My first Magazine essential-oils-for-beginners | Page 5
The chemical profiles within the oil would be damaged or destroyed with other processes that use higher
temperatures.
Steam distillation begins with boiling water, which results in steam that passes through the plant material.
As the steam passes through the plant part, the heat and pressure release the essential oil from microscopic
protective sacs within the plant. The steam then carries the volatile aromatic compounds that were released
from the plant into a collecting tube. Here, the steam cools and is condensed back into water, yielding a layer
of oil. The layer of essential oil rises to the top, where it is separated from the water and collected. Since
essential oils are lipid soluble, it is easy to separate them from water.
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. . . . . . . . . Citrus
. . . Rinds
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. . . Pressed
. . . . Oil . . . . . . . . . Excess
. . . . Plant
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Expression
Unlike the process of steam distillation, expression (often called “cold When you understand what essential
pressed”) doesn’t use heat to extract the essential oil. Typically, this process oils are, where they come from, and
is used to extract essential oils from the peels of citrus fruits like grapefruit,
lemon, lime, orange, and bergamot.
During expression, the rind of the fruit passes across grated cylinders that
grind the peel’s surface, breaking open tiny sacs that contain essential oil.
After the essential oil sacs are opened, the fruit is sprayed with water in order
to collect the essential oil after it is released. This watery mixture then goes
through a filtering process to get rid of any excess peel pieces, and the water
is separated from the oil.
that they’ve been used safely for
centuries, it is easy to see that they
are not an unexplained mystery, but a
practical tool to be used in everyday
life. If you are still wondering how
essential oils might be applicable to
your lifestyle, keep reading to learn
about the uses and benefits they hold
for individuals of all walks of life.