Big Benefits of Bergamot

What looks like a lime but smells like an orange?

I’ll give you a hint…Its citrus scent and distinct flavor makes Earl Grey Tea unique?

It’s Bergamot!

What the heck is Bergamot and where does it come from?

Bergamot, citrus bergamia is a fragrant yellow-green colored fruit, the size of an orange that has a citrus-like aroma with a hint of spice. It’s a native of tropical Asia but is now mainly cultivated in southern Italy, specifically from the Calabria region in Italy.

The fruit of the bergamot is a good source of vitamin CV but unlike sweet oranges, they are sour so the flesh and zest are used mainly for flavoring cookies  (check out this recipe), custards, marmalades, syrups, and cocktails.

Benefits of Bergamot Essential Oil

Bergamot essential oil is versatile and has many benefits. Its scent is uplifting and can ease symptoms related to anxiety and stress.  Other benefits:

• antidepressant
• antiseptic
• balancing
• uplifting
• calming

Limonene, the main component of bergamot is commonly used as a fragrance for cosmetics, as a dietary supplement, in food manufacturing and cooking.  The uplifting and calming characteristics of limonene make Bergamot a favorite of massage therapists as it helps their clients relax.

Interestingly, in some research Limonene also has been found to be an anti-cancer agent, although more studies have to be done to prove this claim.

Bergamot has also been used to make the yucky taste of certain medicine.

How to Use at Home

Bergamot essential oils can be used topically, aromatically, and internally.

1. Add one drop (per 4 oz) of Bergamot to your water for a hint of flavor.
2. If you enjoy a cup of Earl Grey tea but don’t have teabags in your kitchen, add a drop into your tea.  For a lighter taste, dip a toothpick into the oil and swirl into your teacup.
3. When you feel stressed at work, in the classroom or at home, diffuse Bergamot from a water-based diffuser.  In just a few minutes you will feel uplifted, relaxed and more confident.
4.  Apply to your skin during a shower. Slowly inhale and allow the aroma to give you a calm feeling.  You’ll be simultaneously purifying skin, too!
5. Bergamot is a wonderful ingredient for DIT bath bombs and hand soap.
6. Apply Bergamot to the bottoms of your feet before bed for a more restful sleep.

There are many recipe’s and DIY’s on the internet for the beginner.  Once you dive into the world of Essential Oils the many ways to use and incorporate them into your life is endless.  Get your Bergamot oil and many more at EssentialOilAllison.com. Have questions contact me HERE!

NOTE:  Due to the chemical constituents in the oil, specifically bergapten, photosensitivity of the skin increases when going out into the sun so it is recommended that you wait 12 hours after applying Bergamot topically.  The bergapten will accelerate tanning and may cause sunburn.

NOTE: Make sure the essential oils used internally, come from a reputable source and that the oils are 3rd party tested.  I trust do TERRA Essential Oils with the utmost confidence. 

Resource: A High-throughput Quantitative Expression Analysis of Cancer-related Genes in Human HepG2 Cells Respond to Limonene, a Potential Anticancer Agent

Authors: Hafidh, Rand R.; Hussein, Saba Z.; MalAllah, Mohammed Q.; Abdulamir, Ahmed S.; Abu Bakar, Fatimah

Allison Burton

The ability to provide Natural, Pure, and Essential oils to my family and friends has brought me such a feeling of empowerment that I want to share it with others and reintroduce people to a time tested, Natural, Pure, and Essential solution to what life throws at us.  Give it a try and I’m sure you’ll feel the same way!