What Does Earl Grey Tea Taste Like A Citrusy Delight
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Earl Grey tea is one of the most popular black teas the world over. Whether you are trying it for the first time or looking to explain the flavor of this magnificent black tea to others, we have you covered.
What Does Earl Grey Tea Taste Like? Earl Grey Tea has a smooth citrus flavor from the oil of bergamot blended with the bold, malty flavor of the black tea. There are also some subtle floral notes that make the tea even more drinkable.
Read on for a deeper look at each flavor note in this incredibly popular black tea.
- Twinings Makes A Popular Earl Grey Tea
How To Make Earl Grey Tea
Cup: Infuse 2 grams per 200 ml at 95º for 4 min.
Teapot: follow the same steps as with the cup, and add one more measure!
You can sweeten your tea with milk, sugar or if you prefer you can enjoy the tea on its own, savouring all its delicate flavour qualities.
Although it is usually served hot, it is also perfect for drinking cold, and is an ideal accompaniment to cakes and sweets.
How Much Caffeine Is In Earl Grey Tea
Earl Grey tea has the same quantity of caffeine as a typical cup of black tea as black tea is the base of Earl Grey tea. If there are other additional caffeine-free ingredients, there will be marginally less caffeine, but not enough to be worth considering as black tea is the predominant ingredient.
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Does English Breakfast Or Earl Grey Have More Caffeine
Both are usually high in caffeine, but this will solely depend on the type of leaves in the blend. English Breakfast is likely to contain more caffeine than Earl Grey. Earl Grey tea with other ingredients such as flowers will probably have less caffeine. Both English Breakfast and Earl Grey are available in style. If you want to choose the tea with most caffeine, opt for those from Assam tea leaves.
Earl Grey Tea Has Sublime Citrus Flavor
Now we get to the part of the flavor that makes Earl Grey and what it is. The multi black tea flavor is the base of the tea but it is not what makes it unique. For that, we have to look at the oil of Bergamot fruit.
This is a citrus fruit that is kind of like an orange mixed with lemon, lime, and a little bit of grapefruit. Its this flavor that makes Earl Grey tea so beloved. What it brings to the table is a subtle citrusy flavor that helps smooth out the bold black tea taste.
Thats why Earl Grey tea is one of the smoothest and most drinkable black teas that youre ever going to find. The Citrus flavor in Earl Grey tea isnt an overwhelming one.
Its not like adding a bunch of lemon juice to your tea. Its a very subtle and Rich Citrus flavor without a lot of the Tangy or sour note that you get with regular lemon juice. Although many people do add lemon juice to their Earl Grey tea I dont find it necessary is I love the citrus flavor just the way it is.
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How Much Antioxidants Are There In Earl Grey Or Green Tea
Although both both black and green tea are healthy, green tea has much more EGCG and L-theanine than black tea. EGCG is the most important catechin in tea, often linked to weight loss, preventing cancer and boosting immune system. L-theanine is an amino acid responsible for calming effect and influencing mood. In black tea, the most important compounds are theaflavins, a form of catechin that changed during oxidation process. Theaflavins give darker color to black tea leaves.
One study showed that green tea offers a better antioxidant activity than green tea. Antioxidants help fight free radicals that cause damage to cells, cause aging, cancer, brain and heart disease. However, to achieve most of the benefits, its recommended to drink 3-5 cups of tea per day, for a longer period of time.
Types Of Earl Grey Tea
Earl Grey is so popular that it has spawned a number of similar teas. One of the most popular of these is Lady Grey, which is usually a blend of Earl Grey and blue cornflower blossoms.
Other popular Earl Grey variations include:
- Russian Earl Grey: Earl Grey with pieces of citrus peel mixed in.
- Earl Red / Red Earl Grey / Earl Rooibos: A bergamot-flavored rooibos.
- Earl Green: A bergamot-flavored green tea or, in some cases, a bergamot-flavored pouchong/baozhong.
Tea companies offer other stately names such as Mademoiselle Grey or Lord Grey. These are blended with spices, flowers , or other ingredients.
You may see a drink called London fog at some coffee shops and tea shops. This is a tea latte made from Earl Grey, steamed milk, and vanilla syrup.
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How To Make And Enjoy Earl Grey
Like many black teas, Earl Grey is fairly easy to prepare. To brew Earl Grey tea, you’ll need a teapot, some Earl Grey tea leaves, and quality water that is nearly boiling or at the boiling point.
Some people prefer to pre-warm their teapot with hot water, which helps maintain the steeping temperature. To do this, simply pour boiling water into the teapot, wait a minute, and then discard the water.
To Make Earl Grey:
Some people enjoy sugar and/or lemon in their Earl Grey. While it is not traditional to add milk to citrusy teas, some Americans also enjoy milk in their Earl Grey.
Earl Grey tea is one of the preferred teas for afternoon tea. It pairs very well with many sweets, such as scones and Madeleine cakes. Earl Grey is also a great tea for brunch pairings.
History Of Earl Grey Tea
Charles Grey was a 19th century United Kingdom aristocrat who went on to become Prime Minister. Nobody really knows how his name came to be associated with a particular brew of tea, but there are quite a few theories.
One story tells how a shipment of Chinese tea intended as a diplomatic gift for the English aristocrat became accidentally mixed with oranges. Arent we lucky they embraced the citrus flavor and didnt just throw away the contaminated tea leaves?
Jacksons of Piccadilly in London claim that one of their founders was given the recipe by Earl Grey himself in the 1830s. According to a story passed down through the Grey family, bergamot oil was added to tea to counter the heavily calcified water on the family estate. Its certainly possible that in its early days, bergamot oil was added to tea to mask the taste of an inferior blend. Nothing could be further from the truth today some of the worlds finest teas are made even more delicious with that extra addition of bergamot!
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May Reduce Blood Sugar
Having sweet, delicious blood not only makes you prone to vampire attacks but also increases your risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and kidney problems.
Your body needs a hormone called insulin to transport glucose into your cells. And guess what? Black tea may help insulin do its job.
In a 2002 test-tube study, black tea increased insulin activity by an impressive 15 times. The authors noted that a compound in the tea called epigallocatechin gallate won the prize for insulin-boosting activity.
Expanding on this work, a 2013 study in mice found that black and green tea extracts lowered blood sugar and improved sugar metabolism.
Of course, you are neither test tube nor mouse, and theres no indication that these effects would translate to humans. But its a promising direction for future research.
Will Milk Curdle In My Earl Grey Tea
One major concern people have when toying with the idea of pouring milk into Earl Grey is the dissatisfying curdling effect. If you steep your tea and top it off with cold milk, the oil of bergamot in the blend will react with the milk and lead to curdling. If you steep a strong cup of black tea with a larger dose of oil, this curdling is even more likely.
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What Is Bergamot Tea
Bergamot tea is typically made from black tea leaves and the fruit of the Citrus bergamia tree.
The tea leaves are either sprayed with bergamot extract or essential oil, or mixed with dried bergamot rinds, giving the tea a mild citrus-like taste.
Since it received its nickname from the British prime minister Earl Grey, bergamot tea is often considered English. However, its native to Southeast Asia and widely cultivated in Southern Italy today.
You can find bergamot tea in most grocery stores with or without caffeine, additional ingredients, and other flavorings.
The plant compounds in bergamot may provide a variety of health benefits, but most studies have focused on bergamot essential oil, juice, or supplements instead of tea .
Some variations of the tea are made from the wild herb bee balm, which is known scientifically as Monarda didyma. This herb smells similar to bergamot and has been used medicinally by Native Americans for centuries.
However, wild bergamot tea is not the same as classic bergamot or Earl Grey tea.
summary
Bergamot tea, also known as Earl Grey tea, is typically made from black tea leaves and dried bergamot extract.
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Other studies have observed similar results, with some research suggesting that bergamot may enhance the effects of traditional cholesterol-lowering medications .
Based on these results, drinking bergamot tea may benefit your heart health. Still, more studies are needed.
What Is Earl Grey Tea
Just like cookie dough goes with vanilla ice cream, peanut butter goes with chocolate, and lime goes with tequila, bergamot goes with black tea to create one of the worlds most beloved teas: Earl Grey.
Earl Grey tea, believe it or not, is not its own category of tea. It falls into the category of flavored teas. Flavored teas include any type of teawhite, green, oolong, blackthat has been scented or flavored with fruit, flowers, spices, oils, extracts, and natural or artificial flavors.
Earl Grey is one of the most recognized flavored teas in the world. This quintessentially British tea is typically a black tea base flavored with oil from the rind of bergamot orange, a citrus fruit with the appearance and flavor somewhere between an orange and a lemon with a little grapefruit and lime thrown in. Todays cultivar of the bergamot orange is believed to be a hybrid of the bitter Seville orange native to the Mediterranean and a sweet lime/lemon native to Southeast Asia.
So how did England and the rest of the world come to fall in love with this citrus and floral infused black tea?
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Are There Tannins In Green Tea Or Earl Grey Tea
Both tannins and catechins are polyphenols and may provide many benefits for health. Polyphenols are types of antioxidants, and thats why both tannins and catechins will provide anti oxidative properties. They are both water-soluble and released into your cup when you steep tea in hot water. Green tea usually has more catechins, while black tea will have more tannins. However, every tea is different, and its impossible to know the exact amount without testing.
Other Beneficial Ways To Use Earl Grey Tea
Earl Grey isnt just for sipping with your pinky stuck in the air. Theres a range of other ways to enjoy this fragrant tea:
- Eat it. Numerous recipes call for Earl Grey tea. Were talking ice cream, creme brulee, smoked meats, and bread.
- Bathe in it. You can add a couple tablespoons of tea leaves to hot bathwater and allow it to stew before getting in. Its like a tea bath bomb.
- Rinse your hair in it. Steep a tea bag overnight in boiling water, and then use it as a final rinse for your hair the next day. Bring on the shiny locks!
- Scrub with it. Combine tea leaves, coconut oil, and cane sugar to create an antioxidant exfoliant.
- Combat under-eye bags. After enjoying a cuppa, you can apply the warm, damp tea bags over your closed eyes to help reduce puffiness.
- Relieve insect stings. Wasp got you? Apply a wet Earl Gray tea bag to the sting for soothing relief.
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Type Of Bergamot Used:
Both synthetic and natural bergamot is used to flavor Earl Grey tea. Synthetic bergamot is popular with manufacturers because its flavor is consistent and it contains no actual citrus, so it is safe to consume for those with citrus allergies. The flavor of natural bergamot can vary immensely depending on where it was cultivated and how it was processed. Natural bergamot is often defined as a sharp and intensely citrus flavor. Calabria, in Southern Italy, is home to 80% of the commercially grown bergamot, followed by France and Turkey.
Side Effects And Considerations When Using Earl Grey
Most peeps can safely drink Earl Grey tea, but, as with most things, there are potential risks of overdoing it.
According to a 2002 case study, a man who had been drinking up to 4 liters of tea per day experienced muscle cramps and blurred vision. Granted, thats a lot of Earl Grey, so its unlikely that a typical intake of tea would trigger these effects.
Also, be mindful that tea contains plant compounds called tannins, which can affect how your body absorbs iron from food. Consider sipping your tea between meals rather than with a meal, so it doesnt impact iron absorption particularly if you typically have low iron.
Lastly, like many other teas, Earl Grey contains caffeine, so watch your intake if you get the jitters or other adverse effects. Theres always decaf.
If you love Earl Grey so much that you need other ways to use it, weve got you. This citrusy tea lends itself to pretty much any recipe that calls for lemon or orange flavors. The possibilities are endless.
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How To Prepare Earl Grey Tea For Better Taste
Take a cup of cold water in a glass or steel kettle. Heat the water just below the boiling point. Just when the water is about to boil, turn off the heat. Warm up your mug so that the temperature while steeping remains consistent.
Pour a little hot water into the mug, shake the mug, and throw away the water. This will make the mug warm.
Now, add Earl Grey tea into the hot water. If you have loose tea, one teaspoon of the tea for a cup of six ounces is good enough.
If you have a teabag, steep it for three to five minutes. Add sugar to taste and a slice of lemon. The tea has a strong flavor and looks brown in color. You can add milk instead of lemon. It tastes great!
Heart Health Is Improved
One of the earl grey tea benefits is improving your heart health. Earl Grey tea is abundant in antioxidants, suitable for the heart, and helps avoid severe cardiovascular problems, including heart attacks and high blood pressure.
These antioxidants help to clear plaque from the arteries and the heart. They also work to prevent cell damage caused by oxidative stress. When consumed regularly, Earl Grey tea lowers LDL cholesterol.
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Different Variations Of Earl Grey Tea
Traditionally, tea makers used Chinese Keemun in Earl Grey, later incorporating the likes of Assam andCeylon as well. Youll still find black tea in the most popular versions of Earl Grey, but additional flavoring ingredients and tea bases have been added on to an ever-growing potpourri of new blends to love.
1. White Earl Grey tea
Made with Chinese white tea and citrusy bergamot essence, the white Earl Grey tea takes an Eastern spin on a Western favorite.
2. Lady Grey®
This milder version of Earl Grey, trademarked by Twinings, is perfectly balanced with the citrus fruit flavors of bergamot, orange, and lemon. When comparing Lady Grey vs Earl Grey, Lady Grey has a much subtler and gentler flavor.
3. Green Earl Grey tea
The green tea variety follows the beloved formula of bergamot and a tea base, but swaps out the Keemun black tea blend with a milder green tea.
4. Rooibos Earl Grey tea
If youre not a fan of Earl Grey teas trademark bitterness, you may opt for a rooibos Earl Grey tea. Rooibos Earl Grey is free of tannins, which are the natural chemicals that give teas, wines, and dark chocolates their bitter taste. Additionally, Rooibos Earl Grey is caffeine free, making it a wonderful night time treat.
Other favorite Earl Grey types to spice up your tea time include lavender, creme-flavored, and jasmine.
Proven Health Benefits Of Earl Grey Tea
- Post author Scientific review: Dr Heben’s Team
Tea is no longer just a beverage but drinking tea is already becoming a lifestyle. It is because tea is not only used to relieve your thirst but also used as medication. Earl grey tea is one of the variant of tea that is recently becoming popular among tea lover due to its unique flavor and of course the health benefits of Earl Grey tea. As being the most recognized flavor of tea in the world, the popularity of earl grey tea is progressively increasing day by day.
What is Earl Grey Tea?
Traditionally earl grey tea is made from the humble black tea combined with specific ingredient, oil of bergamot that gives the taste of black tea more unique. However, the name of Earl Grey is assumed to be closely related to Charles Grey, the British Prime Minister in the 1830s. This assumptions has been confirmed by the Grey family that back then, this kind of tea was blended by a Chinese to be especially served for Lord Grey. Though according to the market references, Robert Jackson & Co. claimed that the recipe of original Earl Grey tea never leave their hands since the first time Lord Grey gave them the recipe in 1830. The history is not ended there various people have claimed that they are actually the original holder of the original recipe. Well, whatever the history back then was, as long as Earl Grey tea could be enjoyed as part of healthy beverage today, nothing to worry about.
Why Earl Grey Tea is So Popular?
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