Earl Grey tea is one of the most popular types of black tea. It has a slightly bitter taste, and is thought to have a host of health benefits.

But is Earl Grey tea actually healthy? What should consumers look out for when choosing an Earl Grey tea brand? And which is the healthiest brand currently on the market?

In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze clinical studies to determine whether or not Earl Grey tea is healthy.

We'll explain what three criteria health-conscious consumers should look out for when choosing an Earl Grey tea brand, and give our pick for the healthiest option currently on the market.

Is Earl Grey Tea Even Healthy?

Earl Grey is a type of black tea, and the health effects of black tea have been studied in clinical trials.

Black tea has documented anti-cancer and blood-sugar-reducing effects according to a medical review published in the International Journal of Health Sciences.

A 2007 meta-study examined the effects of black tea consumption on human health and concluded the following: "black tea generally had a positive effect on health."

The study authors also reported some interesting facts about risk reduction:

"There was sufficient evidence to show risk reduction for [heart disease] at intakes of > or = 3 cups per day and for improved antioxidant status at intakes of one to six cups per day."

Black tea is also clinically shown to reduce rates of nasal infection, as we documented in our best tea for congestion article.

Because most of the health effects of Earl Grey tea are thought to primarily derive from the tea leaves (rather than the flavoring compounds), we will conclude that Earl Grey tea is likely to promote optimal human health.

 What to Look For in an Earl Grey Brand

Earl Grey tea is a relatively simple product, which makes it easier to choose a high-quality brand.

Clean ingredient list is the first thing you should look for as a consumer.

Ideally, the only ingredients are black tea and bergamot (the plant that gives Earl Grey tea its distinct smell and taste).

Certifications are the second thing we recommend consumers look out for.

Consumption of organically-grown food products (including tea) can reduce pesticide intake compared to conventionally-grown food products according to a systematic review published in the Annals of Internal Medicine journal.

Price is the third consideration.

All things being equal (which they rarely are), two functionally equivalent products should favor the lower-priced option.

Our Top Overall Earl Grey Pick

Pique Miss Earl Grey Black Tea is our top overall Earl Grey tea pick.

This brand passes the clean ingredient test because its only ingredients are black tea and bergamot essence. There are no unhealthy additives like sugar or "natural flavors."

Pique's Earl Grey tea passes the certifications test because the black tea is USDA Certified organic.

As a premium product, this tea has a relatively high price of $1.03 per serving at a subscription rate, at the time of publishing this article.

As the author of this article, I tried Pique Miss Earl Grey Black Tea myself:

The taste was potent and flavorful; a better experience than bagged black tea that I've had in the past.

I noticed a minor caffeine boost. It felt like drinking slightly less than one cup of coffee.

I regularly take breaks from drinking coffee, and I plan to use this Earl grey tea during those periods.

Our Top Value Earl Grey Pick

Harney & Sons Earl Grey Supreme is our top value Earl Grey tea pick.

This brand passes the clean ingredient test because its only ingredients are black tea, white tea and bergamot oil.

This tea doesn't have any certifications such as USDA organic, but most products that are competing on price don't.

At the time of publishing this article, this tea costs $26.87 for one pound. 

One pound of Earl Grey tea equates to around 200 servings, which makes this tea around $0.13 per serving.

Why is Earl Grey Tea so Unique?

A YouTube video from the "Food Unwrapped" channel is under six minutes long, has over 150,000 views, and investigates what makes Earl Grey tea so unique:

Conclusion

Earl Grey tea has a multitude of potential health benefits, including blood sugar support and reduction of infection risk.

There are many Earl Grey tea brands on the market, which can make it confusing for consumers to make an informed purchase decision.

In this article we explained the three criteria we recommend health-conscious consumers consider when choosing an Earl Grey tea brand: clean ingredients, certifications and price.

We provided our top overall Earl Grey tea pick, and our top value Earl Grey tea pick.

It's worth noting that the Pique tea comes in crystallized form, so all that's needed for preparation is hot water. The Harney & Sons tea comes in loose leaf form, so a consumer would need a tea kettle to prepare it.

We hope this article was useful to readers looking to make a healthy choice.