Bergamot belongs to the citrus plants. It is cultivated especially for its characteristic fragrance. Its essential oils are used as perfumes, to flavor foods and in aromatherapy. Recently, bergamot extract has also become available for dietary supplementation.
Occurrence and cultivation of bergamot
In aromatherapy, the essential oil of bergamot is mainly vaporized in the fragrance lamp. The exact origin of bergamot is unclear. It probably originated as a cross between citron (cedar fruit) and bitter orange in the Orient and reached southern Europe during the Crusades. However, unlike the two citrus genera from which it evolved, its fruit is not used as a fruit. Bergamot trees can grow up to four meters high. An irregular branch growth is typical, as well as the evergreen foliage leaves, which are elongated and dark green in color. When the bergamot blooms in spring, it shows pure white flowers. Its fruits are roundish, sometimes pear-shaped, weigh about one hundred to two hundred grams with a diameter of five to seven centimeters and have a lemon yellow color at harvest time (November to March). The flesh of the bergamot is greenish and tastes strongly acidic to slightly bitter. It is difficult to detach from the skin. The bergamot thrives only in warm areas. It is grown exclusively on a coastal strip in Calabria, the southernmost region of mainland Italy. The Italian city of Bergamo gives its name to the rare fruit. However, there are also isolated specimens in other warm areas such as the Ivory Coast, Argentina or Brazil, as well as for ornamental purposes in various orangeries and conservatories.
Effect and application
The essential oil of bergamot is obtained by gentle cold pressing from the peels of the unripe fruit. It consists of terpenes such as linalool, which is also found in spice plants such as coriander, hops, nutmeg, ginger or cinnamon. It also contains nerol, which is responsible for the sweet, fresh, rosy, citrus-like scent. Limonene is responsible for the orange-like scent. In total, the essence of the oil contains over three hundred and fifty different aromas. This makes bergamot far more complex than many other natural fragrances. No wonder, then, that the essential oil of bergamot has been appreciated since the end of the seventeenth century. Here it was first used in perfume production. To this day, it provides the unmistakable scent of cologne, which is said to refresh and invigorate body and mind. But bergamot is also contained as a top note in just about every other perfume. In the kitchen, bergamot oil is also used for flavoring. Bergamot is known as the aroma of Earl Grey tea. Pipe tobacco is also flavored with bergamot oil. The whole fruit is used in the production of a special bergamot jam. This tastes slightly bitter. From the remnants of production can be distilled spirits and press juices. Bergamot juice is currently enjoying great popularity in haute cuisine, where it is used like lime juice. In Switzerland, chocolatiers make fine chocolates with bergamot juice. A popular home remedy in the South used to be to mix a larger amount of olive oil with a smaller amount of bergamot oil and apply it to the skin as a tanning accelerator when sunbathing. However, the furanocoumarins contained in bergamot oil have a toxic effect in combination with the light of the sun, which is why the use of this household remedy is discouraged today. However, modern cosmetics, for example natural deodorants or hair care products, also rely on bergamot oil. However, since it increases the photosensitivity of the skin, it is also advised to avoid direct sun contact after use.
Health significance, treatment and prevention.
In aromatherapy, the essential oil of bergamot is mainly vaporized in the fragrance lamp. It is considered mood-lifting, anxiety-relieving and relaxing, which is why it is used for people with nervous conditions such as depression or sleep disorders. These also benefit from massage treatments or relaxing baths with bergamot added. Since bermagotte oil is also antiseptic and antiviral, it is also used to kill pathogens. For example, it helps with fever, chills, sore throat and tonsillitis, but also with inflammation of the skin such as eczema or herpes.The skin care effect is based on the skin cell regenerating and building properties of bergamot oil. Its antispasmodic properties of bergamot oil come into play in stomach ailments such as flatulence or intestinal colic, but also in women’s ailments such as menstrual cramps, as it is also considered hormone-regulating. Bergamot oil also has a tonic and restorative effect, which is why it is also used against emaciation, exhaustion and spring fatigue. It stimulates the appetite and promotes vital energy. In traditional folk medicine of Mediterranean countries, bergamot is used to prevent heart disease. In 2013, a study that examined bergamot as a natural cholesterol-lowering agent caused a stir. The study, submitted to the prestigious International Journal of Cardiology for publication, demonstrated that administration of bergamot extract lowered “bad” LDL cholesterol while improving “good” HDL cholesterol. It also helped patients who are dependent on taking statins, which have many side effects, to reduce their statin dose. Last but not least, bergamot has been shown to reduce serum levels of triglycerides, thereby lowering blood glucose levels. For this cholesterol– and triglycerol-lowering effect, science holds bitter substances such as naringin, enzymes such as hydroxymethylglutaryl, but also the various polyphenols and flavonoids of bergamot, responsible. However, it is probably the special composition of over three hundred and fifty ingredients that gives bergamot its healing properties.
