Materia Medica
Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
Bergamot is a citrus fruit originating from Southern Italy. The tree produces a small, green bergamot orange, which resembles a lime.
It has been used in Italian folk and Ayurvedic medicines for hundreds of years to treat digestion, skin problems and fever. Further, in traditional Chinese medicine it was used to stimulate and balance the body’s energy.
While the inside of the fruit is edible and is often used to make marmalades, the traditional use of bergamot centres around its peel. It is used to flavour Earl Grey tea, one of the world’s most popular types of tea.
Bergamot has a high concentration of flavonoids and has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and cholesterol reducing properties. Research has shown that bergamot may reduce bad or LDL cholesterol and increase good or HDL cholesterol.
Part used:
Fruit, leaf, peel, oil
Energetics:
Sweet, cooling
Actions:
Antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-ulcer, digestive, nervine, stomachic
Indications:
Stress, depression, fatigue, sore throat, inflammation, bloating, acne, eczema, skin diseases.
References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31057945/
https://www.organicfacts.net/bergamot.html
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/bergamot-supplement-benefits#what-is-bergamot
Related Products:
Bergamot is used in our French Earl Grey, Earl Grey and Grey Martini Tea.