Bergamot Tea (Earl Grey): Benefits, Side Effects, And Uses - Healthline

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Nutrition

Evidence BasedAll You Need to Know About Bergamot Tea (Earl Grey)

Medically reviewed by Katherine Marengo LDN, R.D. — Written by Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD — Updated on January 21, 2025

What is it
Benefits
Side Effects
How to make it
Bottom line

Bergamot tea is made by combining black tea and bergamot orange extract. Some of the claimed health benefits of bergamot tea include improved heart health and digestion, but research is limited.

Bergamot tea is also called Earl Grey. Keep reading to learn more about this tea, including its potential benefits and side effects, as well as how to make it.

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.

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. However, studies have focused on bergamot essential oil, juice, or supplements as opposed to tea.

Possible health benefits

Bergamot is rich in beneficial plant compounds known as polyphenols. It contains flavonoids including:

neoeriocitrin
neohesperidin
naringin

These polyphenols act as antioxidants, which fight reactive molecules called free radicals that can cause cell damage and disease.

Bergamot tea’s high concentration of many different types of antioxidants may make it especially beneficial to your health.

May boost heart health

Bergamot tea may improve certain risk factors for heart disease. Bergamot products are associated with lower total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

A 2019 review of 12 studies found that, in 75% of the studies, bergamot significantly decreased:

total cholesterol
triglycerides
LDL cholesterol

Additionally, some of the studies included in the review found that bergamot increased levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.

The study also suggests that bergamot could enhance the effects of traditional cholesterol-lowering medications.

Based on these results, drinking bergamot tea may benefit your heart health. However, more studies are needed.

May aid digestion

The flavonoids in bergamot tea may fight inflammation associated with digestive issues.

A 2023 study found that bergamot polysaccharides relieved symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in mice. It also improved the gut microbiota of the mice and reduced inflammation.

A 2024 study suggests that bergamot may reduce intestinal inflammation and fight H. pylori bacteria, which are associated with stomach ulcers and other stomach diseases.

While these results indicate that the combined effects of bergamot could benefit digestion, more robust studies are needed to examine the effects of bergamot tea in humans.

Side effects of drinking too much bergamot tea

While bergamot tea in moderate amounts (2-3 cups per day) is generally considered safe for healthy people, there may be some risks associated with overconsumption.

Additionally, tea contains compounds called tannins, which can interfere with the absorption of iron in your body. If you regularly drink tea and are concerned about your iron levels, consider drinking it in between meals to promote better iron absorption from food.

Since most bergamot teas contain caffeine, be careful about your intake if you experience jitters, anxiety, or other adverse effects. You can also switch to a decaf version.

It is always a good idea to talk to your doctor before making any changes to your diet. If you have anemia, it is important to talk to your doctor before starting to drink tea, as it may affect your body’s ability to absorb enough iron.

How to make bergamot tea

Bergamot tea is widely available and typically sold under the name Earl Grey.

To enjoy it, simply steep a bergamot tea bag in boiled water for 3–5 minutes, or longer for a stronger flavor, before drinking.

You can also make bergamot tea with loose tea leaves. For every cup (250 ml) of hot water, use one tablespoon (14 grams) of tea. Let it steep for 5 minutes, and strain it before drinking.

The takeaway

Bergamot tea, or Earl Grey, is made from black tea and bergamot citrus extract.

Compounds in bergamot may act as antioxidants, promote healthy digestion, and lower your cholesterol levels. However, no studies have assessed the effects of bergamot tea specifically.

Earl Grey is widely available in supermarkets and specialty tea stores, but shopping online may offer a greater variety.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Lamiquiz-Moneo I, et al. (2019). Effect of bergamot on lipid profile in humans: A systematic review.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2019.1677554#abstract
Li R-J, et al. (2021). Application of traditional Chinese medicine in treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8678867/
Milman NT, et al. (2020). A Review of Nutrients and Compounds, Which Promote or Inhibit Intestinal Iron Absorption: Making a Platform for Dietary Measures That Can Reduce Iron Uptake in Patients with Genetic Haemochromatosis.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1155/2020/7373498
Nauman MC, et al. (2019). Clinical application of bergamot (Citrus bergamia) for reducing high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease markers.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6497409/
Perna S, et al. (2019). Efficacy of bergamot: From anti‐inflammatory and anti‐oxidative mechanisms to clinical applications as preventive agent for cardiovascular morbidity, skin diseases, and mood alterations.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6392855/
Russo C, et al. (2024). Bergamot Byproducts: A Sustainable Source to Counteract Inflammation.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/2/259?utm_campaign=releaseissue_nutrientsutm_medium=emailutm_source=releaseissueutm_term=titlelink12
Yang Y, et al. (2023). Bergamot polysaccharides relieve DSS-induced ulcerative colitis via regulating the gut microbiota and metabolites.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0141813023042320

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Evidence Based

This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by experts.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strive to be objective, unbiased, honest and to present both sides of the argument.

This article contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses (1, 2, 3) are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.

Medically reviewed by Katherine Marengo LDN, R.D. — Written by Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD — Updated on January 21, 2025

Bergamot Tea (Earl Grey): Benefits, Side Effects, And Uses - Healthline

Nutrition

Nutrition

What is bergamot tea?

Possible health benefits

May boost heart health

May aid digestion

Side effects of drinking too much bergamot tea

How to make bergamot tea

The takeaway

How we reviewed this article:

Evidence Based

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