Just Eat the Darn Orange

Ahh .... sweet, tart, juicy orange - the aroma bright and cheerful.

If you love it, when you catch a whiff, it will send you into a tizzy of cheerful delight.  Why? Because it's refreshing, tasty, and has a strong association of wellness.  Why? Because oranges are loaded with Vitamin A, C, D, Calcium and many other trace minerals.

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Some essential oils come from edible plants but that doesn't mean that one should consume the essential oil.

Essential oils should never be taken orally, and don’t let a sales person tell you otherwise!

Essential oils that are of a culinary nature are used in the food and beverage industry as flavour enhancers. Foods that are packaged or altered in some way are done so by food chemists who are bound by industry protocols, licensing and government regulations. When food chemists add a substance to a food in order to enhance the flavour they must comply with safe percentage additive guidelines.

Sometimes you may see the term GRAS status on a label, meaning that a substance is Generally Recognized as Safe by the EPA & FDA (Environmental Protection Agency & Federal Drug Administration). This does not indicate that an essential oil is safe to ingest as a medicine or or from a nutritional perspective.

Many companies are promoting the idea that it is safe to consume essential oils due to their naturalness and purity, with anecdotal marketing tag lines that entice purchasers into believing that essential oils can be used to cure, treat or render the human body from developing illnesses and disease. For example adding a few drops of a cold pressed citrus essential oil to your water or smoothie DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY VITAMIN C nor does it provide any other nutritional benefits compared to eating and/or consuming the whole fruit.


Some essential oils contain naturally occurring substances that cause mucous membrane, esophageal and stomaching lining irritation. Under the code of ethics stipulated by organizations such as the Canadian Federation of Aromatherapists and the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, essential oils should never be ingested for any reason.

Well I suppose, one drop of pure cold pressed orange oil in your smoothie won’t kill ya† 😳 but there’s no point - just eat the darn orange🍊and if you want some extra happy wellness go ahead and diffuse the orange oil.

Sharing Truths - Not Nonsense.
Sandra Topper, has been a Certified Aromatherapist in Canada since 1993 and is  registered with the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy as a Clinical Aromatherapist & Aromachologist.

†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration or by Health Canada. This information and/or these statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease and should not be relied upon when making important medical decisions.

Note:  Aromatherapy, like any other natural therapy is intended to complement not replace traditional medicine.