Earl Grey tea is one of the best-known tea blends on the market. Traditionally, it’s a simple blend of black tea and oil of bergamot. Other tea bases are also used, including green tea, oolong, and rooibos. Bergamot oil is derived from the rind of a fruit called the bergamot orange, commonly grown in Italy.
In England, Earl Grey tea is widely considered a “posh” drink, due to its namesake. In contrast to this perception, the practice of adding bergamot to tea originally began as a means to disguise lower quality tea. These days it is done purely in the name of good taste.
Earl Grey tea has long been popular, but limited minerals and nutrients in tea suggest minimal health benefits.
Nutrition Information
Earl Grey tea contains minimal nutrients. On average, 8 ounces of brewed black tea includes:
- Calories: 0
- Protein: 0 grams
- Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 0 grams
- Fiber: 0 grams
- Sugar: 0 grams
Your cup of earl grey tea also contains 40 to 120 milligrams of caffeine.
The following vitamins and minerals are also only present in very low concentrations:
Potential Health Benefits of Earl Grey Tea
Earl Gray tea is a popular drink due to its caffeine kick and renowned flavor. Some people also swear by its health benefits ranging from preventing cancer to curing the common cold. Unfortunately, most of these assertions have not yet been proven by research.
Research has revealed some potential health benefits of drinking Earl Grey tea:
Black tea and other Camellia sinensis teas have been shown to have blood-pressure lowering effects. Lowering blood pressure in people with hypertension reduces the overall risk of cardiovascular disease.
Cholesterol Lowering Effects
Multiple studies have shown that bergamot extract can lower both LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) and total cholesterol. This happens through a distinct method compared to established cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Research into the polyphenols in black tea has indicated it may be good for weight loss. The mechanisms for this involve inhibiting lipid (fat) digestion, promoting fat metabolism, and preventing obesity through the reduction of oxidative stress (damage to cells).
Potential Risks of Earl Grey Tea
Earl Grey tea, as with all black teas, has a substantial amount of caffeine. Caffeine has been demonstrated to likely have an anxiety heightening effect on adults. Caffeine has also been linked to lack of sleep, a common exacerbator of depression.
Earl Grey Tea Intoxication
Earl Grey tea consumed at extremely high levels may interfere with your body’s ability to process potassium. In a case reported by the Lancet, a 44 year old man drank 4 liters (nearly 17 cups or 135 ounces) of Earl Grey tea every day. As a result, he developed severe muscle cramps that only subsided when he stopped drinking Earl Grey tea.
These symptoms likely stem from the bergamot in Earl Grey tea, which can interfere with potassium channels and cause your cells to overreact to stimulus, leading to muscle spasms and cramps.