11 Apr The Power and Provenance of our Lemon Essential Oil
Lemon Essential Oil (citrus limonum) has always been popular in aromatherapy because of its wonderful fresh aroma and its ability to deliver an impressively large number of benefits and uses. Comparatively to other oils it is relatively inexpensive and can be used in a whole host of different ways! Absolute Aromas has consistent high quality in its range of citrus oils and Lemon is no exception. We source our Lemon Essential Oil from a long-established farm on the outskirts of Murcia, Spain where they have been growing Lemons in their acres of groves for many years, supplying the fruits to an array of different industries for many different purposes.
Where possible, our Absolute Aromas team regularly visit the farms and producers of our raw Essential Oils – our owners Kay and David have travelled across the world to visit the source of the raw materials used in our products. When we asked them why it was so important to do this, although one of the answers was “So we can sample the local cuisine!” the deeper reason is of course, to check the quality, sustainability and working conditions of those involved in the growing and production. It has always been important to Absolute Aromas to make the sustainability and ethical production a key focus in our business.
Growing Lemons
Citrus limonum is one of 16 recognised species of the Citrus family of fruits. The small evergreen tree reaches a height of 5 or 6 metres and usually has sharp thorny twigs bearing oval shaped, dark green leaves. The fragrant flowers have 5 petals, white inside and tinged with pink on the underside. Although the fruits of the trees are what they are grown for, the Lemon blossom also makes a wonderfully fragrant tea. The photos used in this blog were taken on a recent visit to the Lemon farms of southern Spain where you can see some of the processes during growing and after the fruits have been harvested.
The warm Mediterranean weather in southern Spain is perfect for growing citrus fruit and the farm where our Lemons are grown is based here, where fields of varying citrus trees stretch as far as the eye can see. The fruit and Essential Oil are produced on a grand scale here and wastage of the raw product is almost nil as almost all the fruit is used – whole Lemons, the juice, pith and oil are all extracted here to be used in many different food, drink and cosmetic products. Lemon is arguably the most versatile of all the citrus fruits, being employed in a vast assortment of consumables, skincare, perfume and toiletry products – because of this, Lemons are one of the most commercially important citrus fruit in the world today.
Lemons are usually harvested at any time after the fruits reach a 25% juice content, with the pickers using rings to determine the ideal commercial size. When demand is great, it is common for the fruits to be harvested as early as possible and allowed to ripen during transport. The Essential Oil is obtained by cold pressing the rind of the fruit and is typically a pale yellow-green colour with the familiar fresh, clean and crisp lemon-peel aroma. The cold pressing process involves the waxy rind (which contains miniscule pockets of oil) of the fruit being removed in large raspy graters to remove and agitate the rind. As the graters burst the miniature oil sacks, the oil is released, and water is passed over and through the grated rind to further release oils. The oil and water are then filtered to remove any solid rind and spun at high speeds to separate the oil and water. When the water is removed, just the pure Essential Oil remains. Cold pressing the oil at low temperatures ensures the nutrients in the oil remain and these will last longer than if an oil is pressed in warmer environments.
How we have used Lemons throughout History to Support Health and Wellbeing
The Lemon has been widely used throughout history for its healing qualities, having been first used in Ayurvedic and Chinese traditional medicine and then later adopted in European folk medicine. Lemon juice and honey, or lemon juice with ginger has been universally taken as a remedy for seasonal chills in many countries and cultures for years. Throughout history, Lemon juice has been taken internally to treat inflammatory conditions, to ease digestive problems, dysentery, hiccoughs, jaundice and palpitations of the heart. In Italy, historically the sweetened juice was used to relieve gingivitis, stomatitis, and inflammation of the tongue, and today Spanish folk medicine credits so many medicinal properties to the Lemon that entire books have been dedicated to it.
In the late 18th century, it was discovered that fresh Lemon juice was one of the finest treatments for scurvy, which was the scourge of the Royal Navy, often with entire crews dying due to a lack of vitamin C. To the untrained sailors’ eye, over-ripe limes resembled unripe lemons, and both fruits were used as the cure for the disease. This eventually led to early American mariners giving British sailors the nickname of ‘lime-juicers’, which was later shortened to the more familiar nickname of ‘limeys’.
Modern Benefits of Lemon Essential Oil
This tangy oil to this day is used in remedies to aid those common winter chills we all suffer from – a hot honey and lemon drink has been used to sooth throats since as far back as the 10th century when ancient Egyptians used it as a throat salve. Of course, due to its potency and the fact that it is not classified as a food, Lemon Essential Oil should never be used internally, or undiluted. Used on the skin, Essential Oils should always be diluted in a carrier oil, something unscented like Sweet Almond Oil or Grapeseed is perfect if being used in massage.
Lemon has a clearing effect and is very effective when used in an oil burner. Try adding 2 drops of Lemon, 2 drops of Lavender and 1 drop of Geranium to the water in an oil burner when feeling under the weather – the Lemon should feel clearing and refreshing while the Lavender and Geranium will promote soothing calmness. Because of its zesty freshness, Lemon is a great oil to wake you up; try our ‘Spring Morning Blend’ by combining 3 drops of Grapefruit, 2 drops of Peppermint, 2 drops of Lemon, 1 drop of Eucalyptus and diffuse into your home to feel really invigorated. Grapefruit and Lemon provide a zesty burst of citrus, while the Peppermint adds a refreshing coolness. Eucalyptus brings a breath of fresh air, perfect for awakening your senses.
Lemon blends easily with almost any Essential Oil, and when needed, it is particularly effective at rounding off the sweet edge of oils such as Ylang Ylang, Geranium, Rose and Sandalwood. It also works well with Roman Chamomile, Cypress, Fennel, Juniper Berry, Lavender, Neroli and of course other citrus oils. Lemon has an impressive list of therapeutic properties; used in massage it is helpful in boosting circulation and can improve the skin’s appearance. Like many citrus oils, lemon is a mild photo-sensitiser (light absorber) and should never be used neat on the skin or even applied diluted prior to exposure to direct sunlight or UV sunbeds.
Lemon is also a valuable cleanser for our bodies and homes. With natural antibacterial properties it can be added to shampoo and conditioners for a really invigorating clean feeling, and likewise its properties are also beneficial in the bathroom and kitchen as a mix of 500ml water, 500ml white vinegar and 20 drops of Lemon Essential Oil makes a great all-round surface cleaner and can be stored in a re-useable bottle for daily spritzing. If you don’t have an aromatherapy diffuser, a great way to infuse your home with a zesty sense of freshness is to simply blend Grapefruit, Lime and Geranium Essential Oils in some water, add the mixture to a spray bottle, and spritz around the house. (Remember to avoid polished surfaces and do a little patch test if you’re unsure!) Essential Oils are a more environmentally friendly way to fragrance your home rather than by using chemical-laden plug-ins and candles.
We use Lemon Essential Oil in so many ways here at Absolute Aromas – it features in some of our blends such as the uplifting Daybreak blend, our calming De-Stress blend and our energising Refresh blend. Of course, you can also find Lemon in our Natural Room Spray and in other products from Epsom to Himalayan salts, aroma-rolls and more; it really is so versatile! Remember to keep your eyes on our social media pages this month too as these will feature posts and usage tips for Lemon Essential Oil as well as an enlightening video on how we source our Lemons in Southern Spain.