5 Reasons: Organic Essential Oils
5 REASONS FOR ORGANIC ESSENTIAL OILS
Choosing the best essential oil to
meet your needs requires knowledge about the differences between organic and
non-organic essential oils. This is a major issue that can determine if a
remedy will be effective. Any certified
organic essential oil will be suitable for therapeutic uses as well as less
irritating, safer with children and pregnancy, and better for the Earth. There
are many explanations for these statements and I will lay them out here as
simply as possible.
Organic farming does not use chemical
insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and post-production preservatives.
Organic certifications like Ecocert and USDA Organic are highly regulated and
it can take farms 4-10 years to get the facilities and soil up to standard.
With these regulations, the product is tracked from seed to consumer to assure
the consumer that the product is free of non-organic materials. The flip side
is non-organic or conventional farming uses chemicals to achieve the desired
result. Some farms are conventional, but grow organically, however, when
standing in the store the organic seal is the only way to be certain.
Choosing organic or
non-organic essential oil is even more important than with other types of plant
products for 5 REASONS:
1. Essential Oils Are Concentrated
Every drop of essential oil are extracted from hundreds of pounds of plant material.
2. Absolutely Clean, No Harmful Chemicals
Essential oils are extracted through
steam distillation which uses pressurized steam to separate the essential oil.
This process will also concentrate any compound on or in the plant that is
under a certain molecular weight. Many fertilizers and industrial chemicals are
below this weight and will be concentrated in the final product along with the
essential oils. Many of these chemicals are irritating to the human body and
are known carcinogens. The presence of these chemicals limits the therapeutic
effectiveness and reduces the safety of the essential oil.
3. Know What You’re Getting
Some non-organic essential oils show
signs of adulteration, synthetic compounds, and additives. In the worse cases
the “essential oil” may not contain any plant material at all. Cutting edge
agro-technology is researching GMO (genetically modified) essential oils like “super-lavender”
and “super-peppermint”. Organic standards assure the consumer that what they
are buying is natural, chemical free and derived from plants.
4. Better Quality & More Effective
Essential oils are the immune system
of the plant and naturally repel bugs, pests, and infections. They also help to
resist competing plants, boost fertility, and preserve the plant after harvest.
The chemicals used in conventional agriculture do these things for the plant
using insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and preservatives. These
conventionally treated plants do not need to produce a robust essential oil
because the chemicals do it for them. Therefore, organically grown plants
produce stronger and more effective essential oils because they are growing in
natural conditions that encourage essential oil production.
5. Save the Earth
Organics are better for the
environment. It requires a whole field of plants to produce a few liters of
most essential oils. Therefore, a bottle of essential oil represents a large
amount of land mass and may contain thousands of plants. When buying organic
you know that the soil and seed used to create the essential oil are free of
chemicals or genetic manipulation. Essential oils are the best way to put money
toward organic farming because each bottle of essential oil purchased
represents a significant amount of organic land mass. Organic farming produces
less pollution, regenerates the soil, and is better for the health of the
farmers, water, and animals in the region relative to conventional methods.
In conclusion, certified organic
essential oils are superior for many reasons most importantly they are safer
and more effective for therapeutic use. Non-organics are cheaper (in many
cases), however, the cost reduction comes with a price to human and planetary
health.
article by | NATHAN ROSE
I am in love with my work sharing the
joys of plants and herbs. Assisting others to help themselves with simple,
safe, and effective remedies is my passion. Ultimately, I intend to help
humanity expand their consciousness and to do my part to heal the Earth. I am a
specialist in holistic health, a writer, and an artist. I have extensive
training and have practiced as a holistic health practitioner for 10 years as a
certified advanced level aromatherapist, licensed massage therapist, certified
yoga instructor, and herbalist.
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