Bitter Orange: The Bitter Truth of Bergamot, Neroli and Petitgrain Essential Oils

Welcome back to Harvesters’ Corner! In our last post we talked about the sweet orange and the wonderful Wild Orange essential oil that comes from it. Today we are going to look at a cousin to the sweet orange and learn more about the amazing oils that come from this tree.

As I was researching these articles on oranges I saw several hits online about the world-famous Seville Oranges. Having grown up with California Oranges and Florida Oranges, my first thoughts were, “Oh, here is another sub-tropical location with delicious oranges.” But as I started to read about Seville Oranges, I learned that I was very wrong.This orange belong to the Citrus x aurantium  family, with the fruit produced being fragrant. It is comparable in size to a small orange, and has a green-to-yellow rind, depending on its ripeness. Bitter Orange is thought to be native to the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains. Traders brought the fruit and saplings into the Persian kingdom, and it became popular in Iran. The spread of Islam led to the subsequent spread of the Bitter Orange, and it is believed that the first Bitter Oranges were introduced into Spain by the Moors during the 10th century. Historically the Bitter Orange was used primarily in foods and perfumes, two applications which can also be seen in herbal medicines from ages past.

A Source of Happiness

By the 12th century, people living in the Middle Ages believed that oranges produced happiness. As such, the trees were planted along avenues throughout towns, and the citizens of Cordoba, a city in Andalusia, Spain, went so far as to construct the famed Patio de los Naranjos  in their beloved mosque-cathedral. This enclosed courtyard dates back to about 976, making it one of the oldest gardens still in existence. (1) The trees here date back to the 1600s, and this beautiful enclosure gives us a tantalizing taste of what a corresponding courtyard at the cathedral of Seville may have looked like at its peak.

Today, Bitter Orange is known best for its use in making orange marmalade, and its use in Earl Gray Tea. The actual fruit of the Bitter Orange is too bitter to eat straight from the tree. In order to be eaten, the fruit gets mixed with lemon juice and sugar, and then allowed to rest for some time. The rind from the fruit produces an oil, much like other citrus fruits, which is highly valued in the perfume industry for its sweet and zesty aroma. Bitter Orange is also known by multiple names including Sour Orange, Seville Orange, Citrus Bergamia, and Bergamot.

This latter name, pronounced “Ber-gah-moh,” with a silent ‘t’, was my first introduction to Bitter Orange. Approximately seven years ago, I had a repressed memory make its ugly return, and experienced a mental breakdown. I did not want to be held, consoled, or touched. I simply sat, huddled in a ball, rocking myself as my eyes darted warily searching for any possible risks. My husband set about searching for something, anything, which would help me. He read some research papers dealing with the calming effects of Bergamot and did some follow-up research. Bergamot is grown in southern Italy, in the Reggio Calabria region. The oil is obtained by a machine that “rasps” the rind off the pulp, like using a cheese grater on the rind. The rasping equipment is submerged in water, so the oil is released into the water. The resulting solution is then run through a centrifuge to separate the water and oil. Luckily, we had a bottle in our collection. I took a quick, tentative whiff of the oil, then another and another. With each breath I felt a bit of tension ease. What my husband discovered through his research, and I quickly discovered through application, is that Bergamot has “unique calming capabilities that can help when tension or stress levels are high.” (2) I still needed time and counselling to recover from the oppressed memory, but the Bergamot essential oil certainly helped me with being able to face everyday tasks without withdrawing from my family.

Soon after this episode, I entered that wonderful stage of life that women all over the world understand and hate: perimenopause. Once again, after some research, my husband had me try an oil called Neroli. I had a bottle of Neroli Touch from when it was introduced at Convention. I did a swipe of the roller bottle in the crease of my elbow, and the symptoms began to ease. Much to my surprise, I discovered that Neroli came from the Bitter Orange tree! While Bergamot comes from the rind of the fruit, Neroli comes from the flowers that develop into the fruit. This oil is obtained via steam distillation of the blossoms.

The Bitter Orange is very versatile, for not only are Bergamot and Neroli essential oils produced from it, so to is Petitgrain essential oil. This last one comes from the leaves and twigs. The petitgrain fruit looks very different when compared to its cousins in Italy. It is small, just a bit bigger than a cherry, with a rough green rind. In fact, the fruit gave the tree its name. Petitgrain is a French word meaning “little grains.” Like its cousin, Bergamot essential oil, Petitgrain essential oil can be used to promote feelings of relaxation. And like Neroli, Petitgrain can be used to help with skin care. Just be sure to try a small bit first to assess your skin for any sensitivity.

YEP! Three in One

I have to admit that my mind was blown away by the fact that one plant was responsible for giving us three fantastic oils! While I have not had much experience with Petitgrain, I have bottles of both Bergamot and Neroli in my purse for when I need relief from stress and other issues. Incidentally, I was surprised to see that these three oils are all sourced from separate areas of the world. Bergamot comes from growers in Italy, Neroli from gatherers in Egypt, and Petitgrain from across the Atlantic, in the South American country of Paraguay. Let’s take a moment to see what kind of effects Co-Impact Sourcing has had with each group of growers.

Interest in Italy has breathed new life into a multi-generational family business. The Amedeo family had been involved in essential oil production for four generations, specializing in citrus fruits and their derivatives. With Co-Impact Sourcing at their side, the Amedeo family has been able to move forward with confidence with their groves and distillery. The partnership has enabled the company confidence enough to invest in solar panels for their distillery. They now produce seventy-five percent of the electricity needed to run their stills from this renewable, clean energy source.

In Egypt, Neroli has had a very powerful impact. Gathering the needed blossoms for this oil’s production is a very labor-intensive task. The trees are grown in the Gharbia Governate, located in the Nile Delta. This is the same area we spoke about in our post concerning Jasmine. Co-Impact Sourcing and our local sourcing partner work to ensure on-time payments and guaranteed pricing for the hundreds of local women gathering the blossoms. In addition, the blossoms are a primary source of nectar for the local bees. The Sourcing Partner runs the only organic beekeeping project in Egypt. (3) As of 2023 there were over 4,700 people working sourcing jobs in the Gharbia Governate, with over 19,300 lives being impacted by these jobs! (4)

Rural farmers in Paraguay were on the verge of loosing hope several years ago. No-one seemed interested in their Petitgrain crops, nor the oils produced. Many farmers in impoverished areas allowed their equipment to fall into disrepair and crumble and their groves to either grow wild, or to be removed and replaced by soy or sugar cane. This oil, commonly referred to a lavender for men, is not well known. It can sooth the nervous system, and provide support for the cardiovascular, immune, and digestive systems. It can also be used indoors as a surface cleaner, as well. Now that dōTERRA is working with these farmers, there is renewed interest in Petitgrain production, which is energizing communities with a larger vision of what is possible with their lands. As of 2023 a total of 80 people were being empowered by sourcing jobs, and 312 lives being supported.

A Community Affair

Emily Wright, Executive Vice-President and Founding Partner of dōTERRA, shared an experience she had on a sourcing trip to Paraguay. “We had been seeking a sustainable source of Petitgrain for quite some time…We were really excited as we went in, it was quite an adventure.” She continued, stating, “We got all the red mud and of course the rains came, as we came in which made [the trip] all the more fun, but I wasn’t expecting what I found as we entered.” (5) Then her eyes moistened as she added this next part.

There was a particular family that really stole my heart, a father-and-son team, and as they loaded up this little wooden cart that was drawn by an oxen, this oxen was borrowed by another member in the community, it was just loaned to him. As they filled this cart off and took it down to the distillery, that was owned by yet another community member, and to see them work together as father and son.

After composing herself, Emily continued, “This was very labor-intensive,” and admitted, “these distilleries in Paraguay are different from any distilleries I've ever seen, they're actually made out of out of wood. They're a very simple structure but in order to make them work you've got to seal them up and make them very very tight, but yet have enough ventilation that you have the steam that can come through.” The stills are constructed with wood slats held together by bailing wire. To work properly, they must be sealed. “That means they take this very rich red dirt and they cover the still [filling all cracks and seams] after it has been filled with the plant material and it works perfectly that way,” Emily concluded. (6) Steam is piped into the still, and a pipe runs from the top of the still, through a water trough, into a receptacle for collecting the oil.

Co-Impact Sourcing is not the only organization busy in Paraguay. The Healing Hands Foundation has enlarged the girls’ dormitories at a school near the growers, allowing more girls the opportunity to attend school. These improved dormitories now feature air conditioning, which makes an enormous impact on the quality of sleep the students receive at night. Healing Hands is also renovating the boys’ dormitories, providing many with opportunities for education that were not available just a few short years ago. Over 2,400 lives have been impacted by the Healing Hands Foundation. (7)

As I stated earlier, I had no idea the impact the Bitter Orange had. Growers and their families in three different and diverse regions are being empowered towards self-reliance, and the lives of thousands of youths are being impacted in a positive way through being able to obtain an education. Knowing Co-Impact Sourcing and the Healing Hands Foundation, they are not content to rest with what they have accomplished and are actively engaged in finding other growers to impact. It is truly remarkable the impact you can have simply by purchasing a bottle of Certified Pure Tested Grade (CPTG) essential oil.

Hardly a week goes by without me reaching for my bottles of Bergamot and Neroli. And after learning all that I have about Petitgrain, I am looking forward to experimenting with it more. To order a bottle for you to experience the CPTG difference, please follow the links. As always, here is the link to donate to the Healing Hands Foundation. As always, if you have any questions about the oils, leave a message in the comments, and also subscribe if you haven’t already done so. Join us next time here at Harvesters’ Corner as we look into the history and uses of an oil almost as powerful as the Sun: Lemon. Until then, stay safe!

Sources

1.    Bale, Jeffery. “The Patio de los Naranjos, Cordoba, Spain.” 21 March 2011. Online. <https://jeffreygardens.blogspot.com/2011/03/patio-de-los-naranjos-cordoba-spain.html>. Accessed 28 July 2024.

2.    dōTERRA. “Bergamot Oil Uses and Benefits.” No Date. Online. <https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/spotlight-bergamot-oil>. 27 July 2024.

3.    dōTERRA. Source to You: Neroli.” 20 June 2022. Online. <https://sourcetoyou.com/en/stories/story/neroli>. Accessed 27 July 2024.

4.    Ibid.

5.    dōTERRA. “Sourcing Petitgrain: Paraguay.” 16 Nov 2016. YouTube. Accessed 27 July 2024.

6.    Ibid.

7.    dōTERRA. “Source to You: Petitgrain.” No Date. Online. <https://sourcetoyou.com/en/stories/story/petitgrain>. Accessed 27 July 2024.