What Is Wintergreen Essential Oil And What Are Its Uses?
Wintergreen essential oil is known for its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. It is usually used against muscle aches, headaches and other conditions. Keep reading!
Wintergreen essential oil has become popular for its pain-relieving effects. Although for now the evidence on its benefits is limited, there are studies that suggest that it reduces muscle strain, headaches and the presence of certain pathogenic bacteria.
On the other hand, it stands out for its clean and minty aroma that is used as a natural relaxant. Even so, it is a product that must be applied with caution, as in certain cases it is contraindicated. To learn more about it, we invite you to continue reading.
What is wintergreen essential oil and how is it obtained?
Wintergreen essential oil is a product obtained from the perennial shrub that bears the scientific name Gaultheria procumbens. It belongs to the Ericaceae family and is native to North American countries, such as the United States and Canada. It has a tall trunk, as well as oval green and white leaves, which later turn into edible red berries.
To make the essential oil, the leaves of the plant are collected and they go through a fermentation process. Once this is done, the distillation is continued to obtain a purer product. In the end, you get almost entirely methyl salicylate, which is its active ingredient.
Notably, production has now decreased as synthetic methyl salicylate is created. In fact, the latter appears among the ingredients of several types of oil, including commercial wintergreen oil or teaberry oil .
Composition of wintergreen oil
As an article in Molecules magazine explains , wintergreen oil is a source of bioactive phytochemicals that give it certain benefits. In particular, 80 to 90% corresponds to methyl salicylate, which is responsible for most of its properties. On the other hand, it contains the following:
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkPrivacy policy