Essential Oils or Herbs

Last week I confessed that I do not love essential oils. This is only because of my over sensitive sense of smell. Since I began studying aromatherapy and herbalism I have noticed a strange phenomenon. In this world of plant medicine there are those who are drawn to aromatherapy and those who are drawn to herbalism. I have not heard once that it is from the scent of the oils. However; I wonder if the sense of smell of others is heightened and they too cannot find the beauty in the oils because of this. Or perhaps it is the opposite and their sense of smell makes the oils all the more attractive. This got me wondering.

I decided to write down the pros and cons of both. Individually they are two very beneficial approaches but together they become a powerhouse. Is there a reason people choose one over the other?

Question: Which is Better Essential Oils or herbs?

Essential Oils

The highly concentrated oils that are produced by the plants. They are found in roots, bark, wood, leaves, flowers, and fruit. The oils contain the chemical compounds of the plant that provide the plant and oil with its profile. They create the scent, the color, and the therapeutic value. The percentage of each compound varies dependent on soil, water, temperature and growing conditions.

PROS

Essential oils are highly concentrated. Measurement for use is done in drops.
Their effects can be quick.
If stored properly, some oils have a shelf life of up to five years.
They can be made into very personalized blends.

CONS

The beneficial compounds must be extracted from the plant material by distillation, pressing, solvents, or CO₂ . Not always possible for an individual.
A lot of plant material is needed for a small amount of oil.
Some oils are very expensive.
The plants native growing locations and distillers may be around the world, making the oils difficult to source.
The oils can be easily adulterated lessening their therapeutic qualities.

HERBS

PROS

A great variety can be grown at home which gives you the opportunity to know the plant up close.
Access to all parts of the plant if you grow your own.
The cost is reflected in home grown herbs.
Independent herb farms are becoming more readily available. Get to know them and how they grow their herbs. Clean, fresh or dried local herbs are much better than herbs that began their world travel months ago. (In my opinion) You might also make an herbal buddy.
Herbs can be used in many forms topically and internally.

CONS

Your favorite herb may not grow in your area.
You can’t control weather patterns and may have an unsuccessful growing year.
Gardening takes time and patience.
You can’t source the plants or seeds.
Critters love your herbs as much as you do.

The choice to study one over the other is a personal one. Herbalists like Rosemary Gladstar learned about using plants medicinally from her grandmother at a time when information was not available with the push of a button. The knowledge was handed down from generation to generation. It makes more sense that people would have studied how to use the plants that grew around them. Quite honestly I have not read up on the history of essential oils, other than René-Maurice Gattefossé’s discovery of lavender.

To answer the question which is better?

Answer: Both

As you can see there are pros and cons to both. Why people choose one over the other may be as simple as it was the first that caught their attention. My thought is that they fell in love with one and chose to dive deep into that area. Slowly my preference is leaning toward creating herbal remedies with the whole plant. I believe it is because I love being out in the garden. Watching the plants go from seed or sprout to harvest is very fulfilling. Additionally, my overly sensitive sense of smell also plays a big part in this choice. It is unfortunate that is takes away some of the beauty of using essential oils but it is something that I will work with.

So tell me, Which do you like best and why?