What are essential oils and why are they so special?
INTRO TO THERAPEUTIC GRADE ESSENTIAL OILS.
Essential Oils are the life blood of the plant world. They have a similar biochemistry to human blood - oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, etc. They perform very similar functions: remove waste, transport food, oxygenate cells. They also raise frequency (see my 9/7/06 post on the "Vibrational Frequency of Essential Oils"). Essential oils have been shown to stimulate the immune system and help the body balance itself for optimal health. Essential oils kill viruses, bacteria, molds, fungus and parasites.
The Essential Oil Desk Reference defines essential oils: "Essential oils are aromic volatile liquids distilled from shrubs, flowers, trees, roots, bushes, and seeds. Vegetable oils can become oxidized and rancid over time and are not antibacterial. Essential oils on the other hand cannot go rancid and are powerful antimicrobials. They are chemically very complex, consisting of hundreds of different chemical compounds. Moreover, they are highly concentrated and far more potent than dried herbs. The distillation process is what makes essential oils so concentrated. It often requires an entire plant or more to produce a single drop of distilled essential oil. Essential oils are also different from vegetable oils, such as corn oil, peanut oil, and olive oil. They are not greasy and do not clog the pores like many vegetable oils can".
In the US, essential oils are governed by the perfume act. That means a label can say 100% essential oil, but by law they only have to have a small amount of plant material in it. The rest of the bottle can be filled with all kinds of chemical fillers. A common one is propylene glycol - commonly known as anti-freeze. Perfume? Well, maybe. But medicinal? Definitely not in my book. It takes great knowledge and skill in many specialties to cultivate and produce true medical grade essential oils, therapeutic-grade. Medical grade essential oils, for therapeutic application, are so designed by ISO (International Standards Organization) and AFNOR, a French standards and certifying agency.
Vicki Opfer, an international lecturer on essential oils, describes some of the processes and considerations at the Young Living herb farms and essential oil distillery in Utah. Young Living is the largest, internationally certified medical grade pure oils grower, distiller and distributor in the world.
Vicki Opfer writes: "A GC is a gas chromatograph, it measures what an oil has in it and in what quantities. Since there are over 70,000 different kinds of molecules in plant oils, some are still unknown to us. However, with a GC, dilution and other forms of adulteration can usually be identified. It's not foolproof, but it is the best tool that we have available to us today, especially when used in conjunction with a mass spectrometer, which is another type of equipment used to test oils.
All of Young Living's essential oils are quarantined until they have been thoroughly tested. If there are any discrepancies, they are sent out to other labs to be tested again. Because of Gary Young's (the founder and President) commitment to purity, our oils actually have a very complex testing process that they go through. To my knowledge, there is no other company testing their oils as stringently.
The problem is that even if an oil is pure, it maynot contain the ingredients that make up an excellent oil. For example, the standard process, in the industry, for distilling an oil may include high temperature and high pressure during distillation, to maximize yield. The plant may have laid in the field for a long time before it is even processed. It may be distilled in an aluminum distiller, or chlorinated water might be used. The plants might be laden with petro-chemicals like pesticides or fertilizer. If so, during distillation,the chemicals may adversely affect the oil. A hybrid of the plant may be grown, rather than the medicinal species, which may not contain the desired molecules. The plant can be harvested at the wrong time in its growth process. Any of these factors can be present, and yet, a manufacturer can still call their oil, "pure". Do you see? This is why distillation is as much of an art as it is a science. Do you think the typical company cares about all of these details? I don't think so. They're looking for "pure" oils that they can buy cheap. Gary Young cares, he cares a great deal.
Young Living goes to great lengths to grow the plants that will provide us with what we want in an oil. Gary Young is very specific about the soil that the plants are grown in. I remember when he bought the Whispering Springs Farm in Mona, UT (now called the Young Living Farm), and he was so excited to show it to us. The only things out there were an old, broken down house, several natural springs, and huge piles of organic manure. He was grinning from ear to ear. He and Mary spread that manure themselves, knowing that it would build the soil, organically.
When the plants are ready for harvest, I have heard Gary make the crew wait until just the right time for harvesting - when the plants were in the optimum part of their growth process and picked during the right time of day. I remember, many years ago, when he wasn't sure - was it better to distill peppermint during the bloom, or just before? And how long should they wait, after harvesting, and before distilling? The industry said to wait, and yet, his heart told him that if he did, valuable molecules would be lost. So he tested his theory, and re-tested, until he got the results he wanted. So he takes the plants directly out of the field, to the distiller, as soon as possible. In my opinion, he has re-written the rules on distillation in these past several years. I've been present as he has experimented with the process, and his dedication to improvement never ceases to amaze me.
And how about using city water to distill with? No, says Gary, it has to be pure water, without chlorine and other harmful chemicals. He even waters the fields at the farm with spring water. And the distillers are stainless steel. And he's constantly re-designing them to make them more efficient at capturing the molecules that can make all the difference to us. He has revolutionized distillation by using low temperatures and low pressure, this too produces a much higher quality essential oil. His goal is to have the best oils in the world. It's his challenge to himself. He lays awake at night thinking of new ways of improving the process. I remember when we went to France, several years ago, he took with him lavender oil from the YL farm. He had so carefully grown the plants in organic soil, watered them with spring water, and when it was time to distill, he chose the time carefully, and then distilled with especially low temperature and low pressure. In France, they tested the oil, and found many molecules that had never been seen in lavender before. He was ecstatic."
I am ecstatic too, I've not seen anywhere another brand of essential oil that surpasses the quality of Young Living's essential oils. You know how it is when you find something that is just perfect? That's how I feel about Young Living's essential oils, and I know I'm not alone. I actually find it hard to imagine 'why' anyone would even consider making or using essential oils of lesser quality. Lesser quality may be cheaper, but they don't work the same...not even close.
To see the catalog of over 400 essential oils and essential oil-enhanced products visit my website:
The Very Essence
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
The Experts Agree About Essential Oil Quality
How To Identify Better Quality Essential Oils:
Here's what the experts say...
The following are excerpts are from Aromatherapy An A-Z, by Patricia Davis, 1988, reprinted 1994, Saffron Walden, The C.W. Daniel Company Ltd., England, pp. 278-280.
"THE QUALITY OF ESSENTIAL OILS WHICH ARE TO BE USED THERAPEUTICALLY IS OF PRIME IMPORTANCE It is, obviously, very important to be sure that the oil you are using is indeed obtained from the plant whose therapeutic properties you had in mind when using that oil, and the only way to be certain of this is to use the Latin botanical names for the plants."
"Even an oil which is quite truthfully described as pure may be of poor quality, and therefore of less value therapeutically. IF AN ESSENTIAL OIL COSTS MUCH LESS THAN YOU WOULD NORMALLY EXPECT TO PAY FOR IT, the oil may well be a third or fourth distillate from a batch of plant material which has already yielded the greater part of its properties to the first or second distillation."
"AS A ROUGH AND READY GUIDE... look for simple but informative labeling (botanical name, part of plant) And avoid any oils that are not packed in opaque glass. ...and DO NOT BUY ANYTHING THAT IS VERY MUCH CHEAPER."
"THE BEST QUALITY OF ESSENTIAL OILS WILL, NOT SURPRISINGLY, COST MORE... "
~ o ~
The following excerpts are from Holistic Aromatherapy, A. Berwick, 1994, Llewellyn Pub., St. Paul, MN pp. 168.
"It is important to work with high quality, pure essential oils whenever you can. Many of the oils on the market are of poor quality."
"LOW PRICES MAY ALSO MEAN THE OIL IS A SECOND OR THIRD DISTILLATION OF THE PLANT MATERIAL, in which case it will have far less therapeutic value. Sometimes oils are diluted with another plant that has a similar aroma, but costs less... Obtaining the specific oil you want is more likely if you know the correct botanical name..."
"The oils should be sold in dark glass bottles, definitely not in plastic".
"Common Methods of Adulteration:
- A certain quantity of the main chemical constituent may be added to the essential oil to "stretch" it.
- Oil from a cheaper plant may be added. Citronella may be added to melissa & spearmint to birch.
- Synthetic aromatic substances may be added. This can cause irritation, allergies, nausea, headaches, and reduced therapeutic value.
- Some of the chemical constituents may be removed. Since an essential oil is an extremely complex cocktail of hundreds of chemical constituents, some of them in very small amounts, this will alter the therapeutic value of the oil. Menthol is often removed from peppermint oil and used by the pharmaceutical industry. As a general rule, the more an essential oil is interfered with physically or chemically, the less clinical value it will have".
~ o ~
The following excerpts are from The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood, 1991, New World Library, San Rafael, California, pp. 90.
"For effective therapeutic use it is crucial that only pure essential oils be used ...reconstituted products or chemical copies of natural essences simply do not work..."
"... a large variety of so-called essential oil products have been devised... In law, all of these products come under the heading "essential oils", which can be confusing to the inexperienced buyer: "reconstitutions"; "nature identicals"; "isolates"; "perfume compounds"; and "aromas", such as "lavender aroma". Apart from the range of products that have been devised to take the place of essential oils in perfumery, there are other essential oils which, when mixed with others, mimic the aroma of the essential oil whose name they carry... This is all very well if perfumery is your concern, BUT NO GOOD AT ALL if the ... oil is required for a therapeutic Purpose."
"NO REPUTABLE ESSENTIAL OIL SUPPLIER SELLS ESSENTIAL OILS ALL AT THE SAME PRICE."
"... it is often the case that a synthetic aroma will smell more pungently of the raw material than the real thing. Do not influenced by strength, but rather by price, supplier reputation, and, in time, your own experience and instinct".
~ o ~
The following excerpts are from The Healing Power of Aromatherapy by Hasnain Walji, Ph.D., 1996, Prima Publishing, Rocklin, Calif., p. 28).
"BE GUIDED BY PRICE" (low price = low quality)
"Because the oils are susceptible to heat, light, and air, they must be kept in dark glass containers. Clear plastic bottles are definitely not recommended."
"AROMATHERAPY IS NOT MERELY ABOUT SMELLING NICE... It is a therapy and should be respected as such. Just as you would not expect your medical practitioner to prescribe medication that was substandard, so you should not be prepared to accept anything less than the best that is available..".
~ o ~
The following excerpts are from Aromatherapy Workbook, by Marcel Lavabre, 1990, Healing Arts Press, Rochester, Vermont, pp. 20-21.
"Most essential oils available on the market are of very poor quality for two main reasons. The first is that the chemical composition of the essential oils of a given plant can vary greatly, depending on the variety, the time, the soil, and the methods of cultivation and distillation."
"The second reason is that recent advances in chemistry have flooded the market with synthetic essential oils."
"FOR AROMATHERAPY... ONE SHOULD USE ONLY THE BEST QUALITY OF ESSENTIAL OILS."
Here's what the experts say...
The following are excerpts are from Aromatherapy An A-Z, by Patricia Davis, 1988, reprinted 1994, Saffron Walden, The C.W. Daniel Company Ltd., England, pp. 278-280.
"THE QUALITY OF ESSENTIAL OILS WHICH ARE TO BE USED THERAPEUTICALLY IS OF PRIME IMPORTANCE It is, obviously, very important to be sure that the oil you are using is indeed obtained from the plant whose therapeutic properties you had in mind when using that oil, and the only way to be certain of this is to use the Latin botanical names for the plants."
"Even an oil which is quite truthfully described as pure may be of poor quality, and therefore of less value therapeutically. IF AN ESSENTIAL OIL COSTS MUCH LESS THAN YOU WOULD NORMALLY EXPECT TO PAY FOR IT, the oil may well be a third or fourth distillate from a batch of plant material which has already yielded the greater part of its properties to the first or second distillation."
"AS A ROUGH AND READY GUIDE... look for simple but informative labeling (botanical name, part of plant) And avoid any oils that are not packed in opaque glass. ...and DO NOT BUY ANYTHING THAT IS VERY MUCH CHEAPER."
"THE BEST QUALITY OF ESSENTIAL OILS WILL, NOT SURPRISINGLY, COST MORE... "
~ o ~
The following excerpts are from Holistic Aromatherapy, A. Berwick, 1994, Llewellyn Pub., St. Paul, MN pp. 168.
"It is important to work with high quality, pure essential oils whenever you can. Many of the oils on the market are of poor quality."
"LOW PRICES MAY ALSO MEAN THE OIL IS A SECOND OR THIRD DISTILLATION OF THE PLANT MATERIAL, in which case it will have far less therapeutic value. Sometimes oils are diluted with another plant that has a similar aroma, but costs less... Obtaining the specific oil you want is more likely if you know the correct botanical name..."
"The oils should be sold in dark glass bottles, definitely not in plastic".
"Common Methods of Adulteration:
- A certain quantity of the main chemical constituent may be added to the essential oil to "stretch" it.
- Oil from a cheaper plant may be added. Citronella may be added to melissa & spearmint to birch.
- Synthetic aromatic substances may be added. This can cause irritation, allergies, nausea, headaches, and reduced therapeutic value.
- Some of the chemical constituents may be removed. Since an essential oil is an extremely complex cocktail of hundreds of chemical constituents, some of them in very small amounts, this will alter the therapeutic value of the oil. Menthol is often removed from peppermint oil and used by the pharmaceutical industry. As a general rule, the more an essential oil is interfered with physically or chemically, the less clinical value it will have".
~ o ~
The following excerpts are from The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood, 1991, New World Library, San Rafael, California, pp. 90.
"For effective therapeutic use it is crucial that only pure essential oils be used ...reconstituted products or chemical copies of natural essences simply do not work..."
"... a large variety of so-called essential oil products have been devised... In law, all of these products come under the heading "essential oils", which can be confusing to the inexperienced buyer: "reconstitutions"; "nature identicals"; "isolates"; "perfume compounds"; and "aromas", such as "lavender aroma". Apart from the range of products that have been devised to take the place of essential oils in perfumery, there are other essential oils which, when mixed with others, mimic the aroma of the essential oil whose name they carry... This is all very well if perfumery is your concern, BUT NO GOOD AT ALL if the ... oil is required for a therapeutic Purpose."
"NO REPUTABLE ESSENTIAL OIL SUPPLIER SELLS ESSENTIAL OILS ALL AT THE SAME PRICE."
"... it is often the case that a synthetic aroma will smell more pungently of the raw material than the real thing. Do not influenced by strength, but rather by price, supplier reputation, and, in time, your own experience and instinct".
~ o ~
The following excerpts are from The Healing Power of Aromatherapy by Hasnain Walji, Ph.D., 1996, Prima Publishing, Rocklin, Calif., p. 28).
"BE GUIDED BY PRICE" (low price = low quality)
"Because the oils are susceptible to heat, light, and air, they must be kept in dark glass containers. Clear plastic bottles are definitely not recommended."
"AROMATHERAPY IS NOT MERELY ABOUT SMELLING NICE... It is a therapy and should be respected as such. Just as you would not expect your medical practitioner to prescribe medication that was substandard, so you should not be prepared to accept anything less than the best that is available..".
~ o ~
The following excerpts are from Aromatherapy Workbook, by Marcel Lavabre, 1990, Healing Arts Press, Rochester, Vermont, pp. 20-21.
"Most essential oils available on the market are of very poor quality for two main reasons. The first is that the chemical composition of the essential oils of a given plant can vary greatly, depending on the variety, the time, the soil, and the methods of cultivation and distillation."
"The second reason is that recent advances in chemistry have flooded the market with synthetic essential oils."
"FOR AROMATHERAPY... ONE SHOULD USE ONLY THE BEST QUALITY OF ESSENTIAL OILS."
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