Bergamot is a citrus fruit in the genus Citrus: its name comes from the Turkish term beg armudi, which means “pear tree of the Lord.” The plant that produces it, Citrus bergamia, is an evergreen tree between three and four meters tall.
BENEFITS OF BERGAMOT
Very famous for its essential oil, bergamot also has many beneficial properties from a dietary perspective.
HELPS PREVENT CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
Thanks to the many polyphenols it contains, as well as vitamin C, bergamot plays an antioxidant and heart-protecting role. Proving this is Italian research from a few years ago by the University of Rome Tor Vergata. In addition, bergamot fights premature aging and the action of free radicals, again thanks to antioxidants.
PREVENTS CHOLESTEROL
The flavonoids this citrus fruit contains also help keep you healthy: for example, by fighting “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides in the blood, while raising levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL). Specifically, this would be due to an antioxidant called Naringenin.
HELPS LOWER BLOOD GLUCOSE
It is also Naringenin that increases glucose assimilation in the muscles and liver, which consequently helps to reduce blood glucose levels and improve insulin activity. This action makes bergamot a very valuable fruit for those with high blood glucose and diabetes.
IRON-RICH FOODS
Due to its high content of B vitamins and vitamin C, bergamot juice improves iron absorption and is useful in supporting therapies for anemia. Also thanks to vitamin C, it helps strengthen the immune system, warding off seasonal illnesses. It strengthens bones and helps keep them healthy. It is again the vitamins that exert valuable restorative action in bone disorders caused, for example, by calcium deficiencies, but also in tooth disorders.
