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NOW Pure Peppermint Oil is 100% pure, and steam distilled from fresh peppermint leaves. Peppermint's brisk, uplifting aroma has been enjoyed for centuries, in both aromatherpeutic and culinary applications. Peppermint can be invigorating and rejuvenating, and can also be taken internally when properly diluted. 100% Pure and Natural Mentha piperita Aromatherapeutic GC/IR Verified.

What are essential oils?

Essential Oils are the naturally occurring volatile oils obtained by steam distillation or cold pressing (expression), having the characteristic aroma of the plant part from which it was derived. These 100% pure oils are "neat", meaning they have not been processed, diluted or manipulated in any way with solvents or other additives. Although a particular species of plant harvested and distilled for its essential oil during a particular growing season in a specific region may produce a fragrance that differs from the same species grown in a different region, many of the main chemical markers and physical specifications may be very similar. NOW's citrus fruit essential oils are 100% cold pressed. NOW's other essential oils are typically 100% steam distilled.

Do essential oils have a grading system to tell me which is better?
There is no official grading system that grades essential oils as A, B, C or Therapeutic grade. All NOW 100% pure essential oils are accurately labeled as such and are the highest purity and quality available.

Are NOW essential oils pure or do they have anything added to them?
All of NOW 100% pure essential oils are labeled as such. NOW also sells clearly labeled oil blends that are formulated with essential oils or absolute extracts and another oil as a base, usually pure grapeseed oil. Natural Essential Oils by their very nature will vary slightly from season to season. NOW allows nature to take its course and do not add isolated compounds to the oil to try to standardize the naturally occurring variations of a particular oil. NOW takes both the organoleptic (sight, smell and taste) and chemical properties into account when selecting and testing NOW essential oils.

Essential Oils are mixtures of aromatic chemicals present in plant material such as leaves, buds, flowers, fruit, bark, root, or wood, and are comprised of various terpenes, acids, aldehyd:" ": the fruit. There are a few essential oils obtained using chemical solvent extractions. These products are termed ?concretes? and ?absolutes?, and are identified as such on the label. This discussion will center on the physical processes of steam distillation and cold pressing.

Steam distillation is a three-step process comprised of the following:
1. The plant material is placed on a screen in a steam still. Steam from a boiler is introduced under the screen where the plant material is held. The steam vaporizes the essential oil in the plant material. Both steam and oil vapor rise to a condenser.
2. The steam and oil are condensed to a liquid, and fed to a receiving vessel.
3. The essential oil rises to the top of the liquid in the receiving vessel. It is separated from the condensed steam liquid (water or hydrosols). The water may be returned to the boiler and reboiled into steam.

Cold Pressing is a four-step process comprised of the following:
1. The whole fruit is scarified, which means the peel or rind is mechanically pierced to open the sacs containing the essential oil.
2. The whole fruit is then pressed which squeezes out the juice and oil.
3. The oil and juice, which contains the peel and other fruit solids, are centrifuged to separate the liquids and solids.
4. The oil liquid layer is then separated from the juice liquid layer.

Further physical processing of either the steam distilled or cold pressed essential oils, such as filtering, winterizing, or distillation, may follow to clarify or rectify them by removing any debris, waxes, etc. In no instance is the use of chemical solvents permitted for products labeled as 100% pure essential oils, nor are any chemical additives permitted to enhance (adulterate) the oils. All of NOW's Essential Oils are produced utilizing only steam distillation or cold pressing with no additional ingredients. NOW also sells a few Essential Oil Blends, which are clearly labeled as diluted with additional oils.

Brand: NOW Foods
Pure Peppermint Oil - 2 oz.