Profile of Bergamot Essential Oil

BERGAMOT (citrus bergamia) Essential Oil :

Country Of Origin: Ivory Coast/(FCF) Italy

Certification: Organic

Classification: Citrus aurantium var bergamia

Other Names: Bergamot Orange Essential Oil, Sour Orange Essential Oil, Myrtle leafed Orange Essential Oil, Bitter Orange Essential Oil, Bigarde Orange Essential Oil, Seville Orange Essential Oil

Interesting Facts: Citrus aurantium var bergamia is a spiny evergreen tree native to southern Vietnam but widely cultivated. Citrus aurantium var bergamia is used as grafting stock for citrus trees, in marmalade, and in the liqueurs triple sec and Curacao. Citrus aurantium var bergamia is also cultivated for the essential oil expressed from the fruit, and for neroli oil and orange flower water, which are distilled from the flowers.

Bergamot Essential Oil contains synephrine, which has decongestant properties.

Medicinal Use: Bergamot essential oil has been helpful for acne, boils, cold sores, weight loss, herpes infections, alleviating pain of shingles and chickenpox, oily complexion, psoriasis (may be excellent), scabies, and varicose ulcers. Bergamot essential oil is also helpful for clearing excess mucus, halitosis, mouth infections, tonsillitis, gas, loss of appetite, cystitis, leucorrhea, thrush, colds, fever, flu, antiseptic, infectious diseases, anxiety, depression, stress, refreshing and uplifting quality. Bergamot essential oil in conjunction with iron supplementation; provides the acidic environment that the iron needs to assimilate. Bergamot essential oil can be beneficial in chronic low blood pressure caused by arterial failure. Bergamot essential oil also helps maintain the electrolyte balance of the blood. Bergamot essential oil is currently being studied for it benefits for heart failure. Bergamot essential oil is beneficial for nausea and indigestion. Bergamot essential oil has been studied for its tumor shrinking effects on liver and colon cancer.

Constituents: a-pinene, B-pinene, myrcene, limonene, a-bergaptene, B-bisabolene, linalool, linalyl acetate, nerol, neryl acetate, geraniol, geraniol acetate, a-terpineol.

Safety Information: Phototoxic. Do not use if the area of application will be exposed to sunlight for 24 hours due to its photo toxicity.

Wonderful Bergamot has so many attributes it really is an essential oil to keep close at hand. Positive, uplifting, balanced and happy, Bergamot enhances life with its boundless joy and energy.

Bergamot is a small tree about 14 feet high, with smooth oval leaves. It bears small round fruit, much like an orange in appearance, which ripen from green to yellow. Strangely enough, when the fruit has been picked it changes back to green again.

Bergamot (furo-coumarin free) essential oil is a clear-yellow liquid with a fresh sweet-fruity, slightly spicy balsamic undertone. It is considered to be a middle/top note and blends well with Lavender, Neroli, Jasmine, Cypress, Geranium, Lemon, Chamomile, Juniper, Coriander and Violet.

The chemical constituents of Bergamot are many. It is known to have about 300 compounds (most in trace elements) present in the expressed oil: mainly d-limonene 40%, linalyl acetate 27%, linalol 12%, and other alcohols, Sesquiterpenes, terpenes and alkenes.

Bergamot’s virtues are considerable, uplifting, refreshing, deodorizing, inspiring, relaxing and balancing.

Encouraging confidence and concentration, motivation, good cheer and harmony.

The herbal tradition of Bergamot is long and varied; it is named after the Italian city of Bergamo in Lombardy, where the oil was first sold. The oil has traditionally been used in Italy to maintain health and wellbeing over many years.

In recent times it is used extensively as a fragrance and, to a degree, in cosmetics, toiletries, suntan lotions and perfumes. It is a classic ingredient of eau-de-cologne. Widely used in most major food categories and beverages, notably Earl Grey tea.

Meadows Bergamot Essential Oil does not cause a phototoxic reaction which can cause sensitisation and skin pigmentation when exposed to direct sunlight. This is because the oil has been re-distilled and the chemical furo-coumarin (bergaptene) has been removed.

• Did you know that Reggio Calabria in Southern Italy is the world’s largest producer of Bergamot oil, and producer of the highest quality oil?

• Ivory Coast is the next largest producer and produces a slightly darker oil.

• Sicily is often stated as a source of Bergamot oil, where as in fact despite being so close to Reggio Calabria, Sicily does not in fact produce any as the climate and soil make it unsuitable.

• Bergamots are believed to be an original cross or hybrid of A Palestinian Lime and a Bitter Orange.

• Bergamot Oil is produced exclusively for the oil production. The Juice has a bitter, sweet and aromatic flavour, similar to Grapefruit Lime and Bergamot all together (Darryn, Meadows director and Judith our sales representative can personally vouch for that). It is drunk traditionally locally to optimise healthy circulation.

• Bergamot oil is extracted initially at an ambient temperature. Technically it is not cold pressed but extracted through grating the peel and water separation.

• Natural Bergamot oil is green to dark green and has a much more herbal note to it. For the sake of skin safety (phototoxity) this oil is re-distilled and the chemical Furo-Coumarin (aka Bergaptene) is removed. This results in clear or pale yellow oil with a lighter aroma.

• When re-distilled to produce a Furo-Coumarin free oil, 20% is lost at the re-distillation stage.

• Bergamot oil is traditionally used to flavour earl grey tea.

• It normally takes 1 tonne of fruit to produce 5 kilos of Bergamot essential oil. This year, due to the hot summer and autumn in Italy, this level has dropped to 4.5 kilos. This means a 20% drop in yield, and unfortunately will mean a price increase.

• Meadows are one of the largest importers of Bergamot into the U.K and we sell this on to many other companies. This gives us excellent buying power which we can then pass on to our retail side. Equally important is our regular turn around of stock which means better quality for the end user and ultimately better results for your customers, in it therapeutic use.

Some useful tips for Bergamot use:

Try this for a lovely facial treatment: Blend 1 drop of Bergamot with 1 drop of Geranium essential oil in 5ml of Apricot Kernel Carrier Oil or a carrier oil of your choice. Gently massaged into the face and neck this is an ideal blend for most skin types, moisturizing, nourishing, soothing and calming to the skin with an uplifting feel good sensation.

Bergamot used in a diffuser will help to create a harmonizing and positive atmosphere.

FCF Is Not! Bergamot essential oil should not be combined with codeine, cocaine, or other opiate derivatives prescription or otherwise; as this can lead to irregular heartbeat or high blood pressure.

Please note essential oils are potent and should always be diluted before use!