Herbal distillate facts for kids
Herbal distillates are special waters made from plants. You might also hear them called floral waters, hydrosols, or herbal waters. They are created when steam passes through plants, picking up tiny bits of their oils and other good parts.
Think of them as a very diluted version of essential oils. These plant waters are used for many things. They can add flavor to foods or be used in cosmetics and skincare products.
Some common herbal distillates for skin include rose water, orange flower water, and witch hazel. You might find rosemary, oregano, and thyme hydrosols used in food making.
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How Are Herbal Distillates Made?
Herbal distillates are made using a process called steam distillation or hydrodistillation. This is similar to how essential oils are produced.
Here's how it works:
- Plants or herbs are placed in a special container called a still.
- Steam or hot water passes through the plant material.
- The steam picks up tiny oil particles and other water-soluble parts from the plant.
- This steam then cools down and turns back into liquid.
- This liquid is the herbal distillate.
When essential oils are made, the oil floats to the top of this liquid and is removed. What's left behind is the herbal distillate, which is mostly water with a very small amount of plant oils (usually less than 1%).
Many years ago, these plant waters were often seen as a leftover product. But now, people realize they are very useful on their own! The way a distillate turns out depends on things like the temperature used and when the plant was harvested. For example, rosemary is best distilled in the summer before its flowers bloom.
What Are Herbal Distillates Used For?
Herbal distillates have many different uses. They are less strong than essential oils, which makes them good for certain things.
Here are some common uses:
- Flavoring: They can add natural flavors to foods and drinks.
- Cosmetics: Many skincare products, like toners and facial mists, use herbal distillates.
- Herbal Treatments: Because they are gentle, they can be used for some herbal treatments on the skin.
Since they are not as concentrated as essential oils, they are often safer for direct use on the skin.
The Science Behind Distillation
The idea behind distillation is simple: different things turn into vapor (a gas) at different temperatures. This process can separate parts of a plant no matter if they dissolve in water or oil.
When plants are distilled, the liquid that comes out (the distillate) contains things that turn into vapor at or below the distillation temperature. This includes tiny bits of essential oils and other parts of the plant that dissolve in water, like organic acids.
Things that need a much higher temperature to vaporize, like many plant pigments and flavonoids, stay behind.
Keeping Distillates Fresh
Herbal distillates are made using high temperatures and are a bit acidic. This helps stop some types of germs, like bacteria, from growing. However, they are not completely germ-free and can still get mold or other fungi.
To keep them fresh and safe to use, it's best to store herbal distillates in the refrigerator. They will go bad over time, and they tend to spoil faster than essential oils, which are more stable.
People who make small amounts of hydrosols need to be very careful to prevent bacteria from getting into their products. There were some worries that popular herbal distillates might contain harmful heavy metals, but studies have shown this is usually not the case.
See also
In Spanish: Destilado herbal para niños
