Have you been searching for top quality neem but could not figure out where to begin? Neem-oil products are starting to become more available, but for now are mostly only found on the web or in health food shoppes and specialty stores. Since these are hard to find items it is easy to grab the first thing you find on the shelf just because it has the word neem on the label. But here are a few tips that will help you choose wisely before you actually purchase the wrong stuff:

Know How The Oil Was Extracted There are a number of methods used to extract the neem oil from the neem tree seeds. As you have probably figured out, not all extraction process are to be trusted. The extraction process that produces the highest quality neem seed oil is called cold pressing. Cold pressing neem oil is the best, because most active compounds remain intact. It is also the first and most accepted extracting process. It is done with a mechanical device that squeezes the oil from the dried seeds. Always try to get cold pressed neem oil where possible.

The next extraction technique uses hot water vapor and extreme temperatures. Though this technique gets more oil from the seeds than the cold pressing technique, a lot of the active compounds in the neem oil may be destroyed because of the heat used in the process.

The third technique is the most preferred one that most processors use because it gets the greatest quantity of neem oil. The method is called chemical solvent extraction, and in most cases hexane (also known as gasoline) is the chemical used. Though this method extracts almost all of the oil from the seeds, the harsh chemicals destroy many of the active compounds in the neem oil. To add to this and the fact that the solvent is poisonous, it is preferable to look for items that do not contain neem oil that was extracted using them.

Avoid Additives Almost all cosmetics and bath/shower products these days contain chemicals to “enhance” the products performance. But keep in mind that some of these chemicals can potentially cause unwanted side effects. Two of the most common additives that are in many of the products are Lauryl Sulfates (SLS) and Parabens. Lauryl Sulfates are commonly used as foamers, because they are not very costly and work pretty well. A lot of inexpensive neem shampoo and soap products have many of these additives too. But, these chemicals have proven to cause allergic reactions in some people. The US Food and Drug Administration encourages developers of these products not to use them.

Parabens are often used for preserving, and though there has been no substantial proof that they are harmful, they are becoming more and more controversial. Some organizations feel they should be avoided for the sake of precaution.

Try To Find Certified Organic Ingredients Quite obviously, organic ingredients are preferred over ones that are not. These are natural substances, and have not been exposed to man-made chemicals, synthetic fertilizers, plant growth regulators, pesticides or similar chemicals. Look for labels that list the ingredients. If a vendor uses organic ingredients, they will almost always state this (it’s a selling point) on the label.

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