Description
Ocotea High Quality Essential Oil
Ocotea quixos
5ml
Artisan Steam Distilled
Flower, Wood, and Fruit
Spicy, Citrus Fruit, Soft Cinnamon Candy Aroma
Ecuador
Ocotea is distilled from the leaves, flowers, and bark of Ocotea quixos, a large tree found in the Amazon wilderness on the west side of the Andes Mountains.
This evergreen tree in the Lauraceae family is native to South America. The tree, flower, bark, and oil are referred to as Ocotea quixos, Quixos, Ocotea, and Ishpingu, Quixos Sweetwood, and Ishpingo.
The name Ishpingu refers to the flower. The cinnamon-like spice is also called Ishpinku. The oil has anti-inflammatory properties. The bark is similar to cinnamon and is used as a flavoring.
This spice is similar in character to cinnamon, deriving from a tree in the same family, however, its actual level of cinnamaldehyde is less than 5%, compared to its cousin, at up to 50%, meaning that it is less toxic and less likely to cause skin irritations. When taken internally Ishpingo may help reduce blood sugar levels.
Used historically for more than 500 years to flavor cakes and sweets, ocotea it is commonly referred to by the native people throughout Ecuador as false canela, or false cinnamon.
Ocotea essential oil has a warm, spicy aroma that is similar to but more delicate than that of Cinnamon Bark. Honored as a spiritual oil for many years, Ocotea is still used in purification rituals today. Ocotea is used to help lower stress levels, so sniff whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed.
