Lime vs. Bergamot — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 11, 2024
Lime is a citrus fruit known for its bright, acidic flavor, whereas bergamot is valued for its fragrant, floral, and slightly spicy aroma.
Difference Between Lime and Bergamot
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Lime is a small, green citrus fruit with a tangy and acidic taste, commonly used in culinary and beverage preparations. It's known for its high vitamin C content and its juice is often used to enhance flavors in dishes and drinks. Bergamot, on the other hand, is a type of citrus fruit primarily known for its aromatic oil, which is extracted from the rind. This oil is a key ingredient in Earl Grey tea and is used in perfumery and aromatherapy for its distinctive floral and slightly spicy scent.
While limes are widely available and used in a variety of culinary applications, bergamots are more niche, prized mainly for their essential oil. The oil has therapeutic properties and is used in skincare products for its ability to promote healing and reduce inflammation.
In terms of cultivation, limes are grown in tropical and subtropical climates around the world and are a staple in many cuisines. Bergamot trees, however, are primarily cultivated in the Calabria region of Italy, with the climate and soil composition there being ideal for producing bergamot oil with a high-quality fragrance.
Despite their differences, both lime and bergamot are valuable in their respective fields. Lime adds zest and freshness to dishes and beverages, while bergamot oil elevates perfumes and teas with its complex aroma.
Comparison Chart
Type
Citrus fruit
Citrus fruit
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Primary Use
Culinary, beverage, traditional medicine
Aromatherapy, perfumery, Earl Grey tea
Taste
Tangy, acidic
Bitter, not typically consumed as a fruit
Aroma
Fresh, citrusy
Floral, spicy, distinctively fragrant
Cultivation
Grown in tropical/subtropical climates worldwide
Primarily in Calabria, Italy
Compare with Definitions
Lime
Lime is a green, small citrus fruit known for its acidic flavor.
Limes add a fresh zest to water and beverages.
Bergamot
A citrus fruit mainly valued for its fragrant oil.
Bergamot oil is used in creating Earl Grey tea.
Lime
The acidic nature helps in cleaning and removing stains.
Lime juice can remove tough stains from surfaces.
Bergamot
Essential oil is used for its calming effects.
Bergamot oil is diffused for stress relief.
Lime
Widely used in cooking and cocktails for their tangy juice.
Lime juice is a key ingredient in guacamole.
Bergamot
Grown mainly in Italy, with ideal conditions for its oil.
The finest bergamot oil comes from Calabria.
Lime
Rich in vitamin C, limes are beneficial for health.
Adding lime to your diet can boost your immune system.
Bergamot
The oil's unique scent is a popular perfume ingredient.
Bergamot adds a fresh, floral note to fragrances.
Lime
Used in remedies due to antibacterial properties.
Lime juice is sometimes used in homemade cough syrups.
Bergamot
The fruit itself is rarely eaten due to its bitterness.
Bergamot fruit is more for oil extraction than consumption.
Lime
A white caustic alkaline substance consisting of calcium oxide, which is obtained by heating limestone and which combines with water with the production of much heat; quicklime.
Bergamot
A small tree (Citrus bergamia) commercially grown chiefly in southern Italy for its sour citrus fruits, the rinds of which yield an aromatic oil. Also called bergamot orange.
Lime
Birdlime.
Bergamot
The oil itself, used extensively in perfumery. Also called bergamot oil.
Lime
A rounded citrus fruit similar to a lemon but greener, smaller, and with a distinctive acid flavour
Wedges of lime
Lime juice
Roughly chop two limes
Bergamot
Any of various aromatic plants in the genus Monarda of the mint family.
Lime
The evergreen citrus tree which produces limes, widely cultivated in warm climates.
Bergamot
A tree of the orange family (Citrus × limon, syn. Citrus bergamia), having a roundish or pear-shaped fruit, from the rind of which an essential oil of delicious odor is extracted, much prized as a perfume.
Lime
A bright light green colour like that of a lime
A lime-green bikini
Bergamot
The fruit from the bergamot tree
Lime
A deciduous tree with heart-shaped leaves and fragrant yellowish blossom, native to north temperate regions. The pale timber is used for carving and inexpensive furniture.
Bergamot
The essence or perfume made from the fruit.
Lime
An informal social gathering characterized by semi-ritualized talking.
Bergamot
A variety of snuff perfumed with bergamot.
Lime
Treat (soil or water) with lime to reduce acidity and improve fertility or oxygen levels
They were liming acidified lakes
Bergamot
Either of two plants of the mint family noted for their bergamot-like scent:
Lime
Catch (a bird) with birdlime
The bird that hath been limed in a bush
Bergamot
Mentha × piperita, nothosubspecies citrata, more commonly known as bergamot mint
Lime
Sit or stand around talking with others
Boys and girls were liming along the roadside as if they didn't have anything to do
Bergamot
Monarda didyma, also known as American bergamot or bee balm.
Lime
Any of several evergreen trees or shrubs of the genus Citrus having edible green or greenish-yellow fruit, especially the Mexican lime and the Persian lime.
Bergamot
A variety of pear.
Lime
The fruit of any of these plants, having a pulpy interior and usually acid juice.
Bergamot
A coarse tapestry, manufactured from flock of cotton or hemp, mixed with ox's or goat's hair.
Lime
See linden.
Bergamot
A tree of the Orange family (Citrus bergamia), having a roundish or pear-shaped fruit, from the rind of which an essential oil of delicious odor is extracted, much prized as a perfume. Also, the fruit.
Lime
See calcium oxide.
Bergamot
The essence or perfume made from the fruit.
Lime
Any of various mineral and industrial forms of calcium oxide differing chiefly in water content and percentage of constituents such as magnesia, silica, alumina, and iron.
Bergamot
A variety of pear.
Lime
Birdlime.
Bergamot
A variety of snuff perfumed with bergamot.
The better hand . . . gives the nose its bergamot.
Lime
To treat with lime.
Bergamot
A coarse tapestry, manufactured from flock of cotton or hemp, mixed with ox's or goat's hair; - said to have been invented at Bergamo, Italy. Encyc. Brit.
Lime
To smear with birdlime.
Bergamot
Small tree with pear-shaped fruit whose oil is used in perfumery; Italy
Lime
To catch or snare with or as if with birdlime.
Lime
(chemistry) Any inorganic material containing calcium, usually calcium oxide (quicklime) or calcium hydroxide (slaked lime).
Lime
(poetic) Any gluey or adhesive substance; something which traps or captures someone; sometimes a synonym for birdlime.
Lime
(theatre) A spotlight.
Lime
A deciduous tree of the genus Tilia, especially Tilia × europaea; the linden tree.
Lime
The wood of this tree.
Lime
Any of several green citrus fruit, somewhat smaller and sharper-tasting than a lemon.
Lime
Any of the trees that bear limes, especially Key lime, Citrus aurantiifolia.
Lime
(uncountable) A brilliant, sometimes yellowish, green colour associated with the fruits of a lime tree.
Lime
A casual gathering to socialize.
Lime
(transitive) To treat with calcium hydroxide or calcium oxide (lime).
Lime
(transitive) To smear with birdlime.
Lime
(rare) To ensnare, catch, entrap.
Lime
(transitive) To apply limewash.
Lime
To hang out/socialize in an informal, relaxed environment, especially with friends, for example at a party or on the beach.
Lime
Containing lime or lime juice.
Lime
Having the aroma or flavor of lime.
Lime
Lime-green.
Lime
A thong by which a dog is led; a leash.
Lime
The linden tree. See Linden.
Lime
The fruit of the Citrus aurantifolia, allied to the lemon, but greener in color; also, the tree which bears it.
Lime
The color of the lime{1}, a yellowish-green.
Lime
Birdlime.
Like the limeThat foolish birds are caught with.
Lime
Oxide of calcium, CaO; the white or gray, caustic substance, usually called quicklime, obtained by calcining limestone or shells, the heat driving off carbon dioxide and leaving lime. It develops great heat when treated with water, forming slaked lime, and is an essential ingredient of cement, plastering, mortar, etc.
Lime
To smear with a viscous substance, as birdlime.
These twigs, in time, will come to be limed.
Lime
To entangle; to insnare.
We had limed ourselvesWith open eyes, and we must take the chance.
Lime
To treat with lime, or oxide or hydrate of calcium; to manure with lime; as, to lime hides for removing the hair; to lime sails in order to whiten them; to lime the lawn to decrease acidity of the soil.
Land may be improved by draining, marling, and liming.
Lime
To cement.
Lime
Having a yellowish-green color like that of the lime (the fruit).
Lime
A caustic substance produced by heating limestone
Lime
A white crystalline oxide used in the production of calcium hydroxide
Lime
A sticky adhesive that is smeared on small branches to capture small birds
Lime
Any of various related trees bearing limes
Lime
Any of various deciduous trees of the genus Tilia with heart-shaped leaves and drooping cymose clusters of yellowish often fragrant flowers; several yield valuable timber
Lime
The green acidic fruit of any of various lime trees
Lime
Spread birdlime on branches to catch birds
Lime
Cover with lime so as to induce growth;
Lime the lawn
Common Curiosities
Can I eat bergamot fruit like a lime?
No, bergamot fruit is bitter and not typically consumed like lime.
Can I grow bergamot in my garden?
Bergamot requires specific climatic conditions, similar to those in Calabria, Italy, so it might be challenging depending on your location.
Can bergamot oil be used in cooking?
Bergamot oil is primarily used for its fragrance and is rarely used in cooking due to its strong flavor.
Is bergamot in Earl Grey tea the same as the fruit?
Yes, the distinctive flavor of Earl Grey tea comes from bergamot oil extracted from the rind of the bergamot fruit.
Are limes and bergamots related?
Both are citrus fruits, but they belong to different species and have distinct uses and flavors.
Can lime juice be used as a natural cleaner?
Yes, due to its acidic nature, lime juice is effective in cleaning and removing stains.
How do I store limes to keep them fresh?
Limes should be stored in the refrigerator to prolong their freshness.
How is bergamot oil extracted?
Bergamot oil is typically extracted through cold pressing the rind of the fruit.
Is lime juice good for my health?
Yes, lime juice is rich in vitamin C and has several health benefits.
Is lime water beneficial for hydration?
Yes, adding lime to water can enhance its taste, encouraging better hydration and providing vitamin C.
Are there different types of limes?
Yes, there are several varieties of limes, including Persian limes and Key limes, each with unique characteristics.
Is bergamot oil beneficial for the skin?
Yes, bergamot oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, making it beneficial for skin care.
Can bergamot oil help with stress?
Yes, bergamot oil is known for its calming effects and is often used in aromatherapy for stress relief.
What dishes are limes commonly used in?
Limes are versatile and used in a wide range of dishes, from guacamole to pad thai and margaritas.
Can I use bergamot oil in my diffuser?
Yes, bergamot oil is commonly used in diffusers for its aromatic and therapeutic properties.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
