Cinnamon has many uses in the home especially in cooking and spicing food. However, there is a more important use of cinnamon – it can be used as a form of alternative treatment for certain diseases. The type of cinnamon used for this purpose is cinnamon oil.
This essential oil, as modern researchers and scientists have found, contains powerful chemical substances that can help in killing bacteria and fungus. It can also be used to improve our health, our immune system and our brain functions.
There is now a growing awareness about the benefits we can get from cinnamon oil. As more knowledge regarding cinnamon is disseminated, the demand for this product will also grow. Most of the cinnamon oil on the market is produced from the bark of the cinnamon tree which grows in Sri Lanka, India and other tropical countries. The price of this commodity ranges from $3 to $130 per bottle, depending on the company and the quality of the oil. The fact that it is imported can help justify its rather expensive price.
It might interest you to know you can make cinnamon oil on your own using very simple methods. If you are low on cinnamon oil, you can just make it yourself and save money.
Some Ways You Can Make Cinnamon Oil
Here are some simple ways to make cinnamon oil. You don’t need to have any specials skills or tools and you will only need a few items.
Method 1
Items you will need: cinnamon sticks, a glass jar, preferably amber or green with a wide mouth and straight sides (for ease in straining out the substances), and olive oil.
Steps:
1 – Get enough cinnamon sticks and stuff them inside the glass jar. Fill up all the empty spaces if possible.
2 – Pour the olive oil inside the jar until all of the cinnamon sticks are entirely covered.
3 – Place the glass jar in a warm place such as your window. Secure it so it won’t topple over. Leave the jar for about three weeks.
4 – Shake the jar daily. This will release the cinnamon oil from the base oil.
5 – After three weeks, the oil from the cinnamon sticks will be completely released and will be formed as cinnamon oil. Using a piece of cheese cloth or similar material, strain the cinnamon oil. You can also use your fingers to pull out the cinnamon oil from the sticks.
6 – Put the cinnamon oil in an amber bottle and store it in a cool, dry place.
Method 2
Items you will need: pure virgin olive oil, ½ cup ground cinnamon, cooking pan and gas stove or similar appliance.
Steps:
1 – Heat enough olive oil in a large sauté pan using medium-high heat.
2 – Add cinnamon and stir to mix with the olive oil.
3 – Simmer for about 3 minutes.
4 – Set aside and let it cool.
5 – After the liquid has cooled enough, strain the cinnamon oil using a fine-mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter.
6 – Pour the strained cinnamon oil into a sterilized airtight jar or bottle.
7 – Store the cinnamon oil in a cool, dry and dark place for at least one month.
If you don’t have virgin olive oil, you can substitute safflower oil.
Method 3
This method is used for making cinnamon scented oils which have a good scent and will help you relax when you inhale it. The items you will need are: cinnamon extract, dipropylene glycol, water and a clean bottle.
Steps:
1 – Measure 3 ounces of cinnamon extract and 3 ounces of dipropylene glycol.
2 – Mix the two together thoroughly in a clean bottle.
3 – Cover the bottle tightly with its cap and shake it well to obtain the scented mix.
4 – Measure 1 ½ ounces of the scented oil mix and dilute it with water. This will soften the strong scent of the oil mix.
Be careful not to get skin contact with the raw scented oil. If your skin is sensitive, it can cause some skin problems.