Essential oils contain a wide range of health benefits. Their scents can send signals to the brain that can affect emotions and alleviate symptoms.
Adding food-safe essential oils can make cooking more flavorful and healthier. But be careful – oils are highly concentrated and can cause burns when used incorrectly.
Aromatherapy
Inhaling the aroma of an essential oil stimulates your olfactory system, which connects to the limbic system in your brain. This may cause the hypothalamus to release feel-good brain chemicals like serotonin.
These chemicals can make you feel more relaxed or focused, and they also have antiviral, nematicidal, insecticidal, and antioxidant properties. They may help with pain from headache or arthritis, ease menstrual cramps, and relieve indigestion. They also have antidepressant and sedative effects.
Before using aromatherapy, consult a trained aromatherapist. Look for a member of the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy. A certified aromatherapist can recommend the correct dosage of an essential oil for your specific needs and answer any questions you might have.
Always mix your essential oils with a carrier oil, such as olive, coconut or almond. It is not safe to inhale undiluted oils, and swallowing them has been reported as dangerous and even fatal in some cases. Talk to your doctor before trying aromatherapy if you have high blood pressure, low immunity or epilepsy.
Cooking with Essential Oils
In addition to the natural health benefits, using essential oils in cooking adds a burst of flavor. They can be used in place of herbs, spices or extracts. They can also be added to beverages and baked goods.
When deciding which essential oil to use in a recipe it is important to consider the safety guidelines. Essential oils are very concentrated and can be toxic if ingested in large amounts. They must be diluted before adding to food.
Look for CPTG certified therapeutic grade essential oils that have been independently tested and are deemed safe to ingest. Additionally, it is important to avoid essential oils that are not labelled as “food grade” as they may have been derived from plants that are toxic. For example, wintergreen oil is not a food grade oil and can be dangerous in large doses. In addition, essential oils can draw toxins from plastic bowls and cling to metal so it is best to wait until a recipe is finished to add the essential oil.
Health Benefits
Inhaling the scents of essential oils can stimulate your limbic system, the brain’s center for memory, emotion and behavior. They can also be applied to the skin, either straight from the bottle or diluted with a carrier oil, and can be used in diffusers, humidifiers or in your kitchen to flavor foods.
Essential oil benefits include antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties; they can help alleviate headaches, insomnia, nausea, and sore throats; boost immunity; improve digestion; promote healthy skin; and even increase energy levels. They can also be used as mild diuretics and can help reduce toxins in the body and home.
Before using essential oils, make sure to check the label for dilution requirements, as some can be too concentrated and cause irritation or damage to the skin when applied undiluted. And always patch test a small amount of diluted oil (a few drops to an ounce of carrier oil) on your skin before applying to larger areas, and wait 24 hours for a reaction.
Safety
It’s important to remember that essential oils are highly concentrated and should be used with care. When applying them directly to the skin, it’s recommended that you dilute them first with a carrier oil like coconut or olive. It’s also important to be aware of the safety guidelines for the specific oil you are using.
Some oils are phototoxic and can cause severe sunburn if exposed to direct sunlight after application, such as lemon, peppermint, thyme, ylang-ylang, or bergamot. Also, some oils are irritants and can cause irritation if they come into contact with your eyes or ears. To avoid this, always keep a cotton ball or swab soaked in a food-grade fatty oil handy and wipe away any excess.
It’s also important to take special precautions around children, as some oils can be toxic if they are ingested. Always keep the oils in a child-resistant bottle and out of their reach. A few drops of an undiluted oil is enough to have a toxic reaction. If you’d like to learn more about the safety of using essential oils, NOW Foods has a helpful chart for recommended dilution levels by age group.
