Is it safe to use essential oils in cooking?

Looking to explore new culinary experiences? Essential oils are concentrated aromatic extracts that are increasingly used in cooking.

You might not have known, but essential oils aren’t meant to stay stored in your medicine cabinet! Contrary to what one might think, it’s quite easy to cook with essential oils (well, with some of them!). You just need to be aware of their potency and the need to dilute them. However, it’s essential to take into consideration the contraindications of each essential oil and let your imagination run wild!

WHY ARE ESSENTIAL OILS USED A LOT IN COOKING?

>Because essential oils have incredible flavor potency.

Thanks to their high aromatic potential, cooking with essential oils may help you avoid adding flavor enhancers that are often unhealthy (such as salt, fats, etc.). No need for taste enhancers; even the simplest foods will regain all their flavor with the help of essential oils. Moreover, they can replace or enhance the flavors of herbs, flowers, or spices, which can sometimes be hard to find or out of season.

>Because essential oils are very low in calories.

Just because they’re called ‘oils’ doesn’t mean they are calorie-rich! They are the only oils that won’t cause you to gain weight. If you are mindful of your diet, you can season all your dishes like salads, soups, and yogurts without the need to add a lot of fats or salt. However, it’s important to know that, contrary to what one might think, they don’t contain any vitamins (including citrus essential oils).

>Because essential oils are fun.

Change your recipes and let your imagination run wild with a few drops of essential oil. Once you’ve developed the right skills, it will be very easy to incorporate them into your dishes

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHICH ESSENTIAL OILS YOU CAN INGEST?

Essential oils used in cooking should be of very high quality, 100% pure, and natural. As always, I highly recommend choosing organic essential oils. The organic label is even more critical for citrus essential oils. These are obtained by expressing the fruit’s zest, which is the part most likely to retain pesticides. If the cultivation is not organic, you run a significant risk of finding them on your plate!

HOW DO YOU USE ESSENTIAL OILS IN A RECIPE?

MISCIBILITY OF ESSENTIAL OILS WITH INGREDIENTS

Since essential oils are not soluble in water, fatty or sweet substances like vegetable oil, sauces, egg yolk, honey, melted chocolate, or maple syrup are used to dilute them.

Don’t forget about ‘thick’ creams and liquids like milk, fresh cream, yogurt, smoothies, and soups. For these, the mixture is thick enough and stirred by the blender blades.

To flavor your beverages, you’ll also need an intermediary (usually sugar or honey) that you’ll mix into your tea, juice, or coffee.

Good to know: Cooking can cause essential oils to lose some of their fragrance.

WHAT DOSE TO ADD?

You need to be very light-handed. Start by trying with just one drop (unless you’re following a specific recipe). Dilute this drop in a fatty, syrupy, or oily substance depending on your preparation.

HOW TO INCORPORATE THE ESSENTIAL OILS?

You need to be cautious about the number of drops of essential oils you add to your dish, especially if it’s your first time using a particular essential oil. To avoid making a mistake and using the right amount, here’s our little tip: don’t add the essential oil directly to your dish. To avoid adding too much essential oil to your dish all at once, it is recommended to pour a few drops of essential oil into a separate spoon or bowl. Then, dilute these drops in a fatty or sweet substance, or in a small amount of your dish’s sauce. Gradually add the diluted mixture to the main preparation, tasting between each addition. Unlike dried herbs, if you’re adding essential oils to a hot dish, do it at the end of the cooking to preserve the oils’ flavors.

If you’ve added too much:

• If it’s a cooked dish, you can put it back on the heat, as cooking reduces the taste.
• If it’s a raw dish, you can dilute the essential oil by adding a fatty substance. For example, for a vinaigrette, you can add edible oil.

3 Rules to Follow:

1. Alternate between essential oils to benefit from their complementary effects on the body.
2. Never handle them near an open flame.
3. Don’t cook them because their medicinal properties deteriorate. Add them at the end of cooking or to raw preparations

WHERE TO INCORPORATE ESSENTIAL OILS?

>DAIRY PRODUCTS
All yogurts (animal or plant-based) can be flavored with essential oils. In an unsweetened yogurt, add a spoonful of honey in which you’ll dilute the essential oil of your choice. For a classic flavor, add two drops of citrus essential oils. For an exotic yogurt, add a drop of Ylang Ylang essential oil. This also works for whipped cream!

>EDIBLE OILS
Flavor your olive oil: for 1 liter of edible oil, add 15 drops of rosemary or basil essential oil (or 8 drops of each) to one liter of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. Shake well to mix the different oils and let it rest for about a day before using it to season salads, pasta, vegetables, fish fillets, and more.

>ICE CUBES
Add 1 or 2 drops of essential oil to half a spoonful of honey, agave syrup, or mashed fruit, mix it into an ice cube tray, cover with water, and freeze!

 Here are some quick ideas to get started:

• In the case of a cake, chocolate mousse, or pancakes: add essential oils directly to the batter, which is sweet and rich in fats.
• For syrup to drizzle over your cakes after baking, or for your ice creams: mix 250g of sugar syrup with about 4 drops of citrus essence (4 drops of one citrus or 1 drop of 4 different citruses, for example).
• Jams, marmalades, or honey: add a few drops of essential oils (e.g., lavender, thyme, or citrus essences).
• Season a pasta dish: add 4 drops of Clary Sage essential oil to a 400g pasta dish.
• Flavour rice: add one drop of Lemongrass essential oil to 400g of rice.
• Enhance an apple crumble with cinnamon essential oil