Essential oils are frequently used as flavorings in the food industry, especially in candies and sodas.
This is obviously not a strong argument for their health benefits--although peppermint candy and cola syrup are traditional folk remedies--but it does mean that ingesting essential oils is a pretty normal thing, and as long as they are properly diluted and used in moderation, it's as risky as drinking a can of La Croix.
Too much essential oils can be very dangerous. So can too much baking soda. But in both cases, it's pretty easy to safely incorporate them into your food, because unsafe amounts taste absolutely revolting.
As with baking soda, there's a large gray area between normal culinary amounts and poisoning, and if you're going to go there, you had better make certain that you know what you're doing.
But thus far, I haven't felt the need to learn how to ingest larger amounts of essential oils. I'm very happy with the results that I get when I use normal flavoring amounts, and simply deploy flavor strategically.
I've always enjoyed putting flavored creamers in my coffee. Now, I make my own. Copaiba is my go-to flavor; it tastes lovely and supports my body in incredible ways. Depending on how I feel, though, I sometimes switch it up and use Thieves, peppermint, or nutmeg instead.
When I want the health benefits of some savory oil such as oregano, I'll whip up a yummy olive-oil based dipping sauce and enjoy it with some bread. There's great power in normal everyday flavors, used strategically. It's joyful and delicious, and it's safer that way, too.
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