What are the benefits of chai tea?
One of our most asked questions is about the benefits of chai tea. More specifically, whether chai lattes are good for you, and how much sugar/caffeine is in a chai latte compared to coffee or regular teas. The answer to these questions, is all dependant on how you get your chai tea fix!
All of this is explored by our expert Tea Mixologists below!
What are the benefits of a chai tea blend?
The first thing to note is that there is a difference between chai tea and a chai tea latte. Chai tea, or to use it’s full name, Masala Chai, is a spiced tea blend which usually contains black tea, cinnamon, cloves and pepper, but could also include ginger, cardamom and star anise, depending on the blend. There are no hidden nasties in there, and if you are buying an authentic chai tea, it is all natural (and delicious!).
The ingredients within a chai tea blend, are said to promote all kinds of health benefits and remedies. For example, ginger is great for calming flu symptoms and nausea, whereas black tea and cinnamon might help some people who are looking to reduce blood pressure.
In short, yes. Chai tea is good for you as an aromatic Indian masala spice. So, you can pop on the kettle and enjoy a nice cup of chai tea… without the guilt!
Are chai lattes good for you?
A chai tea latte is made from chai tea, with the addition of frothy milk, and traditionally a lot of sugar. This milky sweet and spiced drink was created on the streets of India, and is enjoyed as a sweet treat.
So, chai tea itself is as good for you as a regular tea (we also have a blog about the benefits of tea), along with all the benefits of the spice blend. However, a chai tea latte would usually contain a high amount of sugar or sweetened milk, making it pretty unhealthy.
If you want to enjoy a healthy chai latte you can brew your chai tea as normal, add your own choice of milk and sprinkle with cinnamon or use a little honey. This is a much healthier way of enjoying a chai tea latte and this is what we do in all of our stores with our decaf Gingerbread Chai tea (we can make this completely sugar free and it has only 45 calories p/cup!).
Is chai tea decaf?
Although traditionally, chai tea consists of caffeinated black tea, with a blend of spices, it doesn’t have to be made this way! Chai spice blends have lots of benefits, that can be combined with decaf teas such as Rooibos, or Yerba Mate, to a make drink which is really good for you, delicious, and caffeine free.
Rooibos tea is naturally sweet, and has lots of benefits, as an antioxidant rich, and anti-inflammatory aid when consumed. When we combine our chai mix with rooibos tea, it makes great decaf latte, like our Gingerbread Chai.
If you enjoyed this article you might find our other chai tea blogs and recipes interesting…
Visit our online tea shop to explore our hand-blended chai tea's and other tea accessories.
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Rooibos
From: $4.60
To: $60.20
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Black Tea
From: $4.60
To: $71.20
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$5.30
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To: $19.50
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From: $25.50
To: $53.50
