Author
|
Topic: extracting essential oils?
|
aquastar Knowflake Posts: 24 From: miami, fl Registered: Mar 2005
|
posted June 29, 2005 12:35 AM
how do i extract oils from herbs? i want to extract it either through a machine or manually. i don't know how botanists used to do it or egyptians. so any help will be appreciated. thanks IP: Logged |
Aphrodite Knowflake Posts: 4084 From: Registered: Feb 2002
|
posted June 29, 2005 11:38 AM
How about putting the herbs with hardy stems into warm water? The oil will release from the plant and float to the surface. I've seen this happen with lavender and rosemary. IP: Logged |
proxieme Knowflake Posts: 4786 From: Southern 'Bama Registered: Aug 2002
|
posted June 29, 2005 01:56 PM
I found this link: http://www.naturesgift.com/extraction.htm IP: Logged |
proxieme Knowflake Posts: 4786 From: Southern 'Bama Registered: Aug 2002
|
posted June 29, 2005 01:57 PM
And this one: http://www.oneplanetnatural.com/stores/oneplanet/distillation.htm IP: Logged |
proxieme Knowflake Posts: 4786 From: Southern 'Bama Registered: Aug 2002
|
posted June 29, 2005 02:00 PM
This looks like the most home-friendly method for leafy herbs (like mint, which I'm working on):Steam Distillation Steam distillation is the most common method of extracting essential oils. Many old-time distillers favor this method for most oils, and say that none of the newer methods produces better quality oils. Steam distillation is done in a still. Fresh, or sometimes dried, botanical material is placed in the plant chamber of the still, and pressurized steam is generated in a separate chamber and circulated through the plant material. The heat of the steam forces the tiny intercellular pockets that hold the essential oils to open and release them. The temperature of the steam must be high enough to open the pouches, yet not so high that it destroys the plants or fractures or burns the essential oils. As they are released, the tiny droplets of essential oil evaporate and, together with the steam molecules, travel through a tube into the still's condensation chamber. As the steam cools,it condenses into water. The essential oil forms a film on the surface of the water. To separate the essential oil from the water, the film is then decanted or skimmed off the top. The remaining water, a byproduct of distillation, is called floral water, distillate, or hydrosol. It retains many of the therapeutic properties of the plant, making it valuable in skin care for facial mists and toners. In certain situations, floral water may be preferable to pure essential oil, such as when treating a sensitive individual or a child, or when a more diluted treatment is required. ~~~ I'm going to try this with the little vegetable steamer insert that came with one of my pots...because, darnit, I don't have a still handy. IP: Logged |
proxieme Knowflake Posts: 4786 From: Southern 'Bama Registered: Aug 2002
|
posted June 29, 2005 03:47 PM
...Yeaaaah...that didn't work.IP: Logged |
aquastar Knowflake Posts: 24 From: miami, fl Registered: Mar 2005
|
posted June 30, 2005 03:16 AM
lol well i'll try it out and i'll keep searching for more methods. thanks anyway. if i find a method that works i'll post it. thanks again IP: Logged |
Randall Webmaster Posts: 21757 From: Columbus, GA USA Registered: Nov 2000
|
posted July 01, 2005 01:02 PM
------------------ "There is no use trying," said Alice; "one can't believe impossible things." "I dare say you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." Lewis Carroll IP: Logged |