Oolong tea is one of the most famous variants among tea lovers. People love to include this in their daily diet due to its multiple benefits. You will not find a better option than oolong tea if you want benefits like boosting metabolism, weight loss, an excellent oxidant, and more. On the other hand, we have Earl Grey tea, which gives you benefits like an immune system boost, improving oral and heart health, and more.
The significant difference between oolong and Earl Grey tea is that the former is partially processed while the latter is the most processed. You can use them both as antioxidants. Also, you can use oolong tea if you want good digestion and relief from stress or Earl Grey tea to reduce eczema outbreaks.
What might surprise you is that you can find Earl Grey oolong tea containing oolong and bergamot oil flavors. With that aside, let us see the differences between oolong and Earl Grey, what benefits they can provide you, and which is best.
What Is Oolong Tea?
Many might not know, but that traditional Chinese tea you see in stores is actually oolong tea. The leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant are used to create this tea. This is the same plant used for black and green tea, and Oolong tea has benefits similar to green tea, like weight loss.
What makes this tea unique is that it lies between green and black tea. If you do not like the strongly oxidized black tea and are disinterested in green tea, Oolong tea can provide both benefits.
This partial oxidation gives oolong tea a flowery and earthly flavor – a sweet and fruity taste. Oolong tea is one of the most famous in China and Taiwan and is popular worldwide. We recommend trying Da Hong Pao, which is expensive but is the highest quality oolong tea.
Furthermore, the caffeine level of oolong tea depends on its oxidation. So, if you want oolong tea with more caffeine concentration, look for one with more oxidation. On average, oolong tea has 30-60 mg of caffeine, but some variants have an even lower concentration.
What Is Earl Grey Tea?
While oolong tea has benefits, it lacks strong flavor, and this is why you should opt for Earl Grey. It is a flavored tea that is infused with bergamot oil. It was first introduced in Britain and became one of the most famous teas in the Western world. The citrus taste that you can enjoy in this tea comes from the bergamot oil. Bergamot is an orange – different varieties – which makes this tea taste unique and refreshing.
The only problem is that every version of Earl Grey tea you find might have a different bergamot oil concentration. So, if you want a light citrus flavor, choose tea with less bergamot concentration. Moreover, to enjoy the maximum benefits of black tea, do not use oolong tea bags; instead, use loose earl grey tea leaves.
Unlike oolong tea, you can serve earl grey with milk and sugar to those who do not like bland and citrus flavors. You will enjoy the citrus flavor only for once, and when gulping the tea, the bitterness hits the throat. This is where milk and sugar come in handy to reduce that bitterness.
We recommend getting Maharaja Earl Grey Oolong Tea if you want to enjoy the best citrus flavor without extra bitterness at the end.
| Oolong Tea | Earl Grey Tea | |
| Flavors | Floral and Complex | Citrus |
| Health Benefits | You can serve Earl Grey with milk and sugar | Eases depression symptoms, is a stress reliever, protects oral health, and more. |
| Serving | Serve it without milk and sugar | You can serve earl grey with milk and sugar |
| Caffeine Content | Low on caffeine | High caffeine concentration |
| Brewing | Below boiling water (slightly, not a lot) | Boiling water |
| Color | Golden brown or black | Beige |
| Serving Style | Hot | Iced |
| Cooking Time | 5 min | 60 min |
Health Benefits of Oolong Tea
Here are some benefits you can enjoy with oolong tea. However, for such benefits to become long-term, we recommend that you drink oolong tea daily.
• Boost Metabolism
One of the primary benefits of drinking oolong tea on a daily basis is that it will give your metabolism a boost. This is one of the reasons this tea can help you lose weight, as with boosted metabolism, your body will convert more food to energy and less food to fat. With less fat in your body, you will lose weight. With no more unnecessary fat building on your body, you will not gain weight. However, you must drink this tea twice or at least once a day and make changes to your diet to see significant results.
• An Antioxidant
Another great benefit of oolong tea is that it acts as an antioxidant, removing free radicals from your body and further reducing damage caused by oxidation. This can help lessen many problems like heart disease and more.
• Decrease Blood Pressure
Another reason you should drink oolong tea daily is to keep your blood pressure balanced. However, if you want this to work, you must not drink two cups of oolong tea daily.
• Improves Skin Health
Drinking oolong tea on a regular basis can also improve skin health. Since it can help your body to fight against free radicals, it can stop premature aging, improving skin health.
• Fights Inflammation
Not on a large scale, but if you have minor or normal inflammations that will not go away, drinking oolong tea can help your body fight against it.
Benefits of Earl Grey Tea
10 Health Benefits Of Earl Grey Tea
Oolong tea has several benefits, but Earl Grey tea also has a lot of benefits. You can drink them both daily to get the maximum benefits, but only drink one tea at a time and do not drink more than three cups in total.
• Weight Control
While earl grey tea will not help you lose weight as well as oolong tea, drinking it alongside can help you keep your weight in control. It might not help burn fat, but it will help your body not to make more fat cells.
• Help to Treat Sunburns
For those who like to visit the beach to get tanned, earl grey tea can help you avoid getting sunburned. However, you must start drinking it immediately so your body can build up immunity and keep your body in check when you are in direct sunlight.
• Enhance Digestion
Drinking earl grey tea on a regular basis can also improve your digestion, which will keep you away from stomach aches, burns, and uneasiness after eating food.
• Ease Depression
Early grey tea also has a calming effect, which can help remove stress from your brain and reduce depression. This can also help improve your brain health.
• Protect Oral Health
Earl Grey tea can improve your oral health if your teeth are in a bit rough condition. However, if you have cavities, you better reach a dentist.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are Earl Grey and Oolong the same?
In terms of benefits, they are almost the same; however, their flavor is different because they have differences in caffeine content. Oolong tea is from China, whereas earl grey is from England.
2. How are oolong and earl grey tea made?
The tea leaves are grown in China or Taiwan – on the mountains. Then, tea growers’ children (tea pickers’ children or adults) can pick the quality leaves from the trees. Some companies oxidize the leaves in China or Taiwan; some import them fresh. The tea you get from the local stores likely has leaves that were dried in other countries.
3. Which company has the best green or black tea?
There is no answer to that question as every country has a famous company. For example, in India, VAHDAM tea is the best green and black tea brand. In the USA, The Tao of Tea is considered the best brand. No matter which brand you choose, go for tea bags or dry leaves instead of a vacuum-sealed pack.
Final Words
You cannot find a winner between these teas as both are excellent. The end choice depends on the flavor you like and whether you want high caffeine content or not. We recommend choosing oolong tea if you like to drink coffee in the morning, but if you are not a coffee fan, Earl Grey tea will be a better choice.