Steam Distillation V.S. Carbon Dioxide Extractions

Steam distillation is the most popular way to create essential oil plant extracts, but high heat from steam can damage the plant chemical profile and steam concentrations can't pull out the heavier plant chemicals like cannabinoids.

Steam distillations cause sacs in plant material to open up and release their oils, but unfortunately this process can't extract heavier compounds. The oil that is released by the steam's heat is then carried into the a condenser where the steam is turned into water and the oil separates out. This method can also damage volatile light terpenes due to the high heat. Vacuum distillation allows for steam distillation at lower temperatures, but the equipment is more expensive.

To summarize steam distallation is a 4 step process.

• Water is heated in chamber one to create stream.
• The steam is pumped into the still that is holding the plant material.
• The heated steam causes plant sacs to burst and the essential oil is carried away with the steam.
• The steam and essential oil vapor is condensed in a cooling tank and the water and essential oils are separated.

CO2’s low supercritical temperature preserve the whole plant extract and can even pull out the heavy medicinal molecules like cannabinoids and carotenoids. CO2 extracts are also 100% pure. For many plants CO2 extracts prove to create superior dietary and medicinal supplements. CO2 creates superior oils for plants that have heavier medicinal molecules such as frankincense and cannabis oil.

A study that was published in the Journal of Agriculture Food & Chemistry found that “supercritical extracts and the steam-distilled products had very different compositions”. The researchers also found that CO2 extracts that were extracted at lower temperatures had a more diverse plant profile. Have you talked to your aromatherapist or naturopathic doctor about CO2 extracts?