Chai ….. (Tea) ….. Part 1

Did you know that chai is actually the word for tea in India?

That means you can just call it chai when referencing that tea, but in the U.S., it’s usually referred to as chai tea.

To add clarification, it’s actually masala chai that we know as the spicy tea with milk that feels so cozy. Masala, or spiced tea, references a combination of spices when talking about Indian cuisine.

Tea growing first came about by former British India and British Ceylon in the 1870s in an effort make tea easier to access. Although wild tea trees had been known to some Provincial locals  for a very long time, these leaves were commonly used as herbal medicines, notably as Ayurvedic remedies.

It wasn’t until England came on the scene, around the beginning of the 20th century, that the working class had taken to drinking tea every day.

This tea drinking evidently gave way to better health, making a cup of black tea with milk and sugar quite popular as a break during the workday. Corporate companies throughout Britain and continental Europe took on this habit in the 1970s in an effort to enhance efficiency in the workplace. The tea was typically delivered by a woman pushing her trolley through the offices twice a day.

So where does chai masala tea come into the picture? India took a little more time to see the benefits, but eventually it stuck, generating the introduction of a typical Indian cup, the spicy milk tea brew called masala chai. From there, chai quickly became part of the Indian way of life.

Traditionally, the way of preparing chai was done by simmering or boiling a mixture of buffalo milk and water with loose black tea and spices, wrapped in a cloth for straining. The chai spices are those that create warmth in the body.

The most commonly used in India are ginger root, green cardamom and cardamom seed,

cinnamon,

star anise,

clover,

and peppercorn. Fennel seed, lemongrass, licorice root and nutmeg are also used in some blends.

Overall, these spices have long been known to have important beneficial side effects, such as detoxing, cleansing and killing bacteria.

Is Chai Good for You?

Chai Tea Precautions

Unless you have allergies relating to the specific ingredients, drinking chai should not be a problem. However, most chia has black tea. Black tea contains caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant and can affect your sleep and anxiety. I also caution anyone who is pregnant or breast-feeding to be conscious of caffeine intake. You can have chia without the black tea and still get the benefits it offers.

With all of these benefits, you simply cannot go wrong, but you have to know what you are getting if you buy it at a coffee shop. Most add all kinds of artificial sweetners, sugar, and loads of unnecessary ingredients that can negatively affect your health. So like all foods, just because it says chai doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Know what’s in it before you have it, or simply make it yourself and enjoy.

Final Thoughts:

Is chai good for you?

The answer is yes,

So long as it doesn’t have any added unhealthy ingredients like artificial sweeteners.

·        Common chai ingredients include black tea, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, black pepper and clove. Anise, clover and peppercorn are also used in several recipes.

·        Chai tea benefits include its anti-inflammatory effects that can help ease arthritis,

·         preventing and treating nausea,

·         aiding digestion,

·         and reducing the risk of heart disease. Another reason you can say yes to the question is chai tea good for you is its high antioxidant load.

·        If you’re worried about too much caffeine consumption, beware. Chai does have caffeine, though it’s possible to make or buy caffeine-free versions.

Benefits of Adding Lemon to Black Tea

Black tea is a calorie-free beverage that contains caffeine and can help lower the risk of stroke and heart disease.

These benefits may come from tea's theaflavin antioxidants, which can also help prevent certain forms of cancer. Tea is traditionally made with a sweetener and milk, which increases its sugar and caloric content. However, by replacing sugar and milk with a citrus fruit, such as lemon, you can increase health-boosting and nutritional potential of tea.

Antioxidants Staying Power

Other than providing an additional source of antioxidants, lemons also increase the staying power of antioxidants in black tea.

 Black tea contains theaflavins, which are polyphenol antioxidants similar to those found in green tea.

They have the potential to reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease, heart attacks,

hardening of the arteries and kidney stones.

In a comparative study published in a 2000 issue of “Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology,” researchers found that tea with lemon increased its antioxidants potential more than tea without milk.

Chai has been popular for years, hitting the big coffee shops in both hot and iced form, but is chai is good for you? Well, yes — for the most part — though it depends on what chai tea you drink.

Like most foods, it’s easiest to find the not-so-healthy version of chai tea just about anywhere these days. It’s your job to keep an eye on the label and know what your chai ( tea) contains.

 However, traditional chai tea ingredients are amazing, and as long as you pay attention, you can have the best version — the version let’s you say to the question is chai good for you.

If you are cold, tea will warm you;

if you are too heated, it will cool you;

If you are depressed, it will cheer you;

If you are excited, it will calm you

What kind of tea do you want?

Johnnie Walker in the tea, Jim Beam, Jamaican Rum ..…… ?

Disclaimer

The information on this POST is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional Medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this article is for general information / education purposes only.