What is Therapeutic Grade?

The following is a modified version of a Guest Post from Robin Phillips at Grasping the Essence Since the term therapeutic grade essential oils is not regulated by any independent group, what do I mean when I use the term? And what is the difference between the therapeutic grade essential oils provided by Young Living and other over-the-counter essential oils that claim to be pure? The distinction is of utmost importance, since 90% of the essential oils marketed in the United States would not qualify. To start with, therapeutic-grade is not simply an indication of purity. Young Living produces oils that have an unusually high concentration of therapeutic components. You cant get that without having your own farms and doing your own distillations or in the case of Frankincense, have access to the finest plants (trees) in the world. To get these high concentrations of therapeutic components, Young Living uses a process that involves strict attention to detail right from the seeds sown to the plants harvested. This ensures that the oils they provide are the purest, most potent essential oils available. This precise, detailed method is known as the Seed to Seal process. Young Living essential oils are: 100% pure Sourced only from known botanical species Sustainably grown and harvested Grown on chemical-free lands in carefully nourished soil (organic) Unmatched throughout the essential oils industry So pure and natural, theyre used and recommended by integrative health professionals around the world The fact that Young Livings oils are organic is more important than food being organic. Since essential oils are the concentrated essence of the plant, any contaminants in the soil or on the plant will become present in the oil. When we compare Young Living s therapeutic-grade essential oils with the type of pure essential oils available at wholefood shops, we find significant differences in quality and purity. For example, the Essential Oils Desk Reference tells us that: Pure frankincense is often extended with colorless, odorless, solvents such as diethylphthalate or dipropylene glycolunfortunately, a large percentage of essential oils marketed in the United States fall in this adulterated category. When you understand the world of synthetic oils, as well as low-grade oils cut with synthetic chemicals, you realize why unsuspecting people with their untrained noses dont know the difference Anyone venturing into the world of therapy using essential oils must use the purest quality oils available. Inferior quality or adulterated oils most likely will not produce therapeutic results and could possibly be toxic.

The Four Grades of Oils Basically, there are 4 grades of essential oils: 1. Grade A oils are pure, therapeutic, and superior quality. They are usually made from organically grown plants, and are distilled at the proper temperatures. Virgin soil may also be used. 2. Grade B oils are the most common essential oil and they are sometimes labeled as pure. However, they may still contain pesticides, fertilizers, synthetics, extenders, or carrier oils. While Grade B oils are considered food grade, I would never recommend ingesting these oils. 3. Grade C are perfume grade and usually contain the same type of adulterating chemicals as Grade B oils. They also often contain solvents which are used to gain a higher yield of oil per harvest. Solvents are not healthy. Still, these oils are sometimes used in aromatherapy or for making perfume products. 4. Floral Water is a byproduct of the distillation process. It can be very high quality if superior, organic material is used and it comes from a Grade A distillation process. However if it is from compromised raw materials and/or a poor distillation process, it will be a very low quality. Floral Water is often used for more expensive oils, such as Rose Oil, since it takes 5000 pounds of roses to make just one 1 pound of essential oil. FDA Says Only 5% of Ingredient = pure In her book, Their Leaves for Healing: The Divine Gift of Plants That Heal, Elizabeth Flores writes that: 90% of what is sold in the United States as pure essential oil is fragrance-grade and diluted. (The FDA has determined that a product need contain only 5% of the ingredient on the label in order to use the word pure.) These oils are found on the shelves of many health food stores and at online discount houses. They may be less expensive, but they will not be useful for healing. Questions to Ask When trying to decide which quality of oils to buy, these are some of the questions that need to be asked (taken from The Essential Oil Desk Reference):

Are the fragrances delicate, rich, and organic? Do they feel natural? Do the aromas vary from batch to batch as an indication that they are painstakingly distilled in small batches rather than industrially processed on a large scale? Does your supplier subject each batch of essential oils through multiple chemical analyses to test for purity and therapeutic quality? Are these tests performed by independent labs? Does your supplier grow and distill its own organically grown herbs? Are the distillation facilities part of the farm where the herbs are grown (so oils are freshly distilled), or do herbs wait days to be processed and lose potency? Does your supplier use low pressure and low temperature to distill essential oil so as to preserve all of their fragile chemical constituents? Are the distillation cookers fabricated from costly food-grade stainless steel alloys to reduce the likelihood of the oils chemically reacting with metal?

Does your supplier personally inspect the fields and distilleries where the herbs are grown and distilled? Do they verify that no synthetic or harmful solvents or chemicals are being used? Do your essential oils meet AFNOR or ISO standards? How many years has your supplier been doing all of this? Do your essential oils have a shelf life of just a few years? [If so, this means they are probably mixed with a carrier oil (like almond oil) that will go rancid.] This means the oil is certainly not pure. Do your essential oils come from an edible plant, yet have a warning on them not to take them internally? [This is a huge red flag!]