Black tea Earl Gray (Earl Grey) with bergamot. Benefits of bergamot tea

Jan 13, 2017

Tea with bergamot has a lot of fans. Some people like black tea with this aromatic additive, others like green tea. And everyone will have convincing arguments why their drink is better.

And here's the question what is bergamot - pear or citrus, will confuse many. In nature, you can find both.

There is, for example, a variety of pears of Russian selection called "Moscow Bergamot" and there is a citrus fruit bergamot, which we know quite a bit about, because you will not find it on the shelves of our stores - it is inedible fresh.

But it is this bergamot that is used to make tea.

There are two versions of the origin of the fruit: the first (and only a few adhere to this point of view) is that bergamot is the result of a mutation of the orange; according to the second version, the plant was bred by people.

Its homeland is Asia, but the name is European, in honor of the Italian Bergamo, the city where the plant was first purposefully grown.

However, it is possible that the name of the fruit is a translation from the Turkish word meaning "princely pear". Why not? The fruit type of bergamot is indeed pear-shaped.

In general, this plant was tortured by comparisons and identification errors. Sometimes, for example, it sounds like this: bergamot and lime are the same(in some photos they really look alike). No, not the same, although both represent a large group of citrus fruits.

Bergamot is also confused with Monarda, a herb whose aroma is similar to citrus. But how can you put an equal sign between a herbaceous plant and a tree reaching a height of ten meters?

It turns out: the less we know about something, the more conjectures and myths are born. Although in the case of bergamot, you can fix everything - learn more about it by growing it as an indoor flower.

According to experts, growing bergamot at home is an easier process than if you took up any other citrus crop.

This plant needs a lot of light.- choose for him a window that looks east, south or west. Keep out of direct sunlight, though, to avoid burns.

In winter - illuminate with lamps to artificially lengthen daylight hours - this is important for bergamot. The optimum temperature at which it grows rapidly is 20-24 degrees, humidity is high.

For propagation, seeds or cuttings are used.. True, in the first case, bergamot will not bloom and will not set fruits. If this option does not suit you, purchase a bergamot stalk.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the video describing the healing properties of bergamot from the program "1000 and one spice of Scheherazade":

Origin story

Bergamot tea gained popularity in Europe in the early 19th century. with the light hand of Earl Charles Gray.

An English aristocrat rescued the son of an influential Chinese nobleman during a shipwreck, who presented Gray with bergamot tea as a token of gratitude.

The drink pleased the count so much that he contributed to the penetration of this tea into the markets of Europe, and first of all in his native England, and popularized it with all his might.

Ingredients: essential oil and other components

As part of bergamot, scientists have discovered more than three hundred substances useful for humans, these are vitamins, carbohydrates, trace elements, dietary fiber and the most remarkable - essential oil.

Basically, for the sake of it, the plant is grown, it is obtained from leaves, flowers, peel of bergamot fruits, and even from young sprouts. The best method by which you can get the highest quality natural product is hand pressing.

For medicinal purposes, bergamot began to be used at the very beginning of the 17th century, during which time scientists discovered many new valuable qualities in the plant.

For example, discovered the substance furocoumarin affecting skin pigmentation. Based on it, lotions and tanning creams are produced today, as it is able to give the skin a rich, even shade.

Benefits of bergamot tea

A tea cup retains many of the beneficial properties of bergamot. This tea is used to:

strengthen immunity;
relieve the patient of fever by lowering body temperature;
soothe and relax a person who is under stress;
activate brain activity;
cleanse the skin, normalizing the work of the sebaceous glands;
get rid of herpes;
help the stomach and intestines function smoothly;
in diabetes - reduce blood sugar levels.

Many people suffer from high blood pressure, it is important for them to know raises or lowers blood pressure tea with bergamot.

Medical studies have not revealed the negative impact of the drink on the body of hypertensive patients. Rather, the opposite process occurs - the pressure decreases slightly. However, to feel real help, the drink must be taken regularly, and not occasionally.

The medicinal properties of tea with bergamot are used in the fight against various infections, recommended during the treatment of sinusitis, influenza.

Interestingly, the effect of bergamot on green tea and black, which contain a small amount of caffeine. Citrus fruits reduce the effects of caffeine on the body, make the drink less "aggressive", and therefore acceptable for many categories of people.

Useful properties for men

Tea with bergamot helps men to normalize potency if it is caused by stress, low mood.

To achieve the desired result, tea should be drunk weakly brewed, but regularly. Black is better, as green has the opposite, relaxing effect.

Bergamot as an aphrodisiac adds sexual strength to a man, sharpens sensations.

For kids

Useful for adults, bergamot, according to experts, cannot be recommended for children due to possible allergic reactions, the risk of disturbing sleep patterns, and the danger of overexciting the child.

Doctors do not have a common opinion regarding the age range: some believe that tea with bergamot can be given to children from the age of three, others consider it from ten, and still others from twelve.

It is emphasized that special studies on this problem have not been conducted.

What is useful for women

Women appreciate bergamot tea because it helps to lose weight. This product normalizes the metabolism and blocks the "programs" of fat accumulation.

Unfortunately, it is also impossible to drink it without looking back: it stimulates menstruation, and sometimes it can provoke uterine contractions.

If a woman has any gynecological diseases, then it is better to refuse tea with bergamot just in case, so as not to incur problems.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding

During pregnancy: pregnancy is a serious reason to temporarily switch from bergamot tea to any other, especially in the first months (due to the threat of miscarriage).

In the later stages, tea with citrus fruit can be consumed, but in moderation. Pregnant women who drank several cups of bergamot tea a day complained of heartburn, irregular heartbeat, and severe headaches.

Is it possible while breastfeeding? Breastfeeding (HF) involves the use of products that enhance lactation. Tea with bergamot has such properties.

Nursing mothers can use it, provided that they carefully monitor the well-being of the baby and refuse bergamot, noticing the slightest signs of an allergic reaction to this product.

If you want to buy tea with bergamot, pay attention to the inscription "Earl Gray" on the package - this is the name of the tea, in which the essential oil of citrus fruit is used as a flavoring agent.

This drink was introduced to the market by almost all tea brands that are popular today.

Greenfield

Among the drinks brand Greenfield tea bags "Earl Gray Fantasy"(also called "Earl Gray") is considered the most festive thanks to bergamot and tops the rating of teas of this brand.

The basis of the drink is Ceylon tea grown on Uva's plantations. Recommended as an invigorating morning drink and afternoon tea. All flavors can be found at the link.

Lipton

Black tea with lemon and bergamot from the Lipton brand, according to the intention of the manufacturers, should plunge a person into the luxury of the East, into its magical atmosphere. In addition, it energizes, saves from depression.

Produced from the best types of Indian and Ceylon tea, has a delicate taste.

TET Lord Gray

The leaves of this tea are large, more than 2.5 cm long, twisted into "scrolls". The smell of the drink is gentler than that of other bergamot teas.

The producers managed to achieve excellent taste due to the balance of the main components of the drink - black tea and bergamot.

Ahmad

This drink is considered royal. There is a description of the traditional British five o'clock tea party (at five o'clock) in the royal family, when tea of the best Ceylon varieties with the addition of bergamot is served with light snacks and various types of cookies.

Richard

According to some online reviews, this tea feels "exaggerated" - too much bergamot, which interrupts the aromas of tea. In addition, the manufacturer decided to flavor the drink with citrus zest.

May

“Aromatic bergamot” (the so-called tea variety) is light, fragrant, with an aftertaste of mint and citrus fruits.

As a minus, they call the possible presence of a dye in the tea leaves, since the drink very quickly acquires a thick, rich color, which usually does not happen with natural products.

Belvedere

Black tea of this brand is enriched with flavors and aromas of flowers and bergamot oil. The manufacturer tells how tea is made: using gentle technology that preserves the beneficial properties of natural products and their taste.

Azercay

The raw materials for this black tea with bergamot are harvested on the tea plantations of Azerbaijan. It is medium-leaved, the drink from it turns out to be a thick, golden-red hue.

Julius Meinl

The bright bouquet of Indian black tea and natural bergamot allowed the producers to create a mood-enhancing drink that is a great start to the day. We wrote more about the range of Julius Meinl tea and coffee.

It also helps to focus attention, refresh thoughts. It is recommended to drink it with milk and sugar..

Riston

This drink contains Ceylon tea and bergamot oil. According to reviews on the Internet - one of the best packaged teas of this type on the Russian market.

There is a little bit of bergamot in it, and the tea turns out to be rich, with a slight citrus bitterness.

The following brands can be added to this list, which are also not bad, but less popular: Akbar, Princess Noori, Assand, Grace and others.

The teapot is poured with boiling water. Pour tea leaves into it and pour boiling water over it. Consumption of tea leaves - a teaspoon per glass of water. Insist for a few minutes.

Such tea is served with chocolate and pastries, best of all - lemon or orange (for example, cookies or croissants with filling), but cinnamon will not work - its strong aroma can push bergamot "from the first roles".

If you have bergamot leaves at your disposal(fresh or dried), you can brew green tea in a separate teapot, and citrus fruit leaves in another. Then mix the contents of both teapots.

No matter how economical the hostess is, it is not recommended to use one tea leaves twice, diluting it with water - the tea will lose both in color and in taste.

The program “Live healthy!” will tell about tea with bergamot:

Application

Can bergamot be used for anything other than culinary purposes? Tea with this fruit is used as a medicinal drink for bronchitis, to relieve stress.

If you need to treat an abrasion or cut, you can do this by applying a bag of brewed tea to the affected area.

In perfumery, bergamot is used to prepare various aromatic and tonic products. In cosmetology - as an antiseptic for the face and a hair conditioner.

Bergamot has been successfully used against age spots on the skin.

If a person has an allergic reaction to citrus fruits, bergamot can also turn out to be “out of court”, so you need to start using tea with this flavor with caution.

And even in the absence of allergies, a sense of proportion should be observed - doctors recommend drinking no more than four cups of bergamot tea per day.

Be especially careful with bergamot oil.- if it is used for medicinal or cosmetic purposes, you can not apply it to the skin in its pure form, you can get burned.

Drinking bergamot tea at night is harmful - it can lead to insomnia, as it has an exciting effect.

Another beautiful story is connected with the birth of Earl Gray tea (Earl Gray or Earl Gray). It is believed that the classic recipe for this tea was obtained by British Foreign Secretary Sir Charles Gray from a Chinese mandarin as a result of a cunning political intrigue. Or for some cunning merit. Which is less likely, since the result of Gray's activities was a reduction in the tea trade with China. But here's the problem with all of this. We have been drinking Chinese teas for quite a long time - and we have never seen any hint of flavoring with bergamot oil (this is what gives Earl Gray its specific taste and aroma) in any of them. Moreover, there is reason to believe that Earl Gray is often based not on Chinese tea, but on Indian or Ceylon tea. And this variety with China is connected only by the fact that the break in the “tea” relations between England and China, to which (the break), as already noted, Charles Gray contributed in every possible way, perhaps stimulated its appearance. But the legend does not become less beautiful from this.

By the way, “Earl” is a title of nobility (its close, but not exact, equivalent is “Count”). Gray is a surname. So "Earl Grey" is "Earl Grey", not "Grey Earl";)

After this section was ready, we found another legend of the origin of Earl Gray - in Semenov's book.

“The Twining Company, which claims to be the first to introduce unusual bergamot tea to the general English public, gives a slightly different legend. Count Gray, according to this version, saved the life of one Chinese governor during a business trip to China. In gratitude, he gave him a box of fragrant tea and a recipe for its preparation. Returning to England, the earl handed over the recipe to the Twining company, which for several years exclusively supplied this mixture to the earl, and then through his house, where the drink was served to guests at receptions, it became popular among the city's nobility. “Subsequently, Earl Gray kindly allowed Twinings to give this exquisite blend its name, and under the name “Earl Gray” it became available to many connoisseurs of tea” (I quote from the magazine “Coffee and Tea in Russia”).

The most plausible explanation of the origin of this tea we found in the "Encyclopedia of Tea" by Y. Ivanov. He writes that a certain George Staunton discovered that the Chinese flavored tea with bitter orange and once simply replaced the orange with bergamot. So everything is simple. And all the other legends are the machinations of marketers;) By the way, bergmot is a citrus plant, from the fruits of which oil is obtained. If there is another pear variety with the same name, but it has nothing to do with tea, it’s just that the shape of the fruit is similar.

There are a huge number of tea companies on the world market offering drinks under different brands to the buyer, but almost every one of them has the classic Earl Gray in its assortment, which is especially loved and popular in the UK.

History of creation

Tea has been drunk for several millennia, but in just over 200 years it has become a widespread global commodity. Before that, the so-called Chinese grass was known, which was expensive, had an incomprehensible taste and caused distrust, like everything new. The beginning of the conquest of the world by tea is considered to be the period of development by Europeans of the coffee business in Ceylon, which, having failed, gave place to tea plantations. Earl Gray tea stands out among the favorite varieties of the drink today, which is already considered a classic and the best among flavored products of its kind.

Despite the short history of existence, this drink has acquired a huge number of myths and legends, most of which are just fiction. Some talk about the miraculous rescue of one of the courtiers of the Chinese government by close associates of Sir Charles Grey, the earl and then British Foreign Secretary. As a token of gratitude, the Chinese subject presented the count with a box of incredibly fragrant black tea with a description of how it is produced.

That Charles Gray

At that time, and it was in the first half of the 19th century, the count was the owner of tea plantations in Ceylon, so he correctly perceived and implemented the information about the new product.

According to another version, tea from the plantations of the count was transported to the continent on a ship, in which, along with tea bags, there was expensive bergamot oil at that time. During a strong storm, oil was poured on tea, from which it acquired amazing aromatic and taste properties. It is difficult to find out exactly how black tea with bergamot began to be produced, but its name comes from the name of a famous politician and titled person of the United Kingdom.

History is silent about the exact facts of the appearance of Earl Grey. It is assumed that the Chinese learned to flavor black tea with orange peels, but the tradition of adding oil to tea originated in Ceylon. Be that as it may, but today this product is in demand on the market and is loved all over the world.

Description

Earl Gray Bergamot Tea is a leaf, granular or bagged product consisting of black tea flavored with bergamot oil. On the market you can find Earl Gray with the zest of this fragrant fruit. The composition of the product can only include tea itself and oil or pieces of bergamot zest. In China, there is a tradition to flavor tea with a close relative of bergamot - orange.

Bergamot is a hybrid obtained by crossing two representatives of citrus fruits - orange and citron. The fruit itself has a pronounced bitterness in taste, but the oil from its peel has a unique aroma and beneficial properties. To obtain bergamot tea, its leaves are impregnated with oil and allowed to dry. The description of the aroma of the finished drink can be expressed in a nutshell - light citrus with freshness and bitterness.

Earl Gray black tea is produced on the basis of Chinese, Indian, Ceylon leaves, including long leaf varieties. Not so long ago, green and even elite white tea with bergamot appeared on the market.

Bergamot oil is today produced in one region of Italy, the fruit is grown insignificantly in Africa

Tropical fruit oil, which is grown in the largest volumes in Italy, is considered to be beneficial for health just like hundreds of years ago. It is used in cosmetology, food and perfume industries. When flavoring a tea leaf, it is covered with an easily weathered film of their bergamot esters, which give it a characteristic aroma and flavor.

Such a product must be stored in airtight containers:

ideally, first put the tea in a linen bag, and then place it in a glass or tin jar;
do not store it near strong-smelling products, especially coffee and spices;
such tea is stored less than regular tea, as it tends to lose its aroma.

Many tea brands are engaged in the production of a drink with bergamot. On the Russian market, it is represented by such brands as:

Dilmah;
Greenfield;
Ahmad;
Lipton;
twinning;
Newby;
Wriston;
Hayles and others.

Leaders among packaged drinks are Lipton, offering Earl Gray in pyramids, and among loose drinks, Greenfield, offering Ceylon leaf tea with Fantasy bergamot.

Earl Gray is not only a delicious and fragrant drink. It combines two amazing properties. On the one hand, it tones, stimulates the brain and nervous system as a whole. On the other hand, it relaxes and helps to fully relax after a working day.

History of tea

The appearance of the product on the market is associated with beautiful legends. The tea is named after Earl Gray ("Earl" is translated from English as "Earl"). This is a real historical figure. The Earl was an active British politician and lived a long and interesting life. It is possible that it was the tea that he drank every day that helped him lead an active life. The heyday of Sir Gray's political career came at the beginning of the 19th century. It was then that he discovered to the world an amazing tea with bergamot, which was brought to England from his colonies.

According to one version, the count learned the recipe from an Indian rajah. According to another legend, a successful combination was discovered quite by accident. During the transport of bags of tea from Ceylon to England, valuable bergamot oil spilled on them. They did not want to throw away expensive goods and put oil-soaked tea into trade. English tea connoisseurs were simply delighted with such an original product. For two centuries, Earl Gray tea has been loved in other countries, and now the drink is drunk all over the world with pleasure.

Properties of Earl Gray tea

You can find out that this very famous tea is in front of you without even looking at the packaging. Thanks to the unique aroma of bergamot, the drink can be recognized even with your eyes closed.

Earl Gray or Earl Gray tea is made from large-leaf raw materials. The main additive is the essential oil of bergamot, which is a citrus hybrid. Some tea lovers catch the smell of lemon in it, for others it is more like an orange. But everyone agrees on one thing: the fragrance is simply divine, subtle, sensual and soothing.

Earl Gray bergamot tea has the following benefits:

gives a charge of vivacity;
stimulates brain activity;
helps to relieve stress and tension after a working day;
beneficial effect on the digestive system;
contributes to the preservation of youth (bergamot oil is actively used in cosmetology).

The taste of tea can be described as invigorating and fresh with a slight hint of bitterness. In some varieties of the drink, bitterness is completely eliminated.

How Earl Gray tea is made

Each company has its own subtleties and secrets, but the general scheme looks the same.

Black tea leaves are soaked in bergamot essential oil.
The raw materials are dried using a special technology.
As a result, a thin film is formed on the tea leaves, which, when brewed, reveals the aroma and taste of citrus fruit.

At first, only two British companies were engaged in the production of tea under the Earl Gray brand. But the popular idea was picked up by other manufacturers. This made the drink more affordable, but in some cases it affected the quality.

When buying tea, you need to pay attention to its type and price. Real tea with bergamot cannot be suspiciously cheap, as this tropical fruit is quite rare, and its essential oil is expensive.

Types of tea in descending order of price and quality (and, accordingly, usefulness):

Large leaf tea with bergamot essential oil. Contains tea leaves impregnated with oil. Additionally, it may contain other natural additives.
Leaf tea with butter and pieces of bergamot peel.
A type of raw material not impregnated with oil, but with the addition of zest.
Granulated tea with flavored additives.
Tea bags with flavors that have nothing to do with the valuable essential oil of bergamot.

Also, the product can be classified according to the country of production of the tea leaf. Earl Gray can be made from the following types of tea:

Indian;
Chinese;
Ceylon.

In the creation of tea, Italy was also noted. It is in this country that bergamot essential oil is produced on an industrial scale. By the way, it is actively used by famous perfumers.

Also on sale, in addition to black, you can find green or white teas with bergamot. But still, the real classic Earl Gray is precisely large-leaf black tea.

Recipe

The process does not require special skill. The main secret of success: take real Earl Grey, and bergamot will do the trick.

Ingredients:

tea - 1 teaspoon per cup;
filtered water;
sugar or honey.

Cooking method:

Boil water.
Pour boiling water over the teapot (it is preferable to take porcelain or earthenware for brewing).
Pour tea leaves and fill with water at a temperature of about 80-90 degrees.
Let the drink brew for 5-7 minutes.

Tip: Earl Gray tea should be drunk freshly brewed. If it costs more than two hours, then its taste deteriorates, and its usefulness is rapidly approaching zero.

One of the favorite types of tea of the inhabitants of Foggy Albion and the British royal family is Earl Grey. The history of its origin is shrouded in secrets, various English companies are fighting for the rights to own the original recipe and introduce tea into production. But it is not only popular in the UK. Many Russians also fell in love with Earl Gray tea.

This is a famous and widespread flavored tea, whose history began in the UK.

How is the name translated

The English phrase Earl Gray in literal translation into Russian means "Earl Grey". Also, this tea is often called the "Grey Earl". This name is inaccurate and distorted.

Description

Earl Gray is a black tea flavored with bergamot oil, which is pressed from the rind of the plant's fruit. Today, Earl Gray also includes white and green varieties with bergamot, which is actually incorrect. The plant itself belongs to the genus Citrus, so flavored tea acquires the appropriate notes in taste and aroma.

Origin story

The history of Earl Gray tea suggests several versions of its appearance. It is believed that the variety bears the name of the British Prime Minister of the 30s of the 19th century named Charles Grey. According to one hypothesis, this tea was given to him from a Chinese official as a thank you for saving his son from a shipwreck by British sailors. The version is beautiful, but perhaps not the most reliable.

According to another hypothesis, the creation of the blend took place literally on the deck of the ship. The latter was heading with cargo from Indian lands to Great Britain, but a storm broke out. During a storm, containers of bergamot oil overturned, and it fell on tea leaves being transported in bales. The cargo was so expensive that the owner did not dare to throw it away even in a "spoiled" state. So, accidentally flavored tea began to be sold in English shops and fell in love with the inhabitants of the country. The tea was named after a tea plantation owner in India named Gray.

Another hypothesis is that the Earl Gray brand was created by George Staunton, who tried bitter orange-flavoured green tea while in China. When the diplomatic mission was completed and George returned to England, he turned to his friend Lord Banks to reproduce the taste of the flavored blend. Because the owner of the tea shop did not have bitter oranges, he used bergamot oil, and black tea instead of green. Of course, the taste was not what it should have been. But the new blend was also to my liking. The name was given by Banks in honor of Charles Gray, who often came to enjoy tea with bergamot oil.

Beneficial features

The benefits of Earl Gray tea lie not only in the leaf itself, but also in bergamot oil, which is a natural flavoring agent. The main properties of the blend:

tea strengthens the immune system;
improves memory and concentration;
stimulates brain activity;
Earl Gray is able to simultaneously bring the body into tone and a relaxed state;
tea fights bad mood, fatigue and nervous tension;
provides improved metabolism, skin cleansing, etc.

Possible harm and contraindications

Earl Gray tea is not recommended before bed. The tonic properties of the drink can lead to sleepless nights. With caution, tea should be consumed by pregnant women (especially in the first months), because. its excessive amount can cause a threat of miscarriage. Earl Gray is usually contraindicated in:

allergies to citrus;
problems with the "thyroid gland";
chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
children's age (up to 12 years).

Note! Breastfeeding women can drink tea with bergamot, but not more than 3 times a week. People who have no contraindications are advised to drink Earl Gray in an amount not exceeding 3-4 cups per day.

Famous Russian brands

Finding Earl Gray in stores is not difficult, because, as noted earlier, this is a very common tea. A variety of tea companies in our country produce products under this name. Consider the most popular brands.

Greenfield Earl Gray Fantasy

What tea is one of the most purchased among other products of this brand? This is Greenfield Earl Gray Fantasy. The manufacturer included in the composition: black tea (Sri Lanka), zest, bergamot oil, cornflower and calendula (petals). Sold in loose form and in bags.

Ahmad Tea Earl Gray

For the production of "Count Gray" the company uses raw materials brought from India (Assam tea) and Sri Lanka. The manufacturer himself calls the taste of his Earl Gray piquant, intriguing and bewitching.

Lipton Earl Gray

Consists of black tea, cornflower and calendula petals, bergamot flavor, identical to natural. The manufacturer describes this tea as strong, invigorating with a noble taste.

Richard Royal Earl Gray

To obtain a classic drink, the May company uses tea leaves from the plantations of Sri Lanka. According to the manufacturer, this is an aristocratic tea with an impeccable taste and invigorating bergamot aroma.

Today, companies produce tea novelties called Earl Gray, but their recipes are often far from the original, classic. Tea in pyramids is popular, for example, Greenfield Royal Earl Grey, Lipton Imperial Earl Grey.

How to brew and drink

Brewing Earl Gray is easy. If the tea is loose leaf, then you first need to douse the teapot with boiling water. Then tea leaves are poured into the teapot (in the proportion of 1 tsp per cup) and poured with boiling water. The infusion time is approximately 5 minutes. With brewing bags even easier.

Earl Gray is an obligatory participant in the traditional English evening tea ceremony - five o'clock tea. In England, this tea is usually drunk with milk and sugar. Also a favorite drink of the British and not only can be served with fruit, sandwiches, ham, eggs, cheese and sweet treats (cookies, etc.).