Earl Grey tea is one of the most popular flavored teas, known for its distinctive bergamot flavor. The oil from bergamot citrus fruit gives Earl Grey its unique taste and aroma. While Earl Grey is usually enjoyed for its flavor, the bergamot in Earl Grey tea may also provide health benefits. Our article will explore the top 10 best Earl Grey tea health benefits you may gain from drinking this delicious beverage.
Earl Grey tea contains antioxidants and other compounds that can support heart health, digestion, weight loss, oral health, and more. The bergamot used to flavor Earl Grey tea also contains medicinal properties. Bergamot acts as an anti-inflammatory and antiseptic and may help fight infections. As research on bergamot continues, scientists are uncovering even more potential wellness advantages.
Best Earl Grey Tea Health Benefits: Our Top 10 Picks
Below we detail the 10 science-based ways Earl Grey tea with bergamot can boost your health. We also look at any possible side effects and risks associated with excessive bergamot tea consumption. Discover how drinking the best Earl Grey tea can better your health.
1. Supports Heart Health
Drinking Earl Grey tea or bergamot tea benefits your cardiovascular system in several ways. Black tea contains flavonoids, which are powerful antioxidants that protect heart health. Earl Grey also contains bergamot, providing extra flavonoids. These antioxidants improve heart health by lowering LDL “bad” cholesterol, reducing blood pressure, and decreasing inflammation. The bergamot in Earl Grey tea helps blood vessels relax and maintains healthy circulation. These combined effects lower your risk for heart disease when you regularly drink the best Earl Grey tea.
2. Aids Digestion
The bergamot flavoring in Earl Grey tea may ease digestion issues like cramps, bloating, and nausea. Bergamot acts as a natural remedy for an upset stomach after meals. The antioxidants in black tea is also calm inflammation in the gut. This soothing effect helps food pass smoothly through your digestive tract. Additionally, Earl Grey contains caffeine, which is known to stimulate digestion. Through these mechanisms, drinking Earl Grey tea can help relieve digestive discomfort.
3. Promotes Weight Loss
Enjoying bergamot Earl Grey tea may help you lose weight. Black tea assists weight loss in several ways. It contains caffeine to boost metabolism. The flavonoids and antioxidants in Earl Grey tea increase fat breakdown. Drinking tea like Earl Grey after meals also signals your body to start burning more calories. Bergamot adds extra antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds to black tea that support weight control. Researchers found bergamot lowered blood sugars and improved cholesterol levels in obese participants. This demonstrates bergamot’s abilities to combat obesity and facilitate weight loss.
4. Improves Oral Health
The bergamot in Earl Grey tea has antibacterial qualities that keep your teeth and gums healthy. Bergamot oil kills germs, including streptococcus mutans bacteria responsible for cavities and gum disease. As an antiseptic, bergamot treats oral infections that damage teeth and cause bad breath. The catechins in black tea also inhibit cavity-causing bacteria growth while reducing inflammation in irritated gums. These oral health benefits prevent periodontal disease, and gingivitis and allow you to keep your teeth strong and healthy.
5. Boosts Energy Levels
The caffeine content in Earl Grey tea makes it an energizing afternoon pick-me-up. Black tea contains natural caffeine to make you feel alert without coffee’s unpleasant jitters. A cup of Earl Grey tea provides around 55mg of caffeine for sustained energy. One study showed people who drank black tea increased attention, had faster reaction times, and felt refreshed. Along with caffeine, Earl Grey’s combination of antioxidants like flavonoids may complement caffeine’s energizing effects. The bergamot adds a further boost by stimulating metabolism and circulation.
6. Enhances Immune Function
Earl Grey tea strengthens your immune defenses against infection in several natural ways. We already discussed how bergamot acts as a disinfectant and antibacterial agent. The vitamin C in bergamot prevents colds while the antioxidants attack free radicals that can lower immunity. Black tea’s catechins have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antimicrobial effects that protect against pathogens. Drinking Earl Grey tea fortifies your body’s resistance to viruses, bacteria, and infections for improved immune function.
7. Relieves Stress
The aromatic, citrusy flavor of Earl Grey tea has a calming effect that makes it a soothing stress-relieving drink. The research found bergamot essential oil reduced anxiety and improved mood. As an adaptogen herb, black tea contains L-theanine which has anti-stress effects. L-theanine changes brain wave patterns to encourage relaxation. The combined stress-busting properties of bergamot and black tea make Earl Grey the perfect tea to unwind and destress.
8. Protects Brain Health
The antioxidant flavonoids in Earl Grey tea prevent neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. These antioxidants shield brain cells from free radical damage that causes dementia. Bergamot also limits neural inflammation and facilitates the regeneration of brain cells. Researchers are even testing if bergamot extracts can improve cognitive functioning in Alzheimer’s patients. The caffeine in black tea likewise enhances focus and concentration for better mental performance.
9. May Prevent Cancer
Both black tea and bergamot contain compounds that inhibit cancer growth. The antioxidants in Earl Grey tea called flavonoids have chemopreventive effects. Flavonoids repair cell damage and stop tumors from spreading. Bergamot also demonstrates antitumor actions and helps standard cancer treatments work better. While more clinical research is necessary, drinking Earl Grey tea may help suppress cancer cell development and tumor progression.
10. Improves Skin Health
Applied topically, bergamot heals skin injuries with its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. The antioxidants in Earl Grey tea also rejuvenate skin from inside your body. They accelerate cell turnover to smooth wrinkles and repair UV damage that ages skin. Black tea’s catechins reduce skin redness, inflammation, and irritation. Enjoying Earl Grey tea regularly keeps your complexion healthy, youthful, and glowing with vitality.
Does Earl Grey Tea Have Caffeine?
Yes, Earl Grey tea does contain caffeine. The amount of caffeine in Earl Grey tea can vary but typically ranges between 25 to 30 mg of caffeine per 8-ounce cup. This is because Earl Grey tea typically has black tea as its base, which has more caffeine than other tea types like green or white tea. So while Earl Grey tea does have caffeine, the amount is somewhat less than a typical cup of coffee, which provides around 95–200 mg of caffeine per cup. In summary, one can expect a moderate amount of a natural, steady caffeine boost from an Earl Grey tea that can help fuel your day without the intense jolt of coffee caffeine.
How Much Caffeine In Earl Grey Tea?
Earl Grey tea contains approximately 25-30 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce cup. This amount of caffeine is less than a typical cup of coffee, which has 95-200 milligrams, but is still enough to provide a gentle energizing boost from the natural black tea that forms the base of an Earl Grey blend. Overall, Earl Grey offers moderate caffeine.
What Does Earl Grey Tea Taste Like?
Earl Grey tea has a distinctive flavor profile combining the boldness of black tea with aromatic bergamot orange. The bergamot adds a bright, citrusy note that many describe as having a floral quality as well. Overall, the taste of Earl Grey is robust yet refreshing due to the unique addition of bergamot’s citrus tones to the malty, slight astringency of a bold black tea.
Bergamot Tea Side Effects
Bergamot tea, like Earl Grey tea, contains bergamot extract which has some health benefits but can also cause side effects if consumed in excess. The most common issues are outlined below.
- Digestive issues: Drinking too much bergamot tea can lead to mild digestion problems like upset stomach, acid reflux, or cramps especially if consumed on an empty stomach.
- Dehydration: As a caffeinated beverage, bergamot tea can result in increased urination leading to dehydration if intake is excessive.
- Allergic reactions: Some people may experience allergic reactions to the bergamot oil including rashes or breathing issues. Those with sensitivities need to use caution.
- Medication interactions: The bergamot may negatively interact with certain prescription medicines if too much tea is drunk. Those taking medications should consult their doctor.
- Caffeine overdose: Consuming too many cups per day can result in jitters, headaches, blurred vision, and muscle cramps due to excess caffeine.
- Effects on vulnerable individuals: Pregnant women, children, and the elderly need to limit intake to a maximum of 2 cups daily due to sensitivity to caffeine.
Final Result
Earl Grey tea stands out for its distinctive flavor and aroma thanks to bergamot citrus added to black tea. The bergamot not only makes Earl Grey tea taste delicious but may provide wellness advantages. Our article covered the 10 best Earl Grey tea health benefits you can gain by sipping this hot beverage regularly.
We discussed how Earl Grey tea containing bergamot promotes heart health by lowering bad cholesterol, aids digestion by easing GERD symptoms, and facilitates weight loss due to antioxidants that accelerate metabolism. Additional Earl Grey tea benefits include improved oral and mental health, enhanced immunity, and increased energy levels thanks to black tea’s natural caffeine.
The bergamot in Earl Grey tea also demonstrates antibacterial properties to prevent infections. Researchers are even investigating if bergamot extracts can inhibit the growth of neurodegenerative diseases and certain cancers. Applied topically, Earl Grey tea containing bergamot improves skin appearance too.
However, drinking too much Earl Grey tea daily can cause negative side effects. Consuming over 5 cups per day may lead to muscle cramps, blurred vision, irritability, or dehydration. Pregnant women and people taking certain medications should limit Earl Grey intake as well.
Overall, when enjoyed in moderation, brewing up a hot cup of Earl Grey tea remains a safe, tasty way to boost your health from head to toe. Does Earl Grey tea top your list as a favorite flavored black tea? What health advantages have you gained personally from sipping Earl Grey tea?
