Tea is made by infusing tea leaves into hot, boiling water. Each tea offers unique aromatics unlike any other type of tea. So, what is lady grey tea? Keep on reading to find out!
Simply put, Lady Grey tea is a trademarked type of Earl Grey tea.
According to legend, the beverage company Twinings named and created Lady Grey tea after Mary Elizabeth Grey, the wife of Charles Grey. Those residing in Scandinavian countries found the Earl Grey flavor too bitter, prompting Twinings to create Lady Grey tea in the 1990s.
Lady Grey is different in flavor and development than Earl Grey tea despite being a variation of the latter. Lady Grey tea hit the markets in Norway in 1994, and Britain in 1996. Now, Lady Grey tea is a widely consumed beverage across the world.
What Is Lady Grey Tea? (and What’s in it?)
Lady Grey tea contains more citric flavors through an additional orange and lemon peel to combat the strong taste of Earl Grey tea. Like all Earl Grey Tea, Lady Grey is a black tea flavored with bergamot oils.
Traditional Lady Grey uses black tea leaves from China and Africa, bergamot essential oils, and orange and lemon peels. However, many other unique variations of Lady Grey tea provide other flavors and ingredients.
For example, some variations use rose, lavender, and blue mallow flowers. The character and flavor of Lady Grey allow for the possibility to create different blends while still staying true to Lady Grey.
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Does Lady Grey Tea Have Caffeine?
Lady Grey tea is a great source of caffeine. Out of all tea types, black teas typically have the most caffeine. At 30-60 mg of caffeine per cup, Lady Grey will not make consumers jittery as coffee does at 95 mg a cup.
Make sure that the Lady Grey tea steeps for the appropriate amount of time to ensure you get all the benefits from caffeine.
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How Does Lady Grey Tea Taste?
Lady Grey tea tastes lighter and less bitter than its’ Earl Grey counterpart. Both Lady Grey tea and Earl Grey tea use black tea and bergamot essential oils.
However, Lady Grey features a much lighter bergamot taste. The additional lemon and orange peel add to Lady Grey’s lightness. The flavor of the two is what sets them apart.
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What Health Benefits Does Lady Grey Tea Offer?
Like most teas, Lady Grey tea offers a plentiful amount of health benefits. As with all black tea, Lady Grey relieves anxiety, promotes heart health, fights colds, and reduces inflammation. Best of all, there are studies that attest to the benefits of this tea!
Since Lady Grey is a black tea blended with essential oils, the tea offers many health benefits, even more so than typical tea. Peer-reviewed research shows that black tea helps control blood sugar, regulate blood pressure, promote heart health, and even aids in the body’s fight against cancer.
Lady Grey and black tea promote gut health as well. Why? The polyphenols in black tea help maintain a healthy gut by promoting good bacteria and removing harmful bacteria.
Black tea also contains antimicrobial properties or properties that inhibit microorganisms’ growth. In other words, black tea kills off harmful organisms and improves gut bacteria and immunity.
Bergamot offers more psychological and physiological effects as an essential oil. In fact, aromatherapy usually features bergamot essential oil because of its enhancing mental benefits. A study based in Japan shows that inhaling the smell of bergamot oil reduces anxiety and promotes happy, positive feelings.
Remember, like anything, too much of a good thing may cause side effects. Black teas with bergamot oil are generally safe but drink in moderation.
How is Lady Grey Tea Brewed?
There are three main steps to making Lady Grey Tea or the perfect cup of tea in general.
1. Prepare Water
To start, prepare a kettle or pot of fresh water. Put the water on the stove and wait for the water to reach a soft boil.
2. Measure Tea and Water
After it’s boiling, measure out one cup of water. Usually, one tea bag or 1 oz of loose leaf pairs with exactly one cup of water.
3. Steep
Steep the tea, but make sure you do it at the correct time. Depending on how strong you want the tea, steep for approximately 3-5 minutes.
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