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What’s In Chai Tea

Early Types Of Masala Chai

HOW TO MAKE CHAI TEA | What’s Good London

The early forms of masala chai comprised only herbs and spices. Milk was added in the 1800s as a result of the British colonial influence in India.

The British East India Company produced many plantations to create a tea source they can control. They did this as an attempt to undermine the Chinese monopoly of tea.

The local consumption of chai stayed low until promotional campaigns inspired Indian companies to give their workers tea breaks. Due to the high cost of low-quality tea leaves, spices and milk were added to stretch out the beverage.

Currently, India consumes over 800,000 tonnes of tea each year. In addition, two cups of chai are drunk on average per person each day.

Chai is also prepared differently throughout India. For example, it’s common to see chai enjoyed with buffalo milk because the cow is sacred in Hinduism.

You Could Experience Some Unpleasant Side Effects If You Drink Chai Tea Every Day

Chai tea may have a lot of health benefits, but that’s not to say there are no risks associated with habitual chai tea-drinking. It’s important to remember that chai is still tea, which means it’s caffeinated. If you consume too much caffeine, you’ll have an increased risk of numerous health conditions, including insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, and potentially even rhabdomyolysis, an extremely serious condition that leads to kidney failure. For those curious, here are signs you’re consuming too much caffeine and what will happen to your body when you give caffeine up.

It’s not just the black tea you have to worry about, though. “Due to chai tea’s ginger content, individuals prone to low blood pressure or low blood sugar, or who are taking blood-thinning medication, may want to limit their intake or keep it in the lower end of the range,” Healthline revealed.

The other spices in chai tea also have their own lists of precautions of which to be aware. Nutmeg, for example, can cause hallucinations if it’s consumed in excess. Cinnamon, on the other hand, can lead to developing liver damage, mouth sores, and low blood sugar. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t drink chai tea every day, but you should know the risks of drinking too much of the beverage.

What Is Chai Tea And Ingredients Used In Chai

Britons have long been known for their tolerance of queues. Were famous for it, in fact. Yet the recent influx at Tea-shops across the UK has put our collective patience to the test.

Perhaps you, too, have found yourself in this position, waddling gradually towards the counter, eyes darting around for some form of entertainment. Settling your gaze at the blackboard, you might have indeed wondered what is Chai Tea?

It seems to be everywhere – silently taking the country by storm. But did you know that Chai Latte, the term that most often appears above the heads of barristers, isnt what it seems?

Despite its unmistakable popularity, there is little authenticity found here. To truly understand what is Chai Tea?, you must learn about its roots, its origins – the Indian subcontinent.

Western drinkers first acquired a taste for Chai Tea in the 1990s. In India, meanwhile, this aromatic delight arguably dates back millennia. From region to region, village to village, and even household to household, recipes differ significantly from one another. There, a Masala Chai Tea, as its officially known, has taken on a life-force of its own.

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If You Drink Chai Tea Every Day You May Stabilize Your Blood Sugar

Finding a way to work cinnamon and ginger into your daily diet can sound complicated, but a cup of chai will do the trick. Why should you incorporate these two spices into your meal plan? For the health benefits duh.

One study revealed cinnamon’s potential ability to reduce blood glucose in both patients with type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. Another study found that ginger helped lower blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics. However, Healthline noted that most studies recommend consuming one to six grams of each spice per day, which is more than you’ll get in a teabag.

“To get the most benefits, try preparing the tea yourself from scratch. That way, you can add slightly more cinnamon and ginger than most recipes call for,” the publication revealed. “It’s also important to note that, unlike home-brewed chai tea, varieties prepared in cafés are often heavily sweetened, which would likely negate the blood-sugar-lowering benefits of the other ingredients in chai tea.”

Whats In The Starbucks Chai Tea Latte:

What is Chai Tea: Delicious, Creamy, and RichBut What is ...

The Starbucks chai tea latte uses a base of a chai tea concentrate that has the traditional chai spices:

  • Cardamom
  • Cloves
  • Star Anise

These, combined with strong black team, create the orchestra of flavors known as chai. But, know that chai is easily customizable, so each coffeehouse has their own take on the chai with Peets being on the spicier side and Starbucks having a more cinnamony and less kicky chai.

The flavor is sort of like pumpkin pie without the pumpkin its warm and comforting and tasty.

For the chai tea latte, this concentrate is mixed with your choice of milk and then ice is added and voila! Deliciousness is served.

Sometimes, they shake it in the shaker and thats when its the best ever because it gives it some froth. Yall know we are all about the froth here at WTF.

We have noticed that the depth of color is different based on milk choice. Heres a picture of one with regular milk. Notice its lighter in color. Also, I drank some before we took pictures. Sue me.

So, you can see that milk choice not only effects taste but color. I find the oatmilk brings out the flavors even more.

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It Can Support Your Immune System

If you’re looking to build a healthy immune system, and who isn’t these days, drinking a few cups of chai tea every day can help you achieve your goal. Cardamom has been a staple of Tibetan medicine for centuries and it contains high doses of vitamin C and other nutrients that keep your immune system healthy . Other research on the benefits of tea for immunity can be found here.

Cardamom is grown in Guatemala, Sri Lanka, India and Tanzania and comes in two varieties, green and black. Green cardamom has a vibrant and balanced taste while black tends to have smoky flavor.

If you’re looking to get the benefits from this spice in your chai tea, it’s a good idea to find out whether your loose leaf tea contains black or green cardamom. Black cardamom is known for its antiseptic and expectorant qualities while green cardamom can help clear your sinuses and detoxify your body. Both types of cardamom found in chai tea have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that help to fight off common colds, bacteria and fungus.

History Of Masala Chai

Masala chai tea has a history that goes back thousands of years in India. It’s a staple healthy beverage in Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine. Since its beginnings, it has always been made with a variety of spices. It has been served hot and cold, with and without tea leaves, but always with spices.

The version that became the caffeinated beverage that we know and love today was introduced in India when the British set up tea farms in Assam in the 1900s. But tea leaves were still too expensive for regular Indians. So, the vendors added spices, milk and sugar to maintain a flavorful beverage while keeping down costs.

When tea became for affordable in the 1960s, masala chai tea became more popular. Its now enjoyed all over the world, in part because South Asian migrant workers introducing it to places they moved to for work.

In America, masala chai has just morphed into just “chai,” which is a misnomer. Masala chai means “spiced tea” in Hindi, and chai just means tea. So, saying “chai tea” is like saying “tea tea.” A bit repetitive, dontcha think?

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Increases Energy And Alertness

Whether youre looking for a good cup of tea to get you going in the morning, or to give you a boost throughout the day, black tea is an energizing tea that can help to increase alertness and focus. Black teas like chai tea contain a moderate amount of caffeine to give you a welcome boost of energy when youre feeling lethargic, without any of the jitters or other negative side effects that can come with excess caffeine intake. When combined with the l-theanine also present in tea, the caffeine in black tea helps to encourage focus and alertness.

What Is Chai Teas Nutritional Information

Best homemade Masala Chai!

Green, black and oolong tea are well known for their high antioxidant content. These are nutrients that cleanse and boost the bodys overall function. The spices added to chai tea like cinnamon and ginger also contain important chemicals that aid digestion, bowel movements and disease prevention. Milk is a reliable source of calcium necessary for bone growth and strength.

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Protect Overall Cell Health And Prevent Chronic Disease

Chai tea contains a high amount of powerful antioxidants known as polyphenols that help to eliminate free radicals. Free radicals are compounds caused by pollutants and chemicals in foods and the surrounding environment that can cause cell damage. Free radicals have been linked to chronic diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s as well as many types of cancer.

Chai tea has more polyphenols than most fruits and vegetables, meaning that drinking chai tea on a daily basis can help protect overall cell health. Clove and cinnamon are ranked among the herbs with highest antioxidant levels and chai tea contains both of these spices. These antioxidant properties protect your body against cell degeneration, viruses and bacteria. Plus, antioxidants can slow aging.

If You Drink Chai Tea Every Day Your Teeth May Benefit In A Number Of Ways

When making chai tea at home, don’t skip the cloves. These dried flower buds have many medicinal benefits, as noted by Medical News Today, but one of the coolest ones has to be their anesthetic properties. One study found that cloves, when made into a gel, possess the “potential to replace benzocaine as a topical agent before needle insertion.” In addition to inducing insensitivity to pain, cloves have also been found to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Of course, that’s not to say choosing to drink chai tea every day will numb all your aches and pains or cure your inflammation, but, thanks to its concentration of cloves, you may notice reduced teeth sensitivity when drinking chai daily. According to Medical News Today, cloves have also shown promise in lessening bacteria and plaque buildup. Chai tea may not be a cure-all, but everyday consumption may just mean better oral health and possibly fewer trips to the dentist and who wouldn’t love that?

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It Helps Improve Digestion

Like many teas, chai is excellent for regulating digestive systems and keeping your gut healthy. The spice in chai tea that is largely responsible for digestive health benefits is ginger. Ginger aids digestion by improving circulation and delivering oxygen to organs so they can perform optimally.

Another spice in chai that aids digestion is black pepper, which helps the pancreas produce digestive enzymes. These enzymes work as catalysts to speed up digestive processes that break down fats and proteins. With a more efficient digestive system, you can avoid more severe problems such as liver diseases, iron deficiency and irritable bowel syndrome and reach your weight loss goals faster.

How Is Chai Tea Made Into A Latte

The benefits of homemade chai tea

Chai tea is a beautiful black tea spiced blend that can be made even sweeter with the addition of milk. Chai tea lattes dont use just any milk, they use steamed whole milk to create a thick and creamy spiced tea that will make your mouth water.

Milk is steamed most with a steam wand. The steam wand blows water so hot it becomes steam into the milk to heat it up. The steam creates micro bubbles which get stuck in the milk and give it a textured mouthfeel we refer to as foam.

The steam wand both heats up the milk and textures it to create a frothy and sweet beverage that makes any tea or espresso that much better.

The masala spiced black tea blend is turned into a chai tea latte by concentrating the flavors and adding them to steamed milk. This tea can be made concentrated by using less water when initially brewing it.

Masala tea can also be concentrated by continuing to boil it until enough water evaporates. By concentrating on the masala tea before adding the steamed milk, we create a stronger overall flavor that is sure to wow your tastebuds.

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It May Improve Heart Health

Studies on animals have shown that cinnamon, one of the main ingredients in chai, may help to lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure. Black tea has also been shown to have healthy heart effects by lowering blood cholesterol levels. While there are few studies on the direct links between chai tea and heart health, there is evidence that many chai ingredients may help build a healthy heart .

Researchers have found that cinnamon also contains oils that may help combat diabetes. These compounds can help to regulate blood sugar levels. Several studies have shown cinnamon to be a potential aid for people living with Type 2 diabetes . Drinking chai tea can help prevent cardiovascular disease when consumed regularly over long periods of time.

Obesity And Metabolic Syndrome

A 2003 technical report provided evidence that high intake of sugary drinks increased the risk of by adding to overall . By itself, sugar is not a factor causing obesity and , but rather â when over-consumed â is a component of unhealthy dietary behavior. showed that excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages increased the risk of developing and â including weight gain and obesity â in adults and children.

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Gstarbucks Chai Tea Latte

The spiciness of the chai tea, combined with the sweetness of the vanilla-flavored syrup and milk is said to be perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up .

Boghan Callahan wrote on UpscaleHipHops website that when you take your first sip of this creamy, spicy beverage youll probably think youve died and gone to heaven (Callahan

The spices are boiled in water for 10 minutes before being added to milk with sugar to taste.

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When You Drink Chai Tea Every Day You Could Protect Yourself Against Degenerative Diseases

How To Make Chai Tea | Indian Tea

“All of the spices in chai have been independently shown to inhibit or suppress inflammation as well as tumorigenesis,” Tina Kaczor, licensed naturopathic doctor and board-certified naturopathic oncologist, explained in an article for Natural Medicine Journal. “At a molecular level, the crux of many chronic degenerative diseases, including tumorigenesis, is the inflammatory process,” she continued. As such, deciding to drink chai tea every day and committing to that may prevent degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Drinking chai, especially if you love the taste, is one of the easiest things you can do to protect against such diseases. “Chai, a simple combination of cinnamon, cardamom, clove, ginger, and black pepper represents an easily integrated means of including many spices that have evidence of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor effects,” the professional explained. “The pleasant taste and easy access to these spices add to the practical application of this simple tea.”

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When You Drink Chai Tea Every Day You Might Boost Your Mood And Your Sex Drive

When you’re stressed out, nothing may sound better than a hot cup of tea. If stress is a daily occurrence, though, you may want to consider replacing your usual nightly brew with chai tea and don’t forget to add nutmeg! A study conducted by researchers in India found that nutmeg seed extract induced an “antidepressant-like effect” on mice. Interestingly, the nutmeg extract was able to zen the mice, but it didn’t have any kind of negative impact or “significant effect” on the animals’ movement.

In addition to potentially boosting your mood, the nutmeg and cloves in your cuppa may also boost your libido. One study in rats revealed that the spices “were found to stimulate the mounting behaviour of male mice, and also to significantly increase their mating performance.” So, uh, there’s that.

Naturally, what happens in mice may not be the same as what happens in humans. However, if you’re looking for a way to unwind, it couldn’t hurt to brew a pot of chai tea every day, now could it?

Physical And Chemical Properties

Milk is an or of within a water-based fluid that contains dissolved carbohydrates and protein aggregates with minerals. Because it is produced as a food source for the young, all of its contents provide benefits for growth. The principal requirements are energy , biosynthesis of non-essential amino acids supplied by proteins , essential fatty acids, vitamins and inorganic elements, and water.

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Chai Tea Latte Recipe

The last summer I spent in India, a new friend I made nicknamed the cardamom pod the VIP nut.

She explained that cardamom pods went in the chai cups of those they considered special. If they didnt care for the person, and were just serving them chai to be polite, no cardamom!

We sipped chai multiple times a day, every day. Everywhere we went, new friends would offer it with bright smiles.

I miss those chai overdosed summers.

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