Compounds in Earl Grey tea found to guard against heart disease
Earl Grey, a blend of black tea and bergamot oil, may lower cholesterol levels and prevent heart disease. A team of scientists from Italy investigated bergamot, a Mediterranean citrus fruit and a key ingredient in Earl Grey tea, and its enzymes known as hydroxy methyl glutaryl flavonones (HGMF). It found that dietary supplementation of HMGF could be just as effective as statins in combating low-density proteins (LDL) or "bad" cholesterol. The enzymes were also shown to increase levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) or "good" cholesterol. The findings about the cholesterol-reducing effects of bergamot are consistent with a 2012 Italian study.