If you’re an essential oil lover, then you know that there are tons of different terms used to describe the quality of oils. What you might not know, is that some of these regularly used terms don’t actually carry any significance. A lot of essential oil brands use these terms regularly in an effort to make their oils seem better or higher in quality, but the truth is these terms don’t mean anything at all.
Let’s dig deeper into two of these terms that we see misused and misrepresented on a regular basis: “Therapeutic grade” and “Food grade.”
Therapeutic Grade:
While this term may seem like it verifies using an oil for therapeutic practices, in actuality there is no governmental agency or generally accepted organization that "grades" or "certifies" essential oils as "therapeutic grade.” In fact, there is no formally approved grading standard used consistently throughout the essential oil industry at all. This means that any company can claim that their oils are therapeutic grade and the use of this term is never regulated. “Therapeutic grade” is simply a meaningless marketing term that carries no value.
Food Grade:
Another one that we see all too often is “food grade.” The truth is, food grade does not mean that an essential oil is safely edible. The FDA doesn’t actually classify essential oils—or anything else—as “food grade.” It does however have a list of Generally Recognized As Safe (“GRAS”) essential oils for human consumption when used for their “intended purpose.” Mainly used as flavor ingredients in a wide range of products and their inclusion in the GRAS category is dependent, in part, upon their defined safe maximum concentration limits in edible goods. Consider a drop or 2 of peppermint oil in a batch of several dozen cookies.
For Additional Information on Substances Generally Recognized As Safe from the FDA.
So what should you look for when picking out your essential oils?
With Silk Road Organic you can count on all of our essential oils to always be pure, authentic and USDA certified organic. We value transparency above all and vow to only deliver the highest quality products, while never using terms that don’t have value to their meaning. We strive to educate our customers so that you can make the healthiest and safest choices for yourselves and your families.
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