Frankincense Tears Cert. Organic, 1 lb

Not to be used during pregnancy.

Probably best known because of the Nativity story, Frankincense - derived from the resin of a tree called Boswellia serrata and other species of the same - has an interesting history. In Hebrew, its name is levonah, meaning "white;" in Arabic, a closely-related language, it is 'al-luban, a term referring to milk; the name of the modern country of Lebanon is derived from both. However, it came to be known as "frankincense" when crusaders - many of whom were French or "Frankish" - introduced it to Europe during the Middle Ages.

Dried Frankincense is used in numerous ways, including the manufacture of perfume and aromatherapy; ancient Egyptians used burnt powdered frankincense as eyeliner. The burning of the dried c/s boswellia serrata resin has also played a part in the religious rites of all three Abrahamic traditions.

Frankincense is thought to be non-toxic, but when using natural herbs for therapeutic purposes - even organic herbs - prudence and caution is called for.

Cert. Organic means third-party Certified Organic by Quality Assurance International (www.qai-inc.com/), which physically inspects the herb production process from farm to pack, and Certified Organic by the USDA.