Gardenia Essential Oil Benefits [Heavenly Aroma]

Today you will discover a pretty amazing essential oil namely Gardenia. First I’ll explain what the plant Gardenia is and then tell you about the history of this essential oil. Before you learn the full health benefits of Gardenia Essential Oil.

Gardenia plant is an evergreen shrub that is scientifically known as Gardenia jasminoides. It belongs to Rubiaceae family. Gardenia is a unique fragrant plant that is a small tree. Which grows to a height of two to five feet with similar dimensions in its width giving it an overall round, shape.

Gardenia produces yellow or creamy white tubular flowers with large, berry-like fruits. These contain a sticky, orange pulp and glossy evergreen leaves. This plant is a native to China, subtropical and tropical Africa, and Asia. Gardenia plant grows well in the west and south of united states, and it is also grown in Japan.

In ancient times, the leaves and roots of Gardenia plant helped in cleansing the body and treating fever. Its flowers were and are still used to scent teas.

What is Gardenia Essential Oil?

Gardenia known for its mind-blowing fragrance and its large white flowers that are appealing to everyone. This flowering plant usually thrives in a humid climates, and many of the species can grow up to a height of 49 feet. It is one of the most fragrant, sweet smelling flowers, which is why so many choose to grow the plant in their gardens.

Gardenia like any plant, it must be looked after properly for it to reach its full potential. Gardenia plant is also widely admired for its essential oil. Which is regarded as one of the most expensive oils. This essential oil has a heavenly aroma and but it is very rare.

Gardenia essential oil is useful in aromatherapy, and it is also used to scent lotions, candles, and many other products.

Gardenia essential oil has a delicate scent. Thus this oil can not be extracted like many other essential oils. For this reason, the Gardenia essential oil is manufactured using the traditional labour-intensive method called gardenia enfleurage. This process is used to extract the aromatic oils from flowers.

Health Benefits of Gardenia Essential Oil

In this process, the fats dissolve essential oils through absorbing their aromas. The petals of the Gardenia plant are soaked in the fat first allowing the fat to absorb the aroma.

This process is used in special flowers, and gardenia flowers are one of them. The essential oils extracted by this process are known as absolutes. This amazing oil feature several benefits and some of them are discussed below:

1. Antibacterial

The gardenia essential oil is rich in antibacterial properties. Which make its effective in treating bacterial infections such as tetanus and sepsis. This essential oil has to be diluted before you spray on your body. It keeps you protected from various bacterial infections. That are caused by bacteria like E.coli and Salmonella.

2. Lightens Up Your Mood

Gardenia essential oil is mostly used in aromatherapy for its effectiveness in boosting energy levels. The aroma from Gardenia essential oil induces relaxation and reduces anxiety thus improves mood. Diffusing this essential oil in your house or adding it in your bath, it can lower stress hormone levels.

3. Anti-Inflammatory

Gardenia essential oil features anti-inflammatory properties. Which is helpful in treating inflammatory conditions such as intestinal inflammation, ulcerative colitis, and arthritis. It can also heal symptoms of jaundice, edema, fever, and hepatic disorders.

This is possible because gardenia essential oil has two unique compounds that have anti-inflammatory substances. These compounds are genipin(¹) and geniposide(²). These two compounds help to explain the many health benefits of gardenia.

4. Interstitial Cystitis:

The Gardenia essential oil is effective as a remedy for interstitial cystitis. Studies have shown that this essential oil reduces pelvic pain within 90 days(³). Adding several drops of gardenia essential oil in your herbal tea to relieve interstitial cystitis. ( Essential oil should not be ingested without first consulting a health car professional. )

5. Anti-Oxidant

Gardenia essential oil is rich with anti-oxidant properties. That help to minimize oxidative stress and prevent the production of free radicals. With this, it helps to prevent cancer and other health problems caused by toxins roaming the body. The oil also helps to reduce hyper-pigmentation and scars as it prevents toxins from ravaging the skin.

6. Perfumery Industry

Gardenia essential oil is widely used in the perfumes and deodorants industries. This is due to its long lasting pleasant aroma, which is capable enough to fight bad body odor. The oil’s intense and long lasting flagrance makes it an excellent choice for the manufacture of deodorants. These are mostly used in hot and humid climate countries.

7. Aphrodisiac

Far from the romantic name given to this Gardenia essential oil. The pure essential oil of Gardenia creates an atmosphere of love and fills it with romance. It’s highly enhanced with aphrodisiac agents.

Which aroma therapists use in the treatment of people who are suffering from low or lack of libido, impotence, and frigidity and other related problems. It has a tendency to stimulate the nerves that control arousal, libido, and sexual feelings. This in turn, making your marital life much happier.

8. Sedative:

Gardenia essential oil can help reduce depression, cure insomnia, stress. Also release anxiety and tension as it’s highly sedative. It triggers stimuli in the nerve system. That control the brain’s sleep. This makes it excellent for reducing inflammation in the respiratory system. Studies shows that the sedative effects of this essential oil can help prevent seizures.

Other Benefits of Gardenia Essential Oil

• Healing the wound
• Boost immune system
• Can boost milk production during breast feeding
• Boost blood circulation
• Enhance digestion
• Helps in blood clotting

Uses of Gardenia Essential Oil

• As a massage oil. Gardenia essential oil has anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. This makes it a excellent oil choice for aroma therapists as a massage oil. Aroma therapists add few drops of Gardenia essential oil to another massage oil so as to improve efficacy.

• Gardenia essential oil is a room refresher. Due to its unique sweet scent, gardenia essential oil is choice number one as a diffuser oil. It eliminates odors while its antibacterial properties clean airborne pathogens in the house.

• It’s used in baths. Adding a few drops of gardenia essential oil in the bath. This makes the bathroom smell wonderful there by giving a stress-relieving atmosphere. Additionally this will help with muscle-relaxation for a quiet some time.

• Used as a facial steam. When few drops of Gardenia essential oil added to a bowl of boiled water. Then inhaled, steam provides a direct and a quick treatment for low energy, respiratory infections, fatigue, and congestion.

• Gardenia essential oil is used in Chinese herbal medicine to treat infections. Such as, jaundice, bladder infections, stool, abscesses, and sputum.

Side Effects of Gardenia Essential Oil

• The essential oil falls under essential oils which are not recommended for children, pregnant and breastfeeding women. Although it has not shown any negative effect. Be safe

• It’s good to be cautious of the oil if you are not sure whether your skin is sensitive to essential oil. Do a patch test before use.

• Gardenia essential oil should not be ingested.

• Always dilute gardenia essential oil with a carrier oil before applying it.

• It is advisable to always consult your doctor before using any essential oil to treat any condition.

Conclusion

Gardenia essential oil like any other essential oil is not water-based. It contains phytochemicals extracted from volatile natural compounds. Even though they are fat soluble, they do not comprise of acids or fatty lipids found in animal and vegetable oils.

Gardenia essential oil is very clean, nearly firm, to the touch and is immediately absorbed by the skin. With all the benefits mentioned above, gardenia essential oil is just excellent. So, consider adding it to your home medicine cabinet to overcome various minor and major afflictions.