Tea Blog

What can you say about the potential health benefits of

Earl Grey tea and bergamot-flavored black tea blends

that you can’t say about black tea in general?

As a rule, Earl Grey is simply black tea with one key addition: oil of bergamot—a citrus fruit primarily grown in Italy.

That difference turns out to be important.

In a recent report, bergamot has been identified as a potentially beneficial ingredient in relation to heart health.

So technically, the focus is less on tea itself and more on bergamot—but for most of us, Earl Grey is the primary source.

This is discussed in

a news report on bergamot in Earl Grey tea and its potential impact on heart disease
,
which also notes the tea’s cultural popularity.

The research suggests that bergamot contains compounds known as HMGF (hydroxy methyl glutaryl flavonones), which may help manage cholesterol levels in ways similar to statins.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Calabria in Italy and published in the Journal of Functional Foods.

You can review the summary in this

scientific abstract of the bergamot cholesterol study published in the Journal of Functional Foods
,
though access to the full paper requires a subscription.

The findings indicate that HMGF may reduce levels of “bad” cholesterol while increasing levels of “good” cholesterol.

Beyond tea, bergamot is also used in products such as jams, ice cream, and certain traditional remedies due to its aromatic and antiseptic properties.

See more of William I. Lengeman’s articles

on the tea blog author archive page
.

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