15/11/2019
The difference between essence and essential oil
The difference between essence and essential oil
Essences and essential oils are two different types of extracts, each with specific benefits:
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Characteristics of essence
- Usually taken internally
- No or little scent
- Water-based
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Characteristics of essential oil
- Highly concentrated oils
- Eextracted from different parts of a plant
- Obtained only from plants that have the fragrance and other characteristic properties of a plant
- The pure essential oils come from carefully cultivated plants
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What is essence?
The essence is obtained from a drug, plant or the like through the process of distillation, maceration, absorption or pressing. Essences contain their characteristic properties in concentrated form. Concentrated essences are very strong extracts that can be twice to four times as strong as normal extracts. Imitation essences are the chemically produced substances that aim to reproduce the taste and scent of the original ingredient.
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Essential oil
A natural oil, typically obtained by distillation, with the characteristic smell of the plant or other source from which it is obtained.
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Comparison table
| essence | essential oil |
|---|---|
| Definition | |
| A flavouring used in recipes to give them the flavour and aroma of the original ingredient. | A concentrated oily liquid containing the volatile aromas of plants. |
| Fragrance | |
| less fragrant | strongly fragrant |
| Base | |
| water | oil |
| Aftersaid healing function | |
| energetic | biochemical |
| Reception | |
| internal | mostly external |