Essential Oils: Ingestion, Inhalation & Topical Use
And this is particularly important if you’re following the AIP, because you may occasionally come across a recipe that recommends an essential oil as a substitute for an extract. A drop or two of peppermint essential oil might sound like an innocent swap for peppermint extract, but these products aren’t interchangeable simply because they come from the same plant.
Internal Use/Ingestion
Let’s get the big question out of the way first: Should you be adding essential oils to your food or swallowing drops of them?
My answer is no — not as a casual DIY practice.
Essential oils are highly concentrated mixtures of plant compounds. The fact that an oil comes from an edible plant does not mean that consuming the concentrated essential oil is equivalent to eating the plant itself. Dose, concentration, formulation and route of administration all matter.
This is also where the phrase “100% pure” can be misleading. An oil can be pure and still be inappropriate to swallow. Likewise, seeing an essential oil described as “food grade” doesn’t mean that you should use it like a culinary ingredient or take drops of it directly.
There are legitimate therapeutic uses for certain essential oils taken orally in specific formulations and doses. That is very different from casually ingesting essential oils at home, and oral use is something I’d leave to an appropriately qualified healthcare professional who understands the particular oil, the intended use, dosing and potential interactions.
“While the internal use of essential oils is suggested by some, we believe in a cautious approach. A deep understanding of anatomy, physiology, and essential oil chemistry is necessary before internal use is considered.”
– Source: Aromahead Institute – Essential Oil Safety
Essential oils can cause adverse effects when swallowed, including irritation of the mouth and digestive tract, nausea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Some oils can be toxic at relatively small amounts, and essential oils can also interact with medications. Children are particularly vulnerable to poisoning from essential oils.
So if you’re tempted to put a few drops of peppermint essential oil into your water because someone on the internet told you it’s good for your digestion, I’d suggest putting the bottle down and doing a little more research first.
Essential Oil vs. Extract
This is worth a little detour because it’s one of the reasons I originally wrote this article.
You may occasionally see an AIP recipe calling for a drop or two of peppermint, orange or another essential oil because the recipe creator is using it in place of an extract.
I wouldn’t automatically make that substitution.
Essential oils and culinary extracts are made differently and contain very different concentrations and combinations of plant compounds. An essential oil isn’t simply a more concentrated version of the extract in your baking cupboard.
If a recipe calls for an extract, my first choice is to find an AIP-compatible extract. And a quick update if you’ve been around the AIP for a while: alcohol-free extracts are no longer required because the amount is so miniscule, it’s not worth stressing about. Instead, however, look for a quality, pure, organic extract and check the ingredient list carefully. Avoid products containing “natural flavors” or “artificial flavors,” since these are catch-all terms that don’t tell you exactly what you’re getting.
Looking for quality ingredients? Browse the Baking Ingredients section of my AIP Storefronts on Amazon USA | Canada| UK.
If you can’t find a suitable extract, I’d rather you adapt the recipe than casually start adding essential oils to your food. And here’s my favorite rule of thumb when it comes to the AIP:
If you’re looking for the flavor or benefits of an edible plant, eat the plant!
For recipes, that might mean using lemon or orange juice or grated zest, or fresh peppermint or oregano leaves when appropriate, rather than reaching for the essential oil.
Aromatherapy & Topical Use
Okay, so if we’re going to be cautious about using essential oils internally, is there any point discussing the topic further for our purposes on the AIP?
Absolutely!
There are plenty of aromatic and topical ways to use essential oils, and research suggests that aromatherapy may be helpful for things such as relaxation, stress and certain types of pain. The evidence isn’t equally strong for every use, and essential oils aren’t a substitute for appropriate medical care, but that doesn’t mean there’s no place for them.
My use of essential oils began out of desperation with my husband’s migraine headaches. He was taking migraine medication EVERY day for a long stretch of time and was finding no relief. Add to that his debilitating chronic pain and fibromyalgia – not a good scenario.
It was at that point that I started researching essential oils, attended a few webinars and took some online courses with Aromahead Institute.
I started slowly at first, simply using an ultrasonic diffuser with peppermint essential oil for him or having him use a homemade inhaler, and then branched out into some specific oils recommended for his ails.
Did essential oils help him? In our experience, yes. But that’s our experience, and essential oils can affect different people very differently. What works beautifully for one person may be completely ineffective — or even irritating — for someone else.
Since I’m not an herbalist or aromatherapy specialist I’m simply going to suggest this amazing reference book that can help you – it’s my go-to encyclopedia for all things essential oils! Grab a copy of “The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy” by Valerie Ann Worwood – click here.
A Word About Topical Use
Essential oils are highly concentrated, so topical application generally means dilution rather than putting the oil directly on your skin.
The appropriate dilution depends on the particular oil, the person using it and what you’re using it for. Some oils also have specific safety considerations, including the potential to cause skin irritation, allergic sensitization or increased sensitivity to sunlight.
Always check the safety information for the particular oil you’re using rather than assuming that because one essential oil is safe in a particular dilution, all essential oils are.
I find it very convenient to use roller bottles for topical application and love having a number of blends prepared and ready to go.
And, as with anything you put on your skin, start conservatively. Your skin doesn’t need an essential-oil overachiever!
Digestive Upset
Since many people following the AIP suffer with digestive upset, this may be an area you want to consider incorporating essential oils.
Some essential oils are traditionally used in aromatherapy or massage for digestive discomfort, like ginger, tarragon, peppermint, clove and oregano. I wouldn’t, however, recommend treating digestive problems by swallowing essential oils, and I wouldn’t assume that because an oil is associated with digestion that it will necessarily help your particular symptoms.
So, how can you use them?
1. Aromatically. One option is aromatic use. When you inhale an essential oil, the aromatic compounds interact with the olfactory system and can influence the nervous system. This is one reason aromatherapy is being studied for things such as stress, nausea and other symptoms.
2. Topically. As mentioned above, another option is appropriately diluted topical use, such as massage or through roller ball application.
Digestive Relief Massage & DIY Blend
If you’d like to experiment with topical aromatherapy, Aromahead Institute has a Digestive Belly Rub Blend that you can use as a starting point.
When using a massage oil blend, apply the appropriately diluted oil gently rather than aggressively rubbing it into the skin. And remember that a topical essential-oil blend is being used for its aromatic and massage application — it isn’t a substitute for addressing the underlying cause of persistent digestive symptoms.
Quality Oils
As you are likely aware, there are many options out there for essential oils, and prices vary dramatically!
I personally will not use the extremely high priced oils offered by the big multi-level marketing companies that quickly come to mind, and I won’t affiliate or sell these products because I firmly believe that people can find excellent quality oils without paying a premium simply because of the marketing model.
That doesn’t mean that I recommend buying the cheapest bottle you can find, either.
When purchasing essential oils, look for a reputable company that provides clear information about the botanical name, plant part used, method of extraction and appropriate safety information. Ideally, the company should be transparent about sourcing and quality testing rather than relying on vague claims about being “pure” or “therapeutic grade.”
I personally choose to purchase most of my oils from Ki Aroma. I’ve been happy with their products and pricing over the years, although I don’t opt for their blends because I prefer to make my own and find creating my own blends to be more economical.
Essential Oils on the AIP: My Bottom Line
Essential oils are concentrated products containing biologically active plant compounds. They aren’t inherently good or bad — how you use them matters.
For me, the biggest distinction is between using essential oils aromatically or appropriately diluted on the skin and putting concentrated essential oils into my body.
I would not casually ingest essential oils, and I would not use them as a substitute for a culinary extract simply because an AIP recipe happens to suggest it.
If you’re interested in using essential oils, educate yourself about the specific oil, the route of application, appropriate dilution and any potential interactions or safety concerns.
And remember that essential oils are very individualized. What works for one person may not work for another, and I have found throughout the course of my own health challenges that I have become tolerant or intolerant to various oils along the way.
The bottom line?
Educate yourself, start cautiously and pay attention to your own response.
And if you’re following an AIP recipe that tells you to add a drop of peppermint essential oil to the batter because there’s no suitable extract available… well, that’s exactly the sort of thing that got me started on this soapbox in the first place.
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Further Reading
- Aromahead Institute — Essential Oil Internal Usage Foundations — a deeper look at why internal use requires knowledge of formulation, dosage, contraindications and interactions.
- NCCIH — Aromatherapy — an evidence-based overview of aromatherapy, including inhalation and topical use.
- Health Canada — Essential Oils and Botanical Extracts — information about potential risks and DIY use of essential oils and botanical extracts.
- NCCIH — Peppermint Oil: Usefulness and Safety — particularly useful if someone wants to understand the distinction between studied peppermint-oil preparations and casually swallowing peppermint essential oil.