Tea Tree Oil: Related to Tea?
What’s up tea lovers?
I have a funny story to tell about something that happened to me the other day. I was just doing some finishing touches on a paper about Yerba Mates (I’ve titled it “Have ya Heard About Yerba? – A Natural Pick-me-up”) when I got a nasty paper cut on my thumb. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how much those hurt!
While I was digging around my medicine drawer, I came across this bottle of tea tree oil that My folks gave me when they came back from Australia. They told me it was good for this kind of thing, so as I swabbed my thumb, I got to wondering–what is tea tree oil, and does it have any real tea in it?
Now, I’ve heard about tea tree oil my whole life…but I had always thorught it was spelled “Tetri Oil.” So it had never occurred to me to think of actual tea, which as you know is just about my favorite thing in the whole wide world.
This is what I learned with a little research, and maybe it will help you too!
Tea tree oil is a salve produced by the leaves of the melaleuca plant. This plant is found on the northeast coast of New South Wales, Australia. The oil has beneficial medical properties, and is used to fight fungus (ew!) and other bacteria.
I know what you’re thinking — Jasmine, that’s good to know, but what about the original question? Does it have anything to do with good old fashioned delicious tea?
The truth is it has nothing to do at all with Camellia Sinensis, which is the plant tea comes from (not actually a tree at all. More of a bush, but it does grow tall sometimes!) There is an oil called tea oil that does come from tea leaves, bit that’s used for cooking, not fighting infection!
So next time you hear about tea tree oil, you can be the know-it-all that tells everyone all about it! I’m glad I could help!
Tags: Health, Informational, Medicine, Tea Tree Oil
July 8th, 2010 at 4:49 am
I agree. In fact ,studies show that tea tree oil is an essential oil obtained by steam distillation of the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia, a plant native in Australia. The leaves were used as a substitute for tea, which is how tea tree oil got its name. The part used medicinally is the oil from the leaves and it has many benefits to humans in the treatment of many human ailments just like tea.