While the idea of extracting essential oils from plant parts and using them for things like cooking, health, and aromatherapy might be foreign to some, these practices have actually been around for thousands of years.

While we know much more today about the benefits and uses of plant parts and essential oils thanks to technology and research, the people of ancient civilizations had the right idea; there are countless ways to use plants and plant parts due to the wide variety of plant types and species available.

Regardless of where an essential oil is found within a plant, essential oils are known to play an important role in plant life because they can perform many functions.

In many cases, essential oils give a plant its aroma. In addition to giving a plant a distinct smell, essential oils can have defensive properties that protect the plant by keeping insects away. Essential oils also play an important part in plant pollination and the reproductive processes of a plant, and can even help a plant heal itself when injured.
While it is relatively easy to know where to find essential oils, it requires a delicate, scientific process to grow and care for the plant, extract the oil, and process it properly so that it can be useful.
From a scientific perspective, essential oils are referred to as volatile aromatic compounds. When you hear the word “volatile”, you might think that it holds a negative meaning, however, this just refers to an essential oil’s ability to change its state quickly.
As volatile aromatic compounds move quickly through the air, you can experience the scent when the compounds interact directly with sensors in the brain. With over 3,000 types of volatile aromatic compounds discovered so far, it is important to note that these compounds greatly determine the benefit, aroma, and nature of each essential oil.

Hundreds of thousands of different plants cover the planet earth, playing a vital role in animal and human life by producing oxygen, providing food, regulating water, creating habitats, and more. There are a wide variety of plant types, species, and families, and each plant has characteristics that make it useful for certain purposes.

Hidden in the roots, bark, seeds, and flowers of plants, essential oils cannot be seen with the naked eye. They are natural compounds found within plants, and are highly concentrated, which makes them very potent.