Bergamot is a native plant of Ionian Calabria
and exclusive to the province of Reggio Calabria.
https://www.sergiostraface.it/il-bergamotto-l-oro-verde-della-calabria/
https://youtu.be/istituto_luce_bergamotto
https://youtu.be/berg_curativo
https://youtu.be/agrumi_calabria
100% of the world's production of "useful" bergamot
is made on the coastal strip of Reggio Calabria
overlooking the Ionian Sea.
The production area of useful bergamot
is mainly limited in this area
to the point of becoming a symbol of the entire area.
"Useful" - because only in this area
the bergamot expresses the 350 chemical components
that make it exceptional in every respect.
Other areas in the world,
including Tyrrhenian Calabria,
have small productions of bergamot,
but of little chemical, nutraceutical, and healthy value.
The exact genesis of this citrus fruit is not known;
the yellow color would indicate a derivation by genetic mutation
from pre-existing citrus species, such as lemon, bitter orange or lime.
Its location has also generated much controversy among botanists:
some classify it as a species in its own right,
while others indicate it as a subspecies of the bitter orange.
Some legends make bergamot derive from the Canary Islands,
from which it would have been imported by Christopher Columbus;
other sources lean towards China, Greece, or the city of Berga in Spain;
the story of the Moor of Spain is told,
who for 18 scudi sold a branch
to the Valentino family of Reggio Calabria,
who grafted it on a bitter orange
in one of their possessions
in the district of Santa Caterina (Reggio Calabria).
The most likely etymology is Begarmundi,
"Bey Armudu" (Pear of the Lord) in Turkish,
due to its similarity with the shape of the bergamot pear.
The whole fruit is not normally put on retail sale
but used only for transformation into essence.
In full, it is found only by farmers from November to March;
it is possible to obtain juices
as it is done with other citrus fruits (eg orange),
it can be cut into wedges to make salads
or, as for lemon, put it in tea (the peel is as aromatic as that of lemon).
Its juice is very bitter due to the presence of naringin
and seems to be active, thanks to the polyphenol content,
in lowering the cholesterol level.
In particular, the effect would be attributable
to the presence of two statin-like flavonoids
(with activity similar to that of statins),
called brutieridina and melitidina.
Its use mainly concerns essential oils
derived from the peel of fruits
as well as from flowers, leaves and young twigs.
Bergamot essential oil is exported all over the world
for its property of giving an extremely fresh note
to perfumery compositions.
It is an essential component of Eau de cologne and Eau de toilette,
the first products thanks to which bergamot
has had widespread use all over the world.
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