Earl grey tea also known as British classic tea has an elegant and classy taste. Tea lovers can’t resist themselves to enjoy the ultimate flavors of earl grey tea.
Many tea experts from around the globe are working together to modernize this fantastic tea.
The fantastic flavor of this tea comes from two flavors which are black tea and bergamot oil. The modern earl grey is something unique because it comes with new ingredients like flower petals and citrus fruits.
“The unique range of different new ingredients makes this English tea even tastier.”
You might be wondering why this tea gained so much popularity. Let me enlighten you that the variation of this makes it different and popular among tea lovers.
What Is Earl Grey Tea?
A tea made from black tea leaves and fruit of Citrus bergamia tree. It has a classy citric taste; the leaves are either sprayed with bergamot extract to enhance the refreshing taste of this tea.
This tea got its name from the British prime minister Earl Grey. It also has plenty of health benefits. Also, it has multiple flavors to enjoy.
History of the Earl Grey Tea
The famous tea got its unique name after the British prime minister named Charles Grey. He was the 2nd earl of grey and a British politician who served from 1830-34.
He was an admirable politician because he reformed the British electoral system. And he also abolished slavery from the British Empire.
But, what does his reform has to do with the tea. Well, there is a story that someone gifted him a tea that had a bergamot oil flavor. He liked the tea and asked tea merchants to brew it again.
The British tea merchants brewed the tea and named it after the prime minister.
The tea then got popularity in the UK, and during the industrial revolution, it got famous in the US.
Now done with all the history and stuff, what the earl grey tea is? It is a scented tea with essential oil pull out from the bergamot’s orange peel.
Not to mention that the tea only contains the fruit essential, not the whole fruit itself. And, this is because the fruit is bitter, and its peel has the perfect bergamot aroma.
The bergamot oranges are a gift for tea lovers found in Calabria, Italy. These oranges aren’t like the typical ones.
They look like lemons from the outside. They have a unique flavor blended from Orange, Lemon, and Grapefruit.
You can usually buy earl grey tea in the form of teabags. It’s exactly like those from the tea companies; Twining’s, Bigelow, and Harney & Sons.
Earl Grey Tea Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 4.5 tsp Earl Grey Tea
Instructions
- Set the temperature of an electric kettle to 208o F. Boil a little extra water to warm the teapot.
- Warm-up teapot by pouring hot water into it.
- Put earl grey tea into the teapot with water and cover it for 5 minutes.
- Strain the tea leaves and pour tea into a cup.
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3 Surprising Health Benefits of Earl Grey
The fantastic tea comes from a plant with antioxidant properties. So, it has a lot of health benefits. Here are the three surprising health benefits of the Earl Grey:
1) Energy Booster:-
A daily cup of this tea can be a great energy booster without any side effects.
Earl Grey also has a safe quantity of caffeine to helps you stay active all day long. Also, the tea has vitamins and minerals; the tea helps you stay hydrated.
2) Provides Digestion:-
Earl grey tea is a fantastic beverage that aids every digestion-related problem. So, it’s best for those people who face bowling problems.
Moreover, the tea is excellent for all intestinal infections and acid reflux.
3) Immunity Booster:-
Having a robust immune system is crucial, especially amongst the Covid19 outbreak. So, drinking earl grey tea can help you have a more robust immune system.
It helps your body to fight against many diseases—the antioxidant properties in the bergamot fight against many chronic infections.
Side Effects of Earl Grey Tea
There are some drawbacks of consuming earl grey tea. you should aware of the dark side of earl grey tea while enjoying the classy taste of it. So, let’s check out the side effects of earl grey tea.
Anxiety: –
A high intake of earl grey tea may cause anxiety. Because it contains caffeine. If you consume 6 – 8 cups of caffeinated earl grey tea then it can brutally affect your mental and physical health.
Over-dose of this beverage may cause headache, nervousness, sleep problems, vomiting, diarrhea, and irregular heartbeat.
Pregnancy Issues: –
Pregnant women should avoid earl grey tea during pregnancy. Because the caffeine content of this tea can be harmful to you and your unborn child.
If you consume excessive caffeine during pregnancy then it may increase the risk of miscarriage. Also, it can cause irritability for breastfeeding women.
Stained Teeth: –
This tea contains tannins, which can cause be the reason for teeth staining. If you are going through the tooth whitening process then you should avoid this tea. Also, you can avoid the negative effects of tannins by rinsing your mouth after drinking earl grey tea.
Iron Absorption Issues: –
Earl Grey tea contains tannic and gallic acids, which can interfere with the absorption of iron from green veggies. It may lead to bone weakness and joint pain.
But you can reduce the deficiency of iron by reducing the intake of this tea. Also, you can avoid its harmful effects by enjoying this beverage during your meals.
Bergamot Toxicity: –
Excessive consumption of this tea may lead to bergamot toxicity. It can interrupt potassium absorption. Bergamot toxicity also can cause cramps in your hands and legs. Also, you may feel burning sensations, muscle twitches, and blurry vision.
Five Top Secrets to Steeping the Tea
There are many crucial things that you must follow for the perfect steeping of the tea. So, below we gathered the top five secrets to help you with the steeping of Earl Grey:
- Use fresh water and avoid using hot tap water. Always heat the water before brewing the tea in a stainless steel pot.
- After this, heat the tea until it starts boiling.
- Always put the boiled water in a warm cup because it helps with better steepness.
- It would help if you follow the right dimensions. For the loose leaf tea, you can use one teaspoon per six-ounce cup.
- If you steep the tea for 3-5 minutes, you can cherish the perfect tea taste. You can also try new things to create something unique.
Conclusion
You can always make the earl grey with the flavor according to your taste. So, trying with different flavors may help you pick your desired flavor.
Moreover, earl grey has many exceptional flavors that are valuable for your health. If you’re a person who doesn’t prefer caffeine, you can try the green earl grey.
People who prefer sweetness can go for the eccentric creamy earl grey. The tea will give you sensual pleasure with its savory taste. And it will also offer you uncanny benefits for your well-being.
