Bergamot

There are 3 things that grow referred to as “Bergamot”

1. Several herbs of the mint tea family can be called bergamot. A variety from North America, sometimes called Oswega Tea, was used during the boycott of English tea during the American Revolution.
2. A pear called “Bergamot Pear
3. The Bergamot Orange, or Citrus Bergamia, is a southern Italian pear shaped citrus fruit. This is the plant used to create Bergamot Essential Oil. The tree is named after the town of Bergamo in Italy.

The Bergamot Orange is the source of Bergamot Essential Oil. Not only does bergamot oil smell wonderfully uplifiting and citrusy, it has beneficial gifts to offer.

The active ingredients in bergamot juice are:

neoeriocitrin : a flavonoid. According to www.news-medical.net:  “The widespread distribution of flavonoids, their variety and their relatively low toxicity compared to other active plant compounds (for instance alkaloids) mean that many animals, including humans, ingest significant quantities in their diet. Resulting from experimental evidence that they may modify allergens, viruses, and carcinogens, flavonoids have potential to be biological “response modifiers”, such as anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-cancer activities shown from in vitro studies.

naringin: It is a major flavonoid in grapefruit and gives the grapefruit juice its bitter taste.

neohesperidin: Considered an anti-oxidant agent.

ponceritin: May treat treats allergies and autoimmune responses.

melitidin*

brutieridin*

*Melitidin and brutieridin, only recently discovered, exist only in citrus bergamot, and exhibit statin-like properties. (According to Wikipedia, Statins are a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which plays a central role in the production of cholesterol in the liver. Increased cholesterol levels have been associated with cardiovascular diseases,[1] and statins are therefore used in the prevention of these diseases.)

Synephrine is not present in citrus bergamot.

“Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.”