At any holiday dinner gathering you can usually find smiling faces, delicious food, and a festive table glowing with gorgeous candlelight. But most people are in the dark about what those common paraffin wax candles are made of. Companies are not required to list candle ingredients (comparable to food and drink manufacturers), so most people never consider their contents. But by lighting that wick, you are letting the candle release waste products into your home environment, and ultimately into your body.

Why you should be burning soy candles instead of your ordinary candles
Soy candles are better for the air quality in your home.

Soy candles contain vegetable oil (soybeans) and essential oils, while paraffin wax is made with petroleum oil and chemical fragrances. According to a study at South Carolina State University, paraffin wax candles — the most popular kind of candles — emit toxic chemicals like toluene and benzene, while soybean candles did not.

Here are 8 reasons why soy candles are a better choice for your holiday dinner party and every day after.

  1. Soy burns cleaner, so it’s better for your health. It produces as much as 90 percent less soot than paraffin candles. This reduces the amount of indoor air pollution you will breath during your meal. Soy also won’t leave as much unsightly black soot on the side of the jar.
  2. Soy candles won’t smudge your walls. Emissions from paraffin candles can build up on walls, leaving streaks on paint, wallpaper and can even build up on upholstery, affecting the every day air quality in your home.
  3. Soy doesn’t burn as hot. Soy doesn’t produce as much heat — which is a good thing when you have ovens and appliances running along with extra guests packed inside the house.
  4. Soy has a milder smell than both beeswax and paraffin candles, so it will interfere with the smell of your food less. Paraffin candles can release chemicals that can overpower foods.
  5. Soy burns 50% longer. This means replacing your meal candles less often, and potentially less drips on the tablecloth over the same amount of time.
  6. They’re natural and non-toxic. Soy and essential oil. That’s it! And they’re biodegradable, too.
  7. Soy is easier to clean up. Candle clean-up can be tricky, but all you need is soap and water to get rid of soy wax spills.
  8. Soy is sustainable. “Soy wax” is completely renewable. Everything on the plant can be used, from the seeds and beans to the husks and oils. We decide how much soy we grow. Petroleum or “gas wax”, of course, is not renewable. Being a gracious modern-day dinner party host means caring for your guests and caring for your environment, too.

Shop U.S. made soy candles. 

 

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Author

Meghan is a full-time writer exploring the fun facts behind food. She lives a healthy lifestyle but lives for breakfast, dessert and anything with marinara. She’s thrown away just as many meals as she’s proud of.