Bergamot Essential Oil Health and Beauty Benefits
The chemical composition of bergamot essential oil is different from most citrus essential oils, which typically have a higher limonene content but not much else in the way of flavonoids. The two chemical compounds linalool and linalool acetate are also major components of lavender essential oil. These compounds are what gives bergamot a wider range of benefits than a typical citrus essential oil.
Citrus bergamia, the bergamot orange (pronounced /ˈbɜːrɡəmɒt/), is a fragrant citrus fruit (a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae) the size of an orange, with a yellow or green color similar to a lime, depending on ripeness. Genetic research into the ancestral origins of extant citrus cultivars found bergamot orange to be a probable hybrid of lemon and bitter orange.
| Name | Scientific Name | Origin | Benefits | Caution | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergamot | Citrus bergamia | Southeast Asia. | Treats Infections. Provides Respiratory Relief, Offers Pain Relief, Heals Wounds, Supports Digestive Health, Potent Insect Repellent, Promotes Hair Growth and Skin Health, Alleviates Symptoms of Rheumatism and Arthritis, Reduces Stress and Anxiety. Reduces Body Odor. Improves Oral Health. Lowers Cholesterol and Blood Pressure. | Should be kept out of reach of children, should not be brought in direct contact with eyes, or mucus membranes. Should be diluted in a carrier oil and never used in its pure form. Avoid use on hypersensitive, diseased or damaged skin. A patch test should be performed before applying. Best to avoid if pregnant or nursing, suffering from diabetes or taking high blood pressure medication. | Airtight dark glass kept in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. |
The Etymology of Bergamot
The word bergamot is etymologically derived from the Italian word bergamotto, ultimately of Turkish origin: bey armudu (“lord’s pear” or “lord pear”).
Description of Bergamot
Citrus bergamia is a small tree that blossoms (flowers) during the winter. The juice tastes less sour than lemon, but more bitter than grapefruit.
The Taxonomy of Bergamot
The bergamot orange is unrelated to the herbs known as bergamot, wild bergamot, bergamot mint, or bergamint—Monarda didyma (also known as crimson beebalm, scarlet beebalm, scarlet monarda and Oswego tea), Monarda fistulosa (also known as bee balm) and Eau de Cologne mint (also known as orange mint). Those are all aromatic herbs in the mint family (Lamiaceae), and are named for their similar aroma.
Citrus bergamia has also been classified as Citrus aurantium subsp. Bergamia, a subspecies of bitter orange. Bitter orange, Seville orange, bigarade orange, or marmalade orange is the citrus tree Citrus × aurantium and its fruit. It is native to Southeast Asia and is now spread to many parts of the world. It is probably a cross between the pomelo, Citrus maxima, and the mandarin orange, Citrus reticulata.
Citrus bergamia is sometimes confused with (but is not the same as) Citrus medica—citron, the yellow fruit of which is also known as etrog; or Citrus limetta, the “sweet lemon” or “sweet lime”. Read more about this citrus fruit on my post The Gift of the Humble Lemon.
The Phytochemistry of Bergamot
Bergamot fruit contains flavonoids, such as neoeriocitrin, naringin, neohesperidin, ponceritin, melitidin (exhibits statin–like properties so the juice seems to have hypolipidemic, lipid lowering activity), mitrocin, miriflin, brutieridin, and bergamottin (or 5–geranoxypsoralen, a natural furanocoumarin found in the pulp of pomelos and grapefruits). Bergamot leaves contain different indole alkaloids, such as N,N,N–trimethyltryptamine.
Bergamot essential oil is a clear liquid (sometimes there is a deposit consisting of waxes) from green to greenish yellow in color consisting of a volatile fraction (average 95%) and a non–volatile fraction (5% or residual). Chemically, it is a complex mixture of many classes of organic substances, particularly in the volatile fraction, including terpenes, esters, alcohols and aldehydes, and for the non–volatile fraction, oxygenated heterocyclic compounds as coumarins and furanocoumarins.
The main volatile compounds in bergamot essential oil are limonene (59%), linalyl acetate (16.8%), linalool (9.5%), γ–terpinene and β–pinene, and in smaller quantities geranial, alpha terpineol, neryl acetate, geraniol acetate and β–bisabolene. The main non–volatile compounds are coumarins (citropten, 5–geranyloxy–7–methoxycoumarin) and furanocoumarins (bergapten, bergamottin).
The volatile oils of the bergamot orange are described as flavoring agents in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Food Chemicals Codex (FCC) and are generally recognized as safe for human consumption by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The History of Bergamot
The earliest roots of the bergamot tree can be traced to Southeast Asia. It is currently grown in many parts of the world, but achieved its prominence and name in the town of Bergamo in southern Italy. Production is mostly limited to the Ionian Sea coastal areas of the province of Reggio di Calabria in Italy, to such an extent that it is a symbol of the entire city.
Historically, bergamot was an ingredient in the original Eau de Cologne a perfume originally concocted by Johann Maria Farina at the beginning of the 18th century in Germany. The first use of bergamot essential oil as a fragrance ingredient was recorded in 1714, and can be found in the Farina Archive in the city of Cologne, Germany. However, much of the “bergamot” used in perfumery today is derived from Eau de Cologne mint, which is a variety of water mint and is unrelated to citrus.
Bergamot is one of the most common “casings” (flavorings) added to snus. A form of smokeless tobacco product, and a variant of dry snuff originating from early 18th–century Sweden. During World War II, Italy was unable to export to countries such as the Allied powers. Rival products from Brazil and Mexico came on the market as a substitute, but these were produced from other citrus such as sweet lime (a citrus hybrid).
The Production of Bergamot
Most of the bergamot comes from a short stretch of land there, where the temperature is favorable. The fruit is also produced in Argentina, Brazil, Algeria, the Ivory Coast, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, and South–East Asia. Citrus bergamot is commercially grown in Antalya in southern Turkey for its marmalade. The fruit is not generally grown for juice consumption. However, in Mauritius where it is grown on a small–scale basis, it is largely consumed as juice by the locals.
Citrus bergamot is commercially grown in southern Calabria (province of Reggio), southern Italy. It is also grown in southern France and the Ivory Coast for the essential oil. Bergamot essential oil is a cold–pressed essential oil produced from cells inside the rind of a bergamot orange. It is a common flavoring and top note (head note, or most prominent scent) in perfumes. The scent of bergamot essential oil is similar to a sweet light orange peel oil with a floral note. One hundred bergamot oranges yield about three ounces (85 g) of bergamot essential oil.
The “sfumatura” or slow–folding process was the traditional technique for manually extracting the essential oil of bergamot. By more modern methods, the oil is extracted mechanically with machines called peelers, which scrape the outside of the fruit under running water to get an emulsion (a mixture of liquids that are normally immiscible) channeled into centrifuges that separate the essence from the water.
The Problem with Adulteration
Bergamot essential oil is particularly subject to adulteration because it is produced in such small quantities. Adulteration with cheaper products, natural or synthetic, such as oil of rosewood and bergamot mint and coloring with chlorophyll has become a problem for consumers. Worldwide, an annual 3,000 tonnes of declared bergamot are marketed, while the actual genuine bergamot produced amounts to a mere 100 tons.
To protect the reputation of their produce, the Italian government introduced tight controls, including testing and certificates of purity. The Stazione Sperimentale per le Industrie delle Essenze e dei Derivati dagli Agrumi (SSEA, Experimental Station for Essential Oil and Citrus By–Products) located in Reggio di Calabria, was the quality control body for the essential oil Bergamotto di Reggio Calabria, Protected Geographical Status.
Three European Union schemes of geographical indications and traditional specialties, known as Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), and Traditional Specialities Guaranteed (TSG), promote and protect names of agricultural products and foodstuffs.
Natural source analysis based on the Carbon–14 (radiocarbon dating) method can identify adulterated essences by detecting synthetic chemicals manufactured from petroleum that are used to mimic the chemical profile of bergamot and other essential oils.
Gas chromatography (GC) allows for analyzing mixtures’ distribution of various compounds, such as linalyl acetate and linalool. The distribution of these phytochemicals determines the characterization of bergamot essential oil according to the manufacturing process and allows for the detection of possible adulteration.
The Modern Uses of Bergamot
Bergamot essential oil has been used in cosmetics, aromatherapy, and as a flavoring in food and beverages. Its citrus scent makes it a natural flavoring and deodorizing agent.
Tea and Other Uses
An essence extracted from the aromatic skin of this sour fruit is used to flavor Earl Grey (tea blend) and Lady Grey (trademarked variation of Earl Grey) teas, as well as confectionery (including Turkish delight).
Fragrance
Bergamot essential oil is one of the most versatile of all the essential oils and one of the most commonly used ingredients in perfumery. It is prized for its ability to combine with an array of scents to form a bouquet of aromas that complement each other.
The Health Benefits of Bergamot Essential Oil
Bergamot essential oil has numerous medicinal properties. It is antibacterial, antispasmodic, anti–inflammatory and also has sedative and analgesic actions. If you’re interested in greater detail, read this PDF on the Bergamot Essential Oil Health and Beauty Benefits. The most common health benefits attributed to bergamot essential oil are discussed below.
Therapeutic Uses of Bergamot Essential Oil
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, bergamot peels and whole fruits were used to help with the flow of energy, healthy digestion, bacterial growth and skin health. Historically, bergamot was used in Italian folk medicine to help rejuvenate skin, reduce stress, relieve a sore throat and combat parasitic diseases. It also included bergamot in homemade skin disinfectants to help with wound healing.
But these days its popularity comes from its versatility in a wide range of health and cosmetic uses. Bergamot essential oil has a foothold in aromatherapy and massage therapy. It is one of the most commonly used oils in aromatherapy. Bergamot essential oil blends very well with all of the other citrus essential oils as well as with sandalwood, clary sage, lavender, ylang–ylang and frankincense. Its many diverse uses include the following.
- For Hair Care: Add 2–5 drops of bergamot essential oil to your shampoo.
- For Scalp Care: Mix 1–2 drops with 1 tablespoon of carrier oil and massage it into your scalp as an overnight treatment. Caution: bergamot essential oil increases photosensitivity, so do not use or leave this treatment on during the day and avoid exposure to direct sunlight for at least 24 hours after applying to your skin.
- Treat Small Wounds, Burns or Bites: Apply diluted bergamot essential oil to the affected area. Caution: bergamot essential oil increases photosensitivity, so do not use or leave this treatment on during the day and avoid exposure to direct sunlight for at least 24 hours after applying to your skin.
- To Uplift Mood: Diffuse bergamot essential oil around your home or workplace in 50:50 dilution with carrier oils (such as olive or coconut). Alternatively, inhale diluted bergamot essential oil from your cupped hands whenever you feel the need for a mood pick–me–up. Dab it on a bandana or handkerchief for a soothing scent on–the–go. Alternatively, massage a few drops of diluted bergamot essential oil into your neck, temples, belly and feet.
- For Stress Relief: Inhale bergamot essential oil from a diffuser machine throughout the day to improve mood and relieve tension. Caution: check your manufacturer’s recommendations before using bergamot essential oil in a diffuser as there have been reports of citrus essential oils damaging some diffuser machines.
- To Lower Blood Pressure: Apply 2–3 diluted drops bergamot essential oil topically to temples and abdomen. You can add 5 drops to a diffuser.
- To Lower Cholesterol: Add 5 drops of bergamot essential oil to a diffuser.
- For Sore Muscles and Joints: Dilute 2–3 drops of bergamot essential oil in a suitable carrier oil like jojoba or coconut and massage it into the affected areas. Alternatively, add 5–6 drops to your bathwater each evening to relax joints, and ease aches and pains.
- For Headache Relief: Dilute 2–3 drops of bergamot essential oil in a suitable carrier oil like jojoba or coconut and apply to your forehead area and behind the ears. Alternatively, you can diffuse the oil using a diffuser, vaporizer or distiller.
- For an Acne Spot Treatment: Apply bergamot essential oil mixed with a carrier oil directly to pimples, cysts, and blackheads. Leave on overnight. Alternatively, mix diluted bergamot essential oil into water or your favorite cleanser to use as a facial rinse. Caution: bergamot essential oil increases photosensitivity, so do not use or leave this treatment on during the day and avoid exposure to direct sunlight for at least 24 hours after applying to your skin.
- For Skin Care: Alternatively, mix diluted bergamot essential oil in products such as body wash and facial scrubs. Caution: bergamot essential oil increases photosensitivity, so do not use or leave this treatment on during the day and avoid exposure to direct sunlight for at least 24 hours after applying to your skin.
- For Any Digestive Complaint: Rub 1–2 drops of mixed bergamot essential oil with a carrier oil (such as coconut, jojoba or sweet almond) on your stomach after a meal.
- Lower a Fever: Apply 1–2 drops of diluted bergamot essential oil onto your chest, forehead and the back of the neck. Alternatively, inhale 1–2 drops from your palms directly. Alternatively, diffuse bergamot essential oil through the day and at night close to your bed.
- For Oral Health: Add a few drops of bergamot essential oil to a glass of water to make a mouthwash or gargle preparation. Alternatively, add a few drops of bergamot essential oil to your toothpaste and brush as normal. Caution: do not ingest.
- For Congestion: Add a few drops of bergamot essential oil to a sink full of steaming hot water, cover your upper body with a towel, lean over the sink and breathe in the vapors (for severe congestion, add some eucalyptus essential oil). Rub some onto your chest after blending it with a carrier oil first to get relief from nasal and chest congestion. Alternatively, inhale the vapors from a diffuser throughout the night and day. Inhale it directly from your cupped hands as needed.
- For Body Odor: Add 2–3 drops of bergamot essential oil to a warm bath (for added boost, mix in some lavender essential oil), or simply apply a few drops to your underarms and feet. To use it as a room freshener, you can add 5–6 drops of bergamot essential oil to a spray bottle filled with water and spray over soft surfaces.
- Insect Repellent: Add 5–6 drops bergamot essential oil to a spray bottle filled with water and spray away.
Precautions
There have been several reports of sensitivity to bergamot essential oil. Always perform a patch test before applying it to the skin for the first time. Always dilute essential oils with a carrier oil before applying topically. Bergamot essential oil can sometimes cause allergic dermatitis. Symptoms of an allergic reaction or sensitivity to bergamot essential oil may include redness, hives, burning sensation, blisters and pain.
Using essential oils in a diffuser can have a negative effect on children, pets, or pregnant women. Bergamot essential oil may not be safe for pregnant or breast feeding women.
This essential oil may reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics. This essential oil might result in blood pressure levels falling below normal. Consult with your physician before using bergamot essential oil as a form of medicinal treatment. Do not use bergamot essential oil for at least two weeks prior having surgery.
Check for bergamot essential oil’s interactions with other medications before using. Consult with a pharmacist or your physician about medications you’re taking for any possible interference with essential oils. Even inhaling or using the essential oil topically can interfere with certain medications, such as ciprofloxacin (an antibiotic).
Always store bergamot essential oil in dark glass bottles in a cool, dark place as one of its components, alpha–bergaptene, can become poisonous when exposed to sunlight.
Ingesting Bergamot
As a general rule, ingesting any essential oil is not recommended. Not because the oils are necessarily always bad or dangerous—but because it is difficult to obtain reliable information on this subject and it is often unnecessary for two reasons:
- First—you can get many benefits via aromatherapy and from topical application.
- Second—since many essential oils are antibacterial and anti–fungal—they can alter your healthy gut bacteria (flora). If you have food poisoning and needing to kill certain (harmful) bacteria, essential oils could help.
However, essential oils can kill good bacteria as well. Studies have shown essential oils to have negative effects on (generally beneficial) bifidobacteria. Clove, cinnamon and basil essential oils have been tested and found to inhibit the growth of beneficial bacterium.
There simply isn’t enough research available to know which essential oils affect which gut flora. If you do choose to ingest essential oils, it is strongly advised to follow up with probiotics. Dr. Scott Johnson recommends supplementing with probiotics 4 hours after ingesting any essential oils.
There is also the issue that some essential oils have potentially toxic compounds not meant to be metabolized by the human body. Wintergreen has methyl salicylate which is similar to aspirin. Aspirin can be toxic for children. Essential oils with camphor and 1,8 cineole (eucalyptus and camphor) can be toxic even in small doses.
Peppermint and many citrus essential oils like lemon, orange and bergamot are used in foods and recipes. The key to safely ingesting these essential oils is diluting them with another substance. In the case of bergamot—honey is a good option when mixing it in tea. Put a drop of bergamot into 1 tsp. of honey, stir into the tea.
Essential oil safety expert and author Robbert Tissarand has investigated the toxic dose for bergamot essential oil, he found there was no known toxic dose. The testing that had been done on mice, (which was not considered to be a toxic level), was extremely high.
Phototoxicity of Bergamot
In several skin patch test studies, application of some sources of bergamot essential oil directly to the skin of guinea pigs was shown to have a concentration–dependent phototoxic (photosensitivity) effect of increasing redness after exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light (due to the chemicals bergapten, citropten, bergamottin, geranial and neral). However, if the oil is twice rectified (and therefore bergapten–free), no phototoxic response is observed. This phototoxic effect is a property shared by many other citrus fruits and other members of Rutaceae, including rue. Ruta graveolens, commonly known as rue, common rue or herb–of–grace, is a species of Ruta grown as an ornamental plant and herb. It is native to the Balkan Peninsula.
The phototoxic effects of bergamot essential oil have been known for more than a century. In 1925, Rosenthal coined the term “Berloque dermatitis” (from the French word “breloque” meaning trinket or charm) to describe the pendant–like streaks of pigmentation observed on the neck, face and arms of patients. He was unaware that, in 1916, Freund had correctly observed that these pigmentation effects were due to sun exposure after the use of Eau de Cologne, a perfume infused with bergamot essential oil.
Use of bergamot essential oil in aromatherapy, followed by exposure to ultraviolet light (either sunlight or a tanning bed), has been reported to cause phytophotodermatitis, a serious skin inflammation indicated by painful erythema (blushing or redness of the skin) and bullae (any skin condition) on exposed areas of the skin. In one case, six drops of bergamot essential oil in a bath followed by 20–30 minutes exposure of ultraviolet light from a tanning bed caused a severe burn–like reaction.
Bergamot essential oil contains a significant amount of bergapten, a phototoxic substance that gets its name from the bergamot orange. Bergapten, a linear furanocoumarin derived from psoralen, is often found in plants associated with phytophotodermatitis (see my previous post on Babchi seed oil). Note that bergamot essential oil has a higher concentration of bergapten (3000–3600 mg/kg) than any other Citrus–based essential oil.
In the past, psoralen extracted from bergamot essential oil was used in tanning accelerators (spray tans) and sunscreens. In spite of being known to be photocarcinogenic since 1959, these substances were used in tanning activators until 1995, contributing to numerous cases of melanoma and death.
The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) restricts the use of bergamot essential oil due to its phototoxic effects. Specifically, IFRA recommends that leave–on skin products be limited to 0.4% bergamot essential oil, which is more restrictive than any other Citrus–based essential oil.
The compound bergapten, found in bergamot essential oil, was shown to be phototoxic in a small 2001 study. If you are concerned about your skin’s sensitivity to sunlight, look for a “bergapten–free” version of bergamot essential oil. The bergapten in bergamot essential oil is harmful if swallowed.
Research on Bergamot
Although generally recognized as safe (GRAS, an FDA designation) for human consumption, bergamot essential oil contains a significant amount of bergamottin, one of two furanocoumarins believed to be responsible for a number of grapefruit–drug interactions.
In one case study, a patient who consumed four liters of Earl Grey tea per day suffered paresthesias (an abnormal sensation of the skin having any of dozens of possible underlying causes, which can be transient or chronic), fasciculations (muscle twitching) and muscle cramps.
A 2017 systematic review of Citrus bergamia determined no conclusions about its possible applications in clinical practice. Its effectiveness and safety could not be definitively drawn. This was due to publication bias and low quality of the majority of studies.
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April 09, 2022
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