In 1997, the International Standards Organization (ISO) defined essential oils as "products obtained from crude plant materials, either by steam or water distillation, or by a mechanical process from citrus peel". Essential oils are the essence of plants. The adjective "essential" refers to their ability to contain the characteristic properties of the plant from which they were obtained. Thanks to this, essential oils often smell and taste great and can heal.
Essential oils are found in various parts of plants, such as leaves, fruits, flowers, seeds, bark and roots . We know several ways of obtaining essential oils, the most common of which is steam distillation . Other extraction methods are carbon dioxide extraction, cold pressing, flower aroma saturation, maceration and solvent extraction.
However, not all plants produce essential oils. Despite the fact that we know almost 400,000 species of plants, only a little over 300 of them are used in aromatherapy . Each essential oil has its own unique effects. Most essential oils are the subject of scientific studies that confirm their antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and many other qualities. Therefore, essential oils have been used for thousands of years in various cultures to treat diseases and health problems. They were used, for example, in ancient Egypt or traditional Indian and Chinese medicine, and they are also used for medical purposes in today's traditional medicine.
Essential oils affect both the body and the mind. They know how to improve mood, help with headaches, fatigue, digestive problems or burns.
To choose the right essential oil according to a specific symptom, we have prepared a section on use according to effects .
Ways to use essential oils
We know three basic methods of using essential oils – inhalation, internal and external use . The small size of the molecules of these oils allows the body to absorb them quickly.
External use is mostly applied through direct application to the skin or through dilution with a carrier vegetable oil. Essential oils can also be applied during the bath.
The most popular method of inhaling essential oils is diffusing , in which the oil is dispersed into the air using a diffuser and the oil is then absorbed into the human body. Other popular methods are spray application and direct inhalation from a bottle.
The internal use of essential oils is nothing new , they are very popular especially in the food industry. Essential oils are added to water or drinks, used to flavor food, eaten in capsules or applied directly under the tongue. However, not all oils are suitable for internal use, so you should carefully study which oil can also be used internally before use.
How to recognize quality essential oils?
When buying all essential oils, you should pay attention to the quality of the oil . However, this rule applies doubly when choosing oils for internal use. It is necessary to check whether the manufacturer has marked the oil as suitable for internal use.
An important part of the selection also consists in finding the right brand that offers essentials in organic (BIO) and Food Grade (food grade) quality, or publishes chemical analyzes of its oils.
