How Essential are Essential Oils and their uses
An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) Chemical compound from plants Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetherolea, or simply as the oil of the plant from which they were extracted, such as Oil of lavender An essential oil is "essential" in the sense that it contains the "essence of" the plant's fragrance—the characteristic fragrance of the plant from which it is derived. The term "essential" used here does not mean indispensable or usable by the human body, as with the terms Essential amino acids or Essential fatty acids which are so called because they are nutritionally required by a given living organism.
Essential oils are generally extracted by distillation, often By steam. Other processes include absolute oil extraction, resin tapping, wax embedding, and cold pressing. They are used in perfumes cosmetics soaps and other products, for food and drinks, and for adding scents to incense and household cleaning products.
Essential oils are often used for aromatherapy , a form of alternative Medicine in which healing effects are ascribed to aromatic compounds. Aromatherapy may be useful to induce relaxation, but there is not sufficient evidence that essential oils can effectively treat any condition.