Did you know that bergamot oil, which provides the distinctive flavour of Earl Grey tea, can give you a suntan? It used to be included in suntanning lotion (not to be confused with sunblock cream). Unfortunately, bergamot’s suntanning boost is due to a phototoxic chemical that can also give you a nasty sunburn, or even kick off skin cancer.1 So yeah, we don’t do that any more.
Bergamot still smells fantastic, though, and it’s not just useful to flavour Earl Grey tea. There’s some evidence that breathing its delightful scent may promote relaxation, help with sleep, and reduce anxiety. If you’d like to know what the current research says about bergamot oil, I have a new nonfiction article at Examine.com laying it out.
Photo by Marie Z Johnston