The Scent of Grapefruit — In Parts-Per-Billion
An example of why essential oils need to be whole and natural
Adapted from an article by David Stewart, Ph.D., R.A., in Grade-A-Notes.
Used by permission.
With any therapeutic-grade essential oil, the major portion of it (about 99.99%) is composed of only three elements: carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Sometimes, however, sulfur and nitrogen also contribute key roles.
For example, the distinctive fragrance of grapefruit oil (Citrus paradisi) is due to a sulfur compound (1-p-menthen-8-thiol) in a tiny trace amount — an infinitesimal 0.0000001%. While proportionally a very insignificant part of the oil, as a whole, its presence dominates the scent of grapefruit.
In contrast to this, although grapefruit oil is 95% d-limonene, that is not what we smell. d-Limonene, in any concentration, is experienced as a faint orange-like aroma. Amazing as it seems, that one molecule in a billion of the sulfur compound is so strong, it overcomes the d-limonene, and is easily picked up and distinguished by our noses. (Strong odors are a characteristic of most sulfur compounds, which are also found in garlic and the oil of garlic.)
Check it out.
If you have a bottle of grapefruit oil handy, take a whiff and experience a molecule or two of that sulfur compound. You can impress your friends by saying, "Hmmm, … I believe there's a trace of 1-p-menthen-8-thiol in this oil."
While all of the citrus rind oils (orange, lemon, tangerine, mandarin, and lime) are mainly composed of d-limonene, they each have different fragrances and different therapeutic properties, determined by their minor and trace constituents. Grapefruit, for example, can dissolve fat tissue and can be used to assist in weight loss and reduce cellulite. However, this property is not due to its main ingredient, but due to its minor and trace compounds, in conjunction with the d-limonene.
This is another illustration of why an essential oil needs to be harvested and produced as close to nature as possible, without tampering with even the least of the ingredients.
The coming of a new book
The above article on grapefruit oil is an extract from a new book written by Dr. David Stewart, entitled: The Chemistry of Essential Oils Made Simple: God's Love Manifest in Molecules. This is an amazing book (all 848 pages of it) that I'm sure you'd enjoy reading. It has answered many of my questions about the oils.
Dr. Stewart is also the author of HEALING OILS OF THE BIBLE and A STATISTICAL VALIDATION OF RAINDROP TECHNIQUE. These books are available from Essential Science Publishing. You can order or online or by calling (800) 336-6308).
