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Allspice Leaf Essential Oil
Allspice is a large evergreen tree, growing to 10m tall, native to the Caribbean area. The leaves are large and leathery, about 8 inches long by 2 inches wide. The fruits are about 0.33 inch diameter, near globose, produced in clusters of a dozen or more at or near the terminals of branches. The fruit is harvested while immature, as it is then most strongly flavored. It is a drupe, with 1 or 2 seeds. The whole dried fruit is ground to produce the allspice powder of commerce. Christopher Columbus discovered allspice in the Caribbean. Although he was seeking pepper, he had never actually seen real pepper and he thought allspice was it. He brought it back to Spain, where it got the name "pimienta," which is Spanish for pepper. Its Anglicized name, pimento, is occasionally used in the spice trade today. Before World War II, allspice was more widely used than it is nowadays. During the war, many trees producing allspice were cut, and production never fully recovered. Most allspice is produced in Jamaica, but some other sources for allspice include Guatemala, Honduras, as well as Mexico. Jamaican allspice is considered to be superior due to its higher oil content, which gives it a more appealing flavor. The leaf oil contains more eugenol (up to 96%) and bears many similarities to the composition of clove leaf oil.....more
| Botanical Name: | Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr. |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Synonyms: | Pimenta officinalis L., pimento, pimento berry oil, pimenta, Jamaica pepper, myrtle pepper, newspice, spicebush, spicewood, and feverbush |
| See Also: | Allspice Berry
Allspice Berry Oleoresin |
| Parts Used: | Leaves |
| Extraction Method: | Steam Distillation |
| Appearance: | Yellowish-red to amber mobile liquid |
| Aroma Description: | Powerful, spicy, warm and sweet. Somewhat smoky. |
| Perfume note: | Middle to Top |
| Consistancy: | Light |
| Strength of Initial Aroma: | Strong |
| Blends well with: | Ginger, geranium, lavender, orange, patchouli, ylang-ylang. |
| Historical Uses: | In Jamaica a drink of hot allspice tea is recommended for colds, menstrual cramps and upset stomach. Costa Ricans use allspice to treat indigestion, flatulence and diabetes. Guatemalans apply crushed allspice berries to bruises, sore joints and achy muscles. In recent years, the validity of most of these uses has been confirmed by modern science. |
| Modern Uses: | Allspice essential oil can be helpful for the digestive system, for cramp, flatulence, indigestion and nausea. It can also help in cases of depression, nervous exhaustion, tension, neuralgia and stress. Used in perfumes, soaps, cosmetics and flavouring in foods, alcoholic beverages and soft drinks. No noted difference between leaf and berry oils. |
| Cautions: | No known toxicity, may cause sensitization and irritation of skin and membranes in some people if used in high concentration. Avoid in pregnancy and use very diluted only. Allspice oil should only be used in low dilutions, as it is found to irritate the mucus membrane and to cause dermal irritation. |
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