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What is Chai Tea?
"Chai" actually means "tea" in Hindi, so calling "chai" "chai tea" is
actually rather redundant. However, marketers in the western world thought
that "chai tea" would help them sell the "new" product to the western
market. Chai is actually centuries old, with its origins in India.
Generally, it is a milky, spiced tea made with black tea, cinnamon, ginger,
cardamom, cloves, pepper, and various other spices. It is usually sweetened
- most commonly with sugar, but some drinkers prefer honey. There is not a
universal recipe for chai, as different drinkers like it different ways, so
the spice list can change depending on who's making it.
It is most likely this list of ingredients not often found in western
beverages that makes chai seem "exotic" to westerners. But in India,
chai is as common as tea is in Britain and coffee is in the United States.
In fact, it's so common that in many Indian households, the first thing a
host offers a guest is a cup of chai.
Potential Health Benefits of Chai
Some tea companies tout the health benefits of drinking their chai product -
but buyer beware. While chai is certainly better for the body than a drink
such as coffee, because not all chai
is made with the same ingredients, it's not really possible to state that
chai is universally beneficial. And it's also more likely to benefit the
drinker when the drinker has brewed his/her own chai, rather than buying
boxed chai or chai in tea bag form. Why? Simply because the spices and herbs
being used are much fresher. Here is a list of some of the benefits of the
different ingredients in most chai recipes:
1) Cinnamon: In a recent study by the US Agricultural Research Service,
cinnamon has been shown to benefit diabetics because the cells are less
likely to let insulin in. In lab rats with Type 2 diabetes, cinnamon helped
lower blood pressure and prevented cell damage. Cinnamon's oils also help to
stop the growth of certain bacteria and yeasts.
2) Ginger: In the Far East, ginger has been used for over two millennia to
treat upset stomach, diarrhea, arthritis, and heart disease. Recent research
by western scientists also suggests
that ginger may help lower the risk of colon cancer.
3) Cardamom: Like ginger, cardamom is often used to soothe digestion
problems. But it is also used to treat respiratory problems such as asthma
or people suffering from other kinds of respiratory spasms. Further, in
Saudi Arabia, animal studies have shown cardamom to have anti-inflammatory
properties, reducing muscle spasms.
4) Cloves: Used in Ayurvedic medicine as an analgesic, cloves are most often
used to soothe toothaches and remedy halitosis. It also has antiseptic
qualities, and can be used to kill
intestinal parasites, fungi, and bacteria. These latter qualities have also
led cloves to be used for treating diarrhea and similar digestive ailments.
5) Pepper: Most chai recipes do not usually contain enough black pepper for
it to be of significant benefit to its drinkers. However, black pepper does
reduce intestinal gas and works as an
antioxidant.
Just remember: The best way to ensure that your regular cup of chai provides
you with the health benefits you're looking for is to brew it yourself. Then
you can select the herbs and spices
that benefit your specific health condition.
About the author:
Rachel Medlock is a connoisseur of hot drinks, including chai.
She runs the informational website,
http://www.MyChaiTeas.com. |
