Is It Safe to Eat Essential Oils?

 

The essential oil industry continues to gain momentum and is projected to be worth upwards of 18.5 million dollars by the end of 2020. Along with this boom has come a tsunami of influencers and companies touting the benefits of aromatic blends. Essential oils are everywhere — but just because they can lift the overall mood of your home through a diffuser, doesn’t necessarily mean they belong in your kitchen. Read on to find out what you need to be know before introducing essentials oils to your home or diet regimen.

What Is An Essential Oil?

Derived from plants, essential oils are substances extracted via pressure and/or steam that aren’t soluble in water. They are concentrated solutions of the aroma of various parts of plants. These oils are used in a variety of ways, including aromatherapy and topical treatments. The potent oils are often mixed with water and diffused into the air, or mixed with neutral “carrier” oils or lotions to be administered topically. Oils can even be mixed with other household items such as witch hazel, Epsom salts and rubbing alcohol to make cleaning and beauty products.

Are Essential Oils Regulated?

Most essential oils are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While some brands claim their products are “therapeutic,” there is no official definition to this term. As food science expert Dr. Taylor Wallace explains, this is not a one-size-fits-all process. “There are certainly many essential oils marketed with ‘aromatherapy’ claims that they will treat health problems or improve wellbeing. Depending on their intended use, the FDA may regulate these products as food ingredients, dietary supplements, cosmetics or drugs. The safety (and level of evidence used to substantiate claims) of these compounds can substantially differ based on which category they fall under.”

Tina Tews, NOW Beauty & Health brand manager, says that there are some over the counter (OTC) and prescription products that do contain properly vetted essential oils to claim to help with conditions like IBS or anxiety. “For these, therapeutic doses are known, established and clinically tested,” she says. But don’t fall into the trap of assuming the "natural" label on essential oils means "safe." It's a good idea to check with your doctor before taking an OTC product, especially if you take prescription medications.

Therapeutic usage of any product is met with more stringent evaluation, and in order to be eaten, the FDA can designate a product as GRAS, which stands for generally recognized as safe. Wallace adds, “Some essential oils are [GRAS] for use in food to provide flavor and some are even added to dietary supplements (they are indeed edible).” However, if an essential oil is intended for treating or preventing a disease, it's regulated as a drug and must meet certain requirements and approvals set forth by the FDA. "The FDA has, in the past, sent several warning letters to foods and dietary supplement manufacturers that make drug claims for essential oils in their products," says Wallace.