Cooking With Essential Oils

It is believed that essential oils were first extracted from plants by the ancient Egyptians, approximately 6,000 years ago. Since that time, the known benefits of essential oils have continued to grow. Some people use essential oils for their health benefits, while others use them to keep their houses clean and sterile. Also, let us not forget that thousands of people purchase essential oils to simply enjoy the smell of their pleasant fragrances.

A fourth benefit of essential oils comes when they are used for cooking. However, before adding them to a food or beverage, be sure that you have a top quality essential oil. Quite simply, essential oils are oils extracted from plants. A number of methods are used to extract essential oils, however steam distillation produces the highest quality essential oils. Removing the oil essence of a plant with steam allows the oil to remain completely pure while retaining its natural properties. Avoid using essential oils that were extracted with harsh chemicals or alcohol solvents, like SD40 alcohol, carbon dioxide and propylene glycol.

Essential oils may come from any number of various plants and plant parts. Common plant parts from which essential oils are extracted, include: flower pedals, seeds, stems, leaves, roots and even bark.

The flavors of essential oils encompass a range as wide as their known benefits. Citrus oils, such as lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, mandarin and lime, are tangy. More traditional cooking ingredients also produce the following essential oils: cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, black pepper, oregano, basil, dill, rosemary, sage, tarragon and cumin. While some essential oils, like peppermint and spearmint, have a minty taste. Please remember that essential oils are the extracted essence of plants. Therefore, they have an extremely concentrated flavor and can impact a drink or food dish with as little as one or two drops.

These oils also differ from traditional cooking oils like olive oil or sesame oil, in two dramatic ways. First, they do not contain glycerol. Because of this, they do not posses a slippery feel and do not leave a "greasy" residue on things they touch. Second, distilled essential oils do not contain any fat or cholesterol.

It is also important to point out that using essential oils in your kitchen, may actually save you money. Typically, the citrus oils are quite inexpensive. Instead of spending money on whole lemons for water or tea, use one or two drops of lemon oil or spearmint oil. Essential oils are extremely stable and will last for many years when stored in a cool, dry, dark place, like a pantry.

Because tastes preferences are unique to each individual, it will be necessary to experiment with essential oils flavors and quantities that are perfect for your pallet. To help speed up this experimental process, the following general guidelines are offered. Just don't forget to let your nose help guide you.