Carrot seed oil is an essential oil distilled from carrot seeds. Another variety of carrot oil is obtained from cold pressing the seeds of the carrot. This oil is quite different from carrot seed essential oil. This oil has been used in skincare formulations and is a formidable anti-ageing agent. Carrot seed oil blends well with other essential oils, like citrus oils, and is regularly used in aromatherapy.
Source
The source of carrot seed essential oil is the seed of carrot (Daucus carota ). There are two varieties of this carrot: the common carrot that we consume, and the other is the wild carrot. This essential oil can be extracted from both of them. This oil can be removed using various methods, like :
- Steam distillation, without any solvent, also known as hydrodistillation.
- Solvent extraction: Chemical solvents like sylvan and ethanol are used to extract more oil from the seeds. [1]
The essential oil extracted using solvent extraction is not organic and may have specific adverse health effects because of harmful chemicals.
Properties
Carrot seed essential oil possesses a whole range of therapeutic properties. Therefore, it has many health benefits and uses in industries, especially as an antifungal in agriculture.
- Antiseptic – used to treat wounds and prevent the risk of infection in them. But it is never used neat ( undiluted ) as it is an essential oil.
- Anthelmintic – kills parasites in the intestines. This property is also known as a vermifuge.
- Carminative – It is a digestive aid as it aids the release of intestinal gas.
- Hepatoprotective – Carrot seed oil is known for its ability to detoxify the liver.
- Antifungal – Since carrots are one of the strongest common antifungals, so does its essential oil.
- Antibacterial – Carrot seed oil shows antibacterial activity against few species of bacteria. [2]
- Diuretic – promotes the release of urine.
- Tonic – improves overall health.
- Stimulant – It facilitates the smooth working of our bodily systems, like digestion, cardiac functions, the release of toxins and waste products.
- Emmenagogue – It reduces the discomfort of menstruation and facilitates it
- Depurative – It aids the body in releasing out toxins and thus cleansing the channels.
- Antioxidant – Carrot seed essential oil is a terrific antioxidant.
- Anti-inflammatory – It promotes a reduction in inflammation on the skin when used topically.
- Anti-dermatitis – When used in combination with a base oil, it relieves dermatitis conditions like eczema and even psoriasis.
- Analgesic – It is used in aromatherapy to reduce muscle pains.
- Cytophylactic – It improves skin cell turnover rate to bring up new and healthier skin underneath. This helps to heal wounds and put some brakes on ageing.
- Anti-Aflatoxigenic – It kills aflatoxins, a kind of mold species that grow on crops like peanuts, other nuts etc. These are carcinogenic and must be removed.
- Emollient – It moisturizes the skin.
- Expectorant – aids in releasing phlegm.
Colour, Taste and Aroma
Carrot seed essential oil has a unique yellow colour with brown notes. The colour may be slightly orange if it absorbs more carotenoids. It has a wonderful earthy aroma which is slightly sweet and slightly pungent. It also has some woody notes like that of cedar oil. It is generally not consumed internally, so the taste is a matter of importance.
Blends Well With
Carrot seed oil is effectively carried by common case oils like grapeseed oil, olive oil, coconut oil and sweet almond oil. Regarding other essential oils, it blends well with lemon essential oil and other citrus oil, lavender oil and cedarwood oil. It also goes well with juniper oil as it is slightly spicy. It works well with other essential oils with a woody aroma, like helichrysum oil and all kinds of wood oils.
Health Benefits
Carrot seed essential oil boasts many health benefits because of its comprehensive healing properties. It can be used in various ways to get rid of common health conditions, as well as to provide long term benefits.
Carrot seed oil for Hair
Carrot oil is used in cosmetic formulations to promote hair growth [3]. It can be used at home to make an easy hair growth serum. This is the recipe for it. Take about 10 ml water. To it, add about 10 ml of glycerin. Add one tablespoon of organic castor oil. Finally, add one tablespoon hemp seed oil and about 8 – 10 drops of carrot seed essential oil. Th glycerin may be replaced only by coconut oil, as it penetrates the hair shafts. Use this serum to massage on the Hair after removing all chemicals. Rinse it out after 15 minutes.
Carrot seed oil can also be used in hot oil treatments. One can add 5 – 10 drops of carrot seed oil to about 10 ml of base oil, like olive oil or argan oil, for a soothing hot oil massage. It also promotes hair growth. Carrot seed oil provides antioxidants to the Hair and the scalp, preventing it from free radical damage caused by the sun and other external or internal agents.
Organic carrot oil is used in the formulation to get waves. The base oil for this process is usually olive oil.
Carrot seed oil for Skin
Carrot seed oil is an anti-ageing agent for the skin. One should use it to diminish wrinkles and age spots. It can also take care of fine lines. To apply carrot seed essential oil, put 4 – 5 drops of essential oil in 5 ml of base oil. The choice of base oil depends on the function. For anti-ageing effects, one can use an antioxidant-rich base oil like olive oil or sesame oil. For moisturizing the skin, coconut oil is excellent. If you suffer from acne, then use jojoba oil as base oil as it is non-comedogenic. Carrot seed oil is a friendly treatment for scars and depressions because it promotes the growth of new skin cells. Therefore, one can use it on acne scars, stretch marks, and other kinds of marks formed by injuries, rashes, and lesions.
It is also helpful in dealing with eczema and psoriasis. One can apply it to the lesions after mixing it with an appropriate base oil, like sea buckthorn oil.
Muscle Aches
Prepare a massage oil with sweet almond oil as base. Add few drops of arnica oil and carrot seed oil. This combination provides big sore, aching muscles. By the following day, much of the soreness from the cramp or injury is gone.
Skin Infections
Carrot seed oil is potent at dealing with fungal skin infections. One should add about 4 – 5 drops of carrot essential oil in some base oil, like coconut oil and apply it on the skin where there is a fungal infection. It helps eliminate athlete’s foot, jock itch, toenail fungus, scalp fungal infection and oral thrush. It kills the fungi species causing the infection, and heals the skin. It also reduces the appearance of scars and pigmentation at the site of infection.
For liver care
Take castor oil as a base. Add few drops of carrot seed essential oil. Apply this over the right upper side of the abdomen and cover it with a cotton bandage. The beneficial nutrients seep into the skin, enter the bloodstream and are delivered to the liver. This castor oil pack can be helpful in liver inflammation and jaundice.
Deal with cough and phlegm
There are many respiratory conditions in which there is a production of phlegm. It can be a common cold. Cough, a respiratory infection like pneumonia or bronchitis, or flu. The phlegm needs to be expelled out of the body. But, it is not easy to do so as it attaches firmly to the mucus membrane of the nose and throat. One can loosen it up using natural expectorants, one of which is carrot essential oil. There is a simple way to use it. Take a large pan of water and boil it. Add about 15 drops of carrot essential oil and 15 drops of eucalyptus essential oil. It helps to kill the infection-causing pathogen and aid in removing phlegm from the lungs. This provides great relief from the chest and nasal congestion.
Relief from Menstrual Cramps
Carrot seed oil forms an excellent home remedy for menstrual cramps and general discomfort. One needs to prepare a sitz bath. Add one cup of Epsom salt, ten drops of carrot essential oil, and ten drops of lavender essential oil. This forms very relaxing and soothing bath water to provide relief from menstrual cramps and promote comfortable menstruation. This works because of the emmenagogue properties of carrot oil.
Uses
Apart from its health benefits, the carrot seed oil is also used for a few industrial purposes.
- It is used to make perfumes and flavourings for food products.
- Carrot seed oil is active against Aspergillus mold, which is aflatoxin. It is sprayed on crops that are susceptible to infestation by this mold.
Side Effects, Safe Dosage and Toxicity Issues
Carrot seed oil is safe to use topically when used in combination with a base oil. Even then, one should do a patch test before the treatment. Pregnant women and kids should avoid it. People who have asthma should avoid this essential oil as it is quite a respiratory stimulant.
Interactions
Carrot seed oil extracted from wild carrots can interact with medications for blood pressure, photosensitivity and hormones therapy like estrogen.
Nutritional and Medicinal Information
Carrot seed essential oil has impressive nutrition facts. Like other essential oils, it does not contain many essential fatty acids. It is rich in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They are all present in small amounts, and even in these small amounts, they exert a strong effect on the body. Carrot seed oil possibly contains a significant amount of oil-soluble vitamins, like Vitamin A (in the form of beta carotene ), Vitamin E and Vitamin K. The seed pulp is exceptionally rich in most common dietary minerals like zinc, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese,
Complete nutritional value of carrot seed essential oil
| Nutrient | Percentage |
| Carotol | 66.78 % |
| Daucene | 8.74 % |
| (Z,Z) – α-farnesene | 5.8 % |
| Germacrene D | 2.3 % |
| Trans α-bergamotene | 2.4 % |
| β – Selinene | 2.2 % |
| α -pinene | 0.67 % |
| Myrcene | 0.17 % |
| Limonene | 0.47 % |
| Linalool | 0.34 % |
| β – Caryophyllene | 1.10 % |
Source : 7
Besides these compounds, there are dozens of other micro-nutrients in very small amounts. Of all these nutrients, the prominent ones are :
- Carol – This is a sesquiterpene that possesses antifungal capability. It is also insecticidal. [4]
- Daucene – This is also a sesquiterpene.
- β – Caryophyllene – It is strongly anti-inflammatory. [5]
- Farnesene – Carrot oil contains a specific variety of farnesene which is a strong insect repellent.
- Myrcene – It has got anti-inflammatory capabilities. [6]
- Limonene – It relieves heartburn and stress.
- Linalool – stress relieving agent.
Therefore, using carrot seed essential oil in aromatherapy using an oil burner or vaporizer reduces stress. One can do it whenever there is a need to calm down some anxiety and relax. Unlike other essential oils, there are no details about the chemical properties of carrot seed essential oil. Carrots have an ORAC value ( antioxidant capacity ) of 210 Trolox equivalents. However, it is not known what the antioxidant value of carrot seed essential oil is. This value is essential as it helps gauge an ingredient’s antioxidant power and how powerfully it scavenges free radicals from the system.
Buying and Storage
Carrot seed essential oil is a fragile oil. It should be kept in a covered bottle, away from sunlight. If you mix it in a rancidity resistant base oil, then it can go on longer. The healthiest variety of this oil is the organic steam-distilled carrot seed essential oil. One can buy this oil online or from an essential oil store.
References
1. Comparison of the chemical composition of carrot seed essential oil extracted by different solvents. Jian-Qin Cu, F. Perineau, M. Deltnas andA. Gasket. Flavour and Fragrance Journal
2. Essential Oils of Wild and Cultivated Carrots—the Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity. Maria Staniszewskaa, Józef Kulaa, Monika Wieczorkiewiczb & Danuta Kusewicz. Journal of Essential Oil Research
3. Water, castor oil, glycerin, biotin, riboflavin, hemp seed oil, carrot seed oil. US 5827510 A
4. Antifungal Activity of the Carrot Seed Oil and its Major Sesquiterpene Compounds. Izabela Jasicka-Misiaka et. al.
5. Anti-inflammatory effects of compounds alpha-humulene and (−)-trans-caryophyllene isolated from the essential oil of Cordia Verbenaceae . Elizabeth S. Fernandes et al. European Journal of Pharmacology
6. Central effects of citral, myrcene and limonene, constituents of essential oil chemotypes from Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E. Brown T. Gurgel do Valea, E. Couto Furtadoa, J.G. Santos Jr.a, G.S.B. Viana. Phytomedicine
7. Chemical composition of carrot seeds (Daucus carota L.) cultivated in Turkey: characterization of the seed oil and essential oil. Grasas y Aceites, Vol 58, No 4 (2007). Mehmet Musa Özcan, Jean Claude Chalchat