The 10 Best Earl Grey Tea the Best Afternoon Tea

Although Earl Grey was a traditional afternoon tea, it actually makes a perfect cup of tea at any time of day! The addition of bergamot to black tea is what makes it a distinctive, full-bodied and refreshing drink with its unique citrus overtones and alongside this it gives us some benefits as well. Black tea has been quite well researched to date and evidence shows that it can help lower some of our heart disease and stroke risk factors.

Things to Consider Before Buying Earl Grey

The origins of Earl Grey are somewhat cloudy. Many consider this tea was blended specially for Charles Grey, the 2nd Earl Grey, who was UK Prime Minister between 1830 and 1834. It is probable that he asked Richard Twining to devise a new tea blend, and on tasting it he liked it immediately and put his name to it. Another story is that a Chinese man gifted the tea to him in 1803, when one of the Earl’s staff saved the man’s son from drowning.

An Earl Grey was always a black tea, traditionally a blend of Indian and Chinese teas, which was flavored with bergamot. Today’s teas may be sourced from Africa as well, all of which alter the subtle flavors of the tea. Teas from India tend to have more malty flavor, while Chinese teas can be smoky, floral or fruity. Ceylon tea is often used as a base for Earl Grey, which gives it a different flavor to the typical Assam base of an English breakfast tea.

Traditionally served as an afternoon tea, Earl Grey is actually suitable to drink at any time of the day and it is perfect for serving with spicier foods as its flavor goes well with spice. It also enhances flavor in lemon cakes and will balance dark chocolate flavors in recipes.

In France, an Earl Grey is usually blended with lavender flowers, while in the UK, a smokier flavor is preferred – lapsang souchong is often used as a base for Earl Grey.

Lady Grey usually has Seville oranges and cornflowers in its blend and Earl Green is green tea with bergamot. There are other combinations of Greys such as a Rooibos Earl Grey or an Earl White which uses white tea as its base.

The Bergamot Orange and Flavoring Process

Bergamot or bergamot oil or bergamot essential oil (BEO) is extracted from the rind of bergamot oranges - bitter orange and lemon hybrids - from the Citrus bergamia Risso et Poiteau. A natural bergamot will have a sharp and intense citrus flavor although this will vary depending on where it has been cultivated and how it has been processed. Most bergamot is gown in Calabria, Southern Italy and the rest in France or Turkey.

Synthetic bergamot can also be used to flavor tea. The two main advantages of this is that it gives a consistent and sometimes stronger flavor and is also safe to consume by those with citrus allergies.

The amount of bergamot used in Earl Grey also varies. There may be more added so that the bergamot stands out against the flavor of the black tea, or less added so that the more delicate black tea flavors can come through.

Tea can be flavored with either bergamot oil or bergamot rind. The bergamot is added to the tea usually when the leaves have dried - towards the end of their processing. The tea may be blended with the rind so that it has a pleasing appearance and the rind can flavor the tea. The tea leaves may be sprayed or coated with the extract or flavor; this way of flavoring uses fewer ingredients and tends to add a stronger flavor.

Earl Grey Caffeine Content

Like any black tea, the amount of caffeine will vary depending on the type of tea, whether loose or tea bags and how long it is brewed for. A cup of loose tea brewed for one minute will contain around 19 milligrams of caffeine but if left to brew for five minutes will increase to around 31 milligrams. If an Earl Grey tea bag is used, then the caffeine content reduces by around 10%.

Caffeine is able to block iron absorption in the body, so extra care should be taken if you have low iron levels. Drinking tea at least an hour after eating will help any iron from your food absorb before you consume the caffeine.

Safety of Bergamot and Potential Drug Interactions

Bergamot is likely safe for most of us in the small amounts that we consume. It is ‘generally recognized as safe’ by the FDA for consumption. It may be possibly unsafe when used on the skin as it can increase photosensitivity and make you more prone to sunburn.

Bergamot can also interact with drugs such as amitriptyline, tetracyclines and levofloxacin, which increase sunlight sensitivity. Although this interaction and increased photosensitivity is more likely from uses of bergamot on the skin in lotions, than the small amounts consumed through the diet.

Bergamot contains bergapten which acts as a potassium channel blocker, affecting the absorption of potassium in certain nerve cells. This could cause side effects such as hand and leg cramps, twitches in muscles and blurry vision although bergamot taken in moderate amounts is highly unlikely to cause any of these symptoms.

Natural bergamot oil also contains natural chemicals such as bergamottin and naringen. These natural compounds are found in other citrus fruits such as grapefruit and even foods which contain Seville orange peel.

These chemicals are able to prevent the breakdown of certain medications through particular enzymes in the body which means that some drugs are not broken down as much as they should be before they are released into the blood stream. This can cause higher levels of the drug in the blood and even some negative reactions.

Some drugs which bergamot may interact with include benzodiazepines, some statins, some anti-arrthymics, erectile dysfunction drugs and anti-migraine drugs. Although the quantity of natural compounds in Earl Grey is much smaller than a glass of grapefruit juice, it is worth checking with your medical professional that you can consume bergamot alongside your prescribed drugs.

Bergamot oil may be unsafe for children if taken in large amounts. There have been cases of convulsion and death in children who consumed a large quantity of bergamot. Pregnant or nursing mothers are also advised to avoid bergamot and it may also affect blood sugar control in diabetics.

Brewing Earl Grey

When brewing loose leaf, allow one teaspoon per person per cup. With a traditional black tea base, boiling water can be used. Add filtered boiling (between 200°F and 212°F will be fine) water to the tea and leave to brew for between three and five minutes. Some higher quality loose Earl Grey may be brewed two or three times before disposing of. If the tea is left to brew for too long, it will become bitter rather than stronger as more tannins will be released into the water. If you do want a stronger brew then, you should use more tea.

Although Earl Grey can be drunk with milk, it is typically served black with a slice of lemon. You can sweeten with sugar, sweetener or even honey.

Black teas are usually shelf stable, but a flavored tea will not last quite as long. Between six and 12 months is usually long enough before your Earl Grey should be used or replaced. Although it will not go off, it will become stale and start to lose its flavor. It should be stored in an airtight container away from heat, moisture and light and also away from other strong flavors such as spices and coffees.

Black Tea and Heart Health

As Earl Grey has a black tea base from the Camellia sinensis or tea plant, it is rich in a number of antioxidants mainly the polyphenols which include thearubigins, epicatechins, and catechins.

Black tea is also a source of flavonoids, another antioxidant group. Also found in dark chocolate, fruit, vegetables and red wine, the flavonoids are linked with being able to reduce some of the risk factors for heart disease.

Consuming black tea for three months was able to reduce triglyceride values by 36% and another study shows that those drinking three cups of black tea every day had an 11% reduced risk of developing heart disease.

Low-density lipoprotein is known as ‘bad’ as it transports cholesterol to our cells, while the high-density lipoprotein is ‘good’ as it moves cholesterol away for cells and to the liver to be removed from the body. When LDL builds up in our bodies it is in the form of fatty plaques on the walls or our arteries which increases the risk of heart disease or strokes. One study showed that those who had slightly high cholesterol levels reduced their LDL cholesterol by 11% when they drank five servings of black tea every day.

When participants took Chinese black tea extract in another study, they had a decrease in LDL levels when compared to the control or placebo group.

Black tea was also able to decrease systolic and diastolic blood pressures in study participants who drank black tea three times a day when compared to the control group. Some research was not as conclusive around the impact of black tea on blood pressure, so this is an area which will need further investigation.

Black tea may also play a role in reducing stroke risk. A review of a number of research studies showed that those who drank more than three cups of black or green tea daily had a 21% decreased stroke risk compared to those who drank less than one cup daily.

Conclusion

Although the origins of Earl Grey remain unclear, it is very clear that its distinctive flavor makes it a favorite for many of us. Black tea is known to have some benefits for our heart health, although the addition of the bergamot to make it an Earl Grey can have some potential interactions with drugs. Excessive consumption of bergamot could also cause some unwanted side effects.