How Safe are Essential Oils?

Essential Oil Facts - 

IBISworld Industry Market Research. 
'The Essential Oil manufacturing industry develops and produces concentrated hydrophobic liquids that contain aroma compounds from plants. An oil is "essential" in the sense that it carries a distinctive scent or essence of the plant... A growing consumer shift to natural, eco-friendly products is also contributing to revenue growth."

Most Industry Production of Oils however is used for Perfume and Cosmetic Companies, Such as Proctor and Gamble. This is called the Global Flavor and Fragrance Manufacturing Industry. The trends for this industry are increasing despite economic turmoil. 

Growth of the Industry of Essential Oils may be due to the fact that  consumers are recognizing a need for natural medications and alternative solutions. 

"Because standards for quality control of essential oils do not currently exist in the United States, it is important to find reputable sources that sell good quality essential oils if you are planning to use them for health-related purposes. Whether you buy essential oils in a store, from an individual, or from the internet, be sure to read any information provided on the label or website, or ask questions about quality." 
(also from IBIS world Industry Market Research)

What types of Fragrance Essential Oils are in the Market Place? 

1. The first is “Synthetic”; which is used in the Perfume and Industrial industry. These oils are made up of synthetic compounds or are chemically engineered. This makes up about 98% of oils that are sold today.  These oils are used for their aromatic compounds and not therapeutic effect and not for human consumption.

2. The second is “Food Grade”; these oils are used in the food industry. For an Essential Oil to be used in the food industry it has to pass as “Generally Recognized as Safe” by the Food and drug administration.  This test is commonly known as the GRAS Standard. (taking about this later)

3. The third group of oils are Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils. 

There are currently no regulatory standards for the descriptive use of "Therapeutic grade" products labeled as essential oils and many of these oils are sold very cheaply  in the Health Food Stores. 
If you are using these types of oils, (cheep ones from the Heath Food Stores) you may find that your oils will not only not get you better, they may even make you sick. (No wonder some feel that said that oils are not safe for human consumption.) 

Why Doterra Essential Oils Differ 

Doterra Essential Oils, by choice, Undergo 5 Separate extensive chemical tests to insure that the oils and there theraputic effect are safe for the consumer, these tests are not conducted by Doterra but by a hired non-bias third party of chemists.  
(I am personally acquainted with one Chemist who resides On Doterra's Scientific Board, she graduated from BYU in Chemistry and worked at UNLV on cancer research and Essential Oils... her family lives near me. She as well as other chemists are not allowed, in any aspect, to join Doterra, it would be a conflict of intrest.)   

Doterra Testing Of Oils (CPTG Testing) 

 

1. Doterra Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils go through a testing process called Gas Chromatography. Most reputable companies in the Essential Oil industry conduct this particular test. (though many not reputable companies do not) This test checks and insures that the Doterra Oils contains the correct compounds; Using gas chromatography, quality control engineers can determine which compounds are present in a test sample and, as importantly, at what levels.
2. The second test that is done by Doterra  is done with a Mass Spectrometer  and called Mass Spectrometry Testing, this insures that all the compounds in the oils are free other impurities that need be rejected. Mass spectrometry provides additional insight to the purity of an essential oil by revealing the presence of non-aromatic compounds, such as heavy metals or other pollutants, which are too heavy to elude along a gas chromatograph. These two tests insures you as the consumer that oils do not contain pesticides, harmful chemicals or other pollutants or contaminants. 
3. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy or FTIR testing.  FTIR testing identifies chemical compounds in consumer products, paints, polymers, coatings, pharmaceuticals, foods and other products.  (I got this definition about FTIR testing from Intertek.com a company that insure your products meet quality, health, environmental, safety, and social accountability standards for virtually any market around the world.)
4. Microbial Testing:  This test is performed on all incoming material to the manufacturing facility, and also performed on finished products to ensure no harmful organisms have been introduced to the product during the filling and labeling process, and to ensure shelf-life stability.
5. Organoleptic Testing - the analysis of the properties of products and materials—mainly foodstuffs—by means of the sense organs. 
1. In addition to these tests some government organisations such as the FDA, provide a list
   
   of ingredients called GRAS (generally recognize as safe) that are approved for use as food additives, preservatives, and cosmetics. To date all but 7 Doterra Essential oils fall onto the GRAS list, This standard as well as the above self imposted testing standards, ensure that Doterra essential oils are the top quality Essential Oils available on the market today.
2. Scripture Proof of Essential Oil Safety
3. The Sons of Arron, as recorded in Leviticus of the Bible helps us understand that God believes Essential Oils are perfectly safe for human consumption.
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   Leviticus 2:1-3  And when any will offer a meat offering unto the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:  And he shall bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord: And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’: it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire.
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   Leviticus 6: 15-16 And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meat offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour, even the memorial of it, unto the Lord. And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it.
   
   
   Frankincense refers to many different types of oils and spices in the scriptures, not just Frankincense the oil.  But, for those who feel Frankincense can't be ingested for medicinal purposes be sure and read the following article about it's beneficial effects when injested you can find it at this link on Drugs.com .
   
   
   Exodus 37:29
   And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.  
   
   
   

   Apothecary  is an archaic word for pharmacist the historical name for a medical professional who formulated and dispensed medications to physicians, surgeons and patients this helps one to know that oils used were the same as, or made after the manner of ancient Israelite pharmaceutical practices.  An Apothecary is now a role now served by a pharmacist. 
   
   
   

   The Scriptures recognize the use of Essential Oils, Ointments and Compounds as being something used by ancient pharmaceutical practice -reference to an Apothecary helps us understand that oils were used for medicines  - Nehemiah records about Hananiah a righteous Israelite that strengthen the walls and gates at Jerusalem.  He was the the son of an ancient Israelite pharmacist, an Apothecary.  Nehemia 3:8 
   ... Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries, and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall. ( see Nehemiah 4:17 to understand why I called this young apothecaries son righteous - it is a wonderful and interesting story. Also, it states that Hananiah was the son of "one of the apothecaries" meaning there were more than just one Ancient Israelite Apothecary.)
   
   
   Exodus 30:25
   And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. 
   
   
   I love this scripture, it helps us understand that God feels that being able to use oils is not just a simple thing it is an art-form!  

Doterra Oils Recommended for Cooking

1. Cooking With Oils
2. Essential oils are extremely concentrated - don't use as much oil as if you would dried spices or extracts. (When I use Thyme Oil, for instance, I only dip in a toothpick and stir it into pumpkin soup.)  Many commercially available flavoring extracts use artificial flavors or are diluted in alcohol or propelyne glycol. I bought a generic orange flavoring at the Grocery Store just to show people the label.  It is too small to take a picure but look at one one time in the store.  The one I bought claimed to be, "PURE ORANGE" and on the back it says that it is 85% Alcohol, so really it is only 15% pure orange.) Essential oils are the natural flavor, pure as extracted from the natural plant itself - as God intended and Doterra Oils are 100% Pure Oils. 

1.  
2. Sweet Spice Oils: Cassia, cinnamon,  clove, fennel, ginger and peppermint.
3. Savory Spice Oils: Basil, black pepper, cilantro, coriander, fennel, ginger, lavender, marjoram, oregaino, rosemary and thyme.
4. Citrus Oils: Bergamont, grapefruit, lemon, lemongrass, lime, wild orange. 

The Book Called "Modern Essentials" a contemporary guide to the use of essential oils contains a list of all Doterra Oils and their common uses.  It has been made for those of us who are becoming versed in the apothecary arts.  In the back of the book, is a chart called the  Quick Usage Guide - Helping you know which Oils can be used for ingestion and which oils need dilution for human consumption and which oils are not recommended for human consumption.  This chart even explains uses and dilutions of oils that are safe for an Adults, Children or Women in Pregnancy. 

Wonderful that soon after I finished prepairing this post I read an article in Doterra Living Magazine.  Dr. David K. Hill; Can Essential Oils Be Taken Internally?,  Dr. Hill came to the same conclusive evidences that I did through my own personal study.  

Here are a 10 key points from article:  Can Essential Oils Be Taken Internally? by Dr. David K. Hill.

1.     Many essential oils are safe for internal use.
2.     Excluding internal uses of oils would eliminate, a most powerful mode of administration.
3.     Science, ever-expanding, continues to confirm the safety of internal use.
4.     Vitamins and minerals, in high doses, can be toxic, likewise so can essential oils.
5.     Incredible benefits can be reaped when used appropriately and safely.
7.     There is no universal standard governing the production of essential oils.
8.     Doterra uses a third-party sicentific team to insure standards of compositon and saftey.
9.     Many Doterra oils are found on the FDA's Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) list. 
10.  Taking oils internally should not be regarded lightly, use caution, be educated.

Dr. David Hill's last statement, I feel, puts many things in perspective. 
"The multi-faceted range of health applications empowers every individual with the opportunity to naturally manage their health with the utmost confidence. "

This is what essential oils use has done for me.  It has allowed me to safely take control of my own health and be confident, that when I have a problem, Doterra Essential Oils, along with my personal choice to educate myself to their medicinal values and uses, allows my husband and I to manage the health of our family with self sufficient assurance. 

Single Essential Oils to date that do not fall under the (GRAS) List 
Birch
Cypress
Eucalyptus
Wintergreen
Pachouli*
Sandlewood* and Vetiver*. 
* These oils are in general approved FDA as a food additives and flavoring agent, but not recommended for children under 6, and diluted for adults.

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2. The CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® mark represents dōTERRA’s own third party standards for sourcing and testing pure aromatic botanical extracts using independent laboratory analysis.  It is a standard created by Doterra because no other standard existed.  Yes, it is a regestered trademark, but the Essential Oil Company regestered this mark to show it maintained a particular standard where no standard previously existed. The dōTERRA brand and registered CPTG® mark represent dōTERRA’s guarantee of pure essential oil extracts that meet high standards for both purity and material composition and for accurate product labeling.