The Best Essential Oils for Detoxification

Every day we are exposed to toxins that are harmful to our health. We consume toxins in the foods that we eat, in the water we drink and bathe in, the products that we use, and even in the air we breathe.

 

Thankfully, the body is able to filter out many of these toxins, but this process can still be a major burden on our detoxification organs. When these detox organs, like the liver and kidneys, are overworked from processing excessive toxins, the toxins begin to pass through into our bloodstream and become stored in our fatty tissue.

 

As toxins build up, our health decreases, and many different diseases can manifest. This is why it is important to regularly detox your body, and to avoid exposing yourself to toxins the best you can.

 

Detoxification refers to the process of removing toxins from the body. There are many ways we can support this process, and using certain essential oils is one way. Just make sure you’re working with pure essential oils that are specified to be food grade, as there are many cheaply made essential oils that can actually be toxic if consumed.

 

What Are Essential Oils?

 

Essential oils are basically plant extracts that are made by steaming or pressing various parts of a plant (flowers, bark, leaves or fruit) to capture the compounds that produce fragrance. It can take several pounds of a plant to produce a single bottle of essential oil. In addition to creating scent, essential oils perform other functions in plants, too. Oftentimes an essential oil contains very concentrated amounts of certain plant compounds—which is why some can be used so effectively for medical uses like detoxification.

 

Best Essential Oils for Detoxification

 

While many essential oils offer detoxification properties, the essential oils mentioned in this list are among the best essential oils for detox:

 

1. Oregano

 

Oregano essential oil is by far one of the most potent oils for detoxification. It is loaded with antioxidants and powerful compounds that have many proven health benefits. There is a difference in oregano oil and oregano essential oil.

 

Oregano oil is the extract, usually extracted in a carrier oil like olive oil, while oregano essential oil is the actual essential oil and is much more potent. Both oregano oil and oregano essential oil have powerful antibiotic, antimicrobial, anti-parasitic and antifungal properties, and may also help you lose weight and lower your cholesterol levels.

 

Oregano essential oil contains numerous powerful plant compounds. Two of these really stand out when it comes to the primary benefits that oregano essential oil offer. Carvacrol, the main active compound in oregano oil, is a type of antioxidant called a phenol. Thymol, another powerful compound, helps protect against toxins and fights fungal and parasitic infections.

 

2. Tea Tree

 

Tea tree oil is another great oil for detoxification. Tea tree oil has potent antifungal and antibacterial properties, and it is also known to kill parasites in the body. One of the keys to getting rid of parasites is to break down the biofilm that parasites use to protect themselves and stay hidden from your immune system. Tea tree oil may disrupt this biofilm, and may also improve immune system response to parasites as well.

 

Lab studies have showed that tea tree oil can inhibit the growth of bacteria like Psuedomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae. These bacteria cause serious infections, including pneumonia, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness, bloodstream infections, strep throat, sinus infections and impetigo. Because of tea tree oil’s antifungal properties, it may have the ability to fight or prevent fungal infections like candida, jock itch, athlete’s foot and toenail fungus.

 

3. Fennel

 

Fennel herb has historically been used for a number of gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, flatulence, and constipation. Like the herb, the essential oil is also commonly used to help with feelings of stomach upset which is helpful during a detox since the digestive system works overtime to help eliminate toxins.

 

Additionally, research has shown that fennel essential oil has antioxidant properties, giving it the ability to scavenge free radicals. This makes it a fantastic choice to help support your detoxification.

 

4. Black Cumin

 

Black cumin, commonly known as black seed oil, has many diverse health benefits and is a great essential oil for detoxification. Studies have shown that consuming black seed oil may assist in improving liver and kidney function, preventing both damage and disease. These vital organs are essential to the body’s detoxification process, helping to digest fats and keep your mind and body happy and healthy.

 

Studies have also shown that black seed oil may have several therapeutic effects on the gastrointestinal tract which are attributed to the anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties of its naturally-occurring constituents such as thymoquinine.

 

5. Ginger

 

Ginger is a common spice used in many culinary dishes. It is also commonly used for various stomach ailments. Ginger essential oil has many similar benefits to ginger, and it is especially significant for stomach ailments and various stomach infections, such as a parasite infection.

 

Ginger has been shown to help reduce the number of parasite worms and eggs in the body. Studies show that ginger seemed to help whether these parasites were in the intestines or in the liver, which is unique among other herbs. It also may help to minimize the damage of these organs from the parasites.

 

Ginger is also powerfully anti-inflammatory. One 2019 study looked into the effect of supplementing ginger extract into the diet of obese mice on a highly refined carbohydrate diet. The researchers found that high doses of ginger extract prevented increases in weight and decreased markers of inflammation.

 

6. Lemon

Lemon essential oil is a great oil for detoxification. Lemon is a powerful antioxidant, and it is great for scavenging free radicals, which also makes it a great choice for supporting the liver through the detoxification process. Lemon essential oil is actually widely used in Ayurvedic medicine for helping to detox the liver, as well as to boost hydration levels in the body and to help stimulate the immune system to fight off disease. Lemon essential oil can help improve your digestion, heal skin breakouts, remove harmful pathogens and promote lymphatic drainage.

 

7. Grapefruit

 

Grapefruit is a powerful essential oil for detoxification. It contains antiviral, antiseptic, and diuretic properties, and animal studies show it may even help with weight loss. Traditionally, grapefruit essential oil has been used to support the lymphatic and digestive systems, as well as for boosting overall immunity. Not only does it smell amazing, but it is also high in antioxidants and healing compounds.

 

8. Peppermint

 

Peppermint  is a refreshing and uplifting essential oil that also has many benefits for the digestive system. Peppermint oil is a great essential oil for detoxification because it helps to soothe your digestive system, detoxify your liver and lift your mood. It is also rich in antioxidants which can help to scavenge free radicals.

 

Another interesting thing about peppermint oil is that it can help remove heavy metals like iron from the body which further aid in the detoxification process.

 

9. Lemongrass

 

Lemongrass is a great oil for detoxification that has many unique properties including: anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiseptic, astringent and sedative.

 

Lemongrass oil has been used as a detoxifier in several countries. It is known to detox the digestive tract, liver, kidneys, bladder and pancreas. Since it is a natural diuretic herb, consuming lemongrass oil will help you to flush harmful toxins out of your body.

 

Lemongrass essential oil is also a source of essential vitamins such as vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, folate and vitamin C. It also provides essential minerals such as magnesium, phosphorous, manganese, copper, potassium, calcium, zinc and iron.

 

10. Orange

 

Orange essential oil is another great essential oil for detox. This oil is particularly good for killing bad bacteria. A 2012 study, for example, looked at the effect of orange essential oil on E. coli isolates obtained from beef—isolates that can potentially cause food poisoning. The results indicated that after 24 hours, a 1 percent or lower concentration of orange essential oil inhibited the bacteria at refrigeration temperatures.

 

Another study looked at the effect of orange essential oil on strains of Staphylococcus aureus that are resistant to antibiotics. They found that when added to infected human cells in culture, low concentrations of orange essential oil killed the bacteria without harming the cultured cells.

 

 

11. Clove

Clove is an amazing herb for detoxification because it has very strong antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic properties. Clove is one of the best herbs for killing parasites and it is often used in various parasite detox cleanses.

 

Clove essential oil is a powerful oil that has traditionally been used as an antiseptic and an anesthetic in dentistry. Clove essential oil is a powerful antioxidant which also helps boost your immune system, fight candida, soothe your digestive tract, as well as helping to cleanse the air in your home and remove airborne toxins.

 

How to Use Essential Oils for Detoxification

 

There are many different ways that you can use essential oils. When it comes to detoxification, the most effective way to use essential oils will almost always be to consume them. However, it is incredibly important that you purchase only food grade essential oils, and also that you do your own research on what essential oil you are using, as not all of them are good for internal use.

 

Other ways that you can use essential oils for detoxification involve placing a few drops of oil into your diffuse, or emulsifying an oil with witch hazel and adding it to a hot bath.

 

You can also combine an oil with a carrier oil such as almond oil and massage over your stomach or shoulders to help encourage natural detoxification, ease headaches and soothe your mood.

 

Summary

 

Essential oils have many great uses. Some essential oils can be used to support the detoxification process. Detoxification refers to the removal of toxins from the body. Typically, our natural detox organs—like the liver and kidneys—do all the work necessary for detoxification. However, we live in a time where we are exposed to far more toxins on a regular basis then our ancestors were, and it is very common nowadays for these detox organs to become overworked and stressed.

 

When this happens, they stop functioning as efficiently, and toxins tend to build up in the system. One of the best things we can do to support our body’s health (aside from avoiding toxins in the first place) is to do a detox cleanse. There are many different types of cleanses and ways to detox, and incorporating certain essential oils into your cleanse may offer many great benefits.

 

Essential oils are plant extracts made by steaming or pressing various parts of a plant (flowers, bark, leaves or fruit) that contain very concentrated amounts of certain plant compounds. Some of these compounds can be great for detoxification. If you want to use essential oils for natural detoxification, try incorporating some of the essential oils mentioned in this article—just make sure they are food grade and of high quality if you plan on consuming them internally.

 

 

 

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