peppermint.
Lavender.
Tea tree.
Bergamot.
Chamomile.
Jasmine.
Ylang ylang.
Eucalyptus.

Is peppermint oil safe for dogs?

Many liquid potpourri products and essential oils, including oil of cinnamon, citrus, pennyroyal, peppermint, pine, sweet birch, tea tree (melaleuca), wintergreen, and ylang ylang, are poisonous to dogs. Both ingestion and skin exposure can be toxic.

What part of plants are essential oils derived from?

Essential oils are isolated from various plant components such as leaves, fruit, bark, root, wood, heartwood, gum, balsam, berries, seeds, flowers, twigs, and buds.

Why is it called essential oil?

Essential oil, highly volatile substance isolated by a physical process from an odoriferous plant of a single botanical species. ... Such oils were called essential because they were thought to represent the very essence of odour and flavour.

How do you extract fragrance from plants?

Distillation. Distillation is a common technique for obtaining aromatic compounds from plants, such as orange blossoms and roses. The raw material is heated and the fragrant compounds are re-collected through condensation of the distilled vapor.

What does essential oils mean?

Essential oils are compounds extracted from plants. The oils capture the plant's scent and flavor, or “essence.” Unique aromatic compounds give each essential oil its characteristic essence. Essential oils are obtained through distillation (via steam and/or water) or mechanical methods, such as cold pressing.

What are the names of essential oils?

Types of essential oils

Lavender. This incredibly popular oil has all kinds of benefits. ...
Roman chamomile. Featuring a combination of a light floral and herbal aroma, this oil has the potential to put your mind at ease when diffused and inhaled through steam. ...
Rose. ...
Hyssop. ...
Myrrh. ...
Vetiver. ...
Grapefruit. ...
Cedarwood.

How do I make peppermint essential oil?

For peppermint oil

Crush or muddle fresh peppermint leaves in a glass jar with a tight lid.
Cover the leaves with olive or grapeseed oil. Close the jar and shake.
Store for three days. Strain into a bowl and discard the leaves.
Pack the jar with fresh leaves, pour the oil back in the jar and cover with fresh oil.

How do you make essential oil from fresh herbs?

How to make herb-infused oil:

Prepare your jar. ...
Fill the jar to the top with herbs.
Pour oil over the herbs slowly. ...
Cover the jar, give it a few shakes, and put it in a cool place inside your house. ...
Strain the oil into your storage bottles through a cloth-lined strainer. ...
Cork and label your bottles.

Are Essential oils bad for lungs?

Researcher Kai-Jen Chuang, PhD, of Taipei Medical University, points out that aromatherapy oils are also volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a kind of indoor air pollution that can irritate the eyes, throat, and lungs.

Is diffusing essential oils safe for your lungs?

VOCs within the diffused oils can affect indoor air quality causing a similar pollutant effect as air fresheners, scented candles, and incense. Poor indoor air quality can worsen existing respiratory symptoms from allergies, asthma, and other respiratory illnesses.

Which essential oils are toxic to humans?

Highly toxic essential oils include camphor, clove, lavender, eucalyptus, thyme, tea tree, and wintergreen oils, the researchers noted. Many essential oils can cause symptoms such as agitation, hallucinations and seizures.

What happens if you drink essential oils?

Essential oils are not safe to consume and can cause significant poisoning even if small amounts are ingested.

Is Lavender Oil poisonous to humans?

Lavender oil is generally not poisonous in adults when breathed in during aromatherapy or swallowed in smaller amounts. It may cause a reaction in children who swallow small amounts. The major effects are due to allergic reactions of the skin.

Are essential oils safe for pets?

Many essential oils, such as eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, cinnamon, citrus, peppermint, pine, wintergreen, and ylang ylang are straight up toxic to pets. These are toxic whether they are applied to the skin, used in diffusers or licked up in the case of a spill.