Are dōTERRA’s Oils Organic?
Are doTERRA’s oils organic? No, they’re better.
Don’t get us wrong, this post is not intended to be a CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® vs. certified organic debate. Certified organic is good. We support organic practices from any organization that seeks to produce quality products, but the certified organic standard is not the only standard of quality.
dōTERRA‘s quality standard for essential oils, CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® , exceeds industry standards. Because organic certification varies from country to country, province to province, and in the US, from state to state, it is not currently possible to acquire all oils under certified organic status. However, through the GC/MS analysis process, we are able to determine if any chemical residue exists in the essential oil, such as pesticides, herbicides, extenders, and solvents. With this rigorous analysis process, we are able to ensure that all CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® essential oils offered by dōTERRA are a step above organic.
CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® essential oils mean something very different. It means we protect the chemical compound of the plant just as it was produced from the earth. We don’t need to improve upon that. If we have the care, the scientific knowledge, the commitment and the integrity, we can preserve that.” -Dr. David K. Hill, D.C., dōTERRA’s Chief Medical Officer.
We source our essential oils from a number of growers and distillers from around the world. Each location has its own specific laws and rules governing agriculture and collecting wild crafted botanicals. We look for plant materials that are grown in specific environments, but we cannot say that our oils are all “organic” as that requires specific certification that we simply cannot produce for some of our oils.Our CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® testing standard requires that our oil extracts be both free of other foreign materials, which is one of the main reasons for people seeking organic botanicals, and it tests for certain compounds at certain levels so that our oils meet the performance criteria for each lot of oil. If an oil fails the test, specifically pesticides, there is no secondary process for removing the pesticides or foreign matter. The oils failing the test would simply be rejected. Other than the careful distillation of the oils from the plant material, there is no other processing that takes place. They are aromatic extracts, nothing added, and nothing removed—they either meet our standard or they don’t.
We partner with experts that have a lot of experience in this field, and their long history is part of the art of producing such beautiful oils. They are farmers, collectors, and chemists, but they are committed to distilling essential oils as artisans; and we believe are mindful of their environments and are committed to sustainable practices. Our network is vast and our suppliers’ methods are diverse. If we were to learn of any actions of a supplier causing harm to either the environment or to the local people of their community, we would certainly seek other and more appropriate sources. Our long-term hope is as we grow the demand for essential oils, we can help develop clean industry for local economies around the production of plants and extracts. Steam distillation is a very clean process. No solvents are used in the process, the left over plant material can make good compost, and the water waste stream is clean but for a hint of beautiful-smelling aromatics. [Source]
Click here to learn more about Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade standards and testing.
These standards are so important to us because we do our best to only use organic and keep ALL chemicals out of our home. We love doTERRA!
Want safe “beyond organic” essential oils in your home? Click here to learn more
Sandy says
As a fellow Wellness Advocate, his was very helpful!! Thanks!
Healing in our Homes says
Thank you Sandy, Im so glad it helped!
Bob says
Better than organic? Sounds like BS marketing terms to me. There are many other essential oil companies stating their products are USDA certified organic, but somehow your product is too good to be certified? Doesn’t pass the smell test to me, especially when those other companies sell their product for a much more reasonable price.
greg says
I’m a HUGE fan of doTERRA Oils!
Gina says
Why do you use carrageenan in EO mega supplement?
Healing in our Homes says
DoTERRA uses a natural and safe form. Although they are phasing it out of their softgels in phases due to public concern
Stacey says
Thanks for the great explanation! I am also a Wellness Advocate and have benefited from their amazing products for 10 years now.
Brittany Jackson says
It literally can not be “A step above organic”. There is no such thing. It’s either organic or it’s not… You can have some things as partially organic, but you can’t be a step above. That’s impossible and absolutely a catch phrase.
Healing in our Homes says
Its actually not impossible. An oil can be organic, meaning grown without pesticides or chemicals. But it can be organic and still poor in quality from where its grown or how its processed. How long the crop grows before harvesting, WHERE it grows (climate, soil etc) and how long its distilled can all affect CHEMISTRY. These factors can greatly affect the therapeutic value. Being organic does not make an oil inherently valuable chemistry-wise or even make its benefits better than a non-organic oil.