People in some parts of the world use the word “chai” instead of tea.
However, western people use the word “chai” when referring to masala chai, which is a type of fragrant, spicy Indian tea.
This beverage may offer several health benefits, including improved digestion and heart health.
What is chai tea?
Chai tea is also called masala chai, but for clarity and consistency purposes, we will use the term “chai tea” in this article.
Chai tea is famous for its fragrant aroma and sweet and spicy flavor.
It is a blend of black tea, ginger and other spices like black pepper, fennel, cardamom, and cinnamon; other well-liked options include peppercorns, coriander seeds, and star anise.
While regular tea is brewed using hot water, chai tea is brewed with warm water and milk.
Chai tea is available in most cafés, but you can also make your own chai tea at home. You can make it from store-bought concentrate, premixed tea bags, or even from scratch.
Here are 5 potential chai tea benefits.
Chai Tea Benefits: It may promote weight loss.
Interestingly, chai tea may promote fat loss and prevent weight gain in several ways.
First, chai tea contains either soy or cow's milk, which are both excellent protein sources.
It can be noted that protein reduces hunger and promotes satiety, which can prevent you from overeating throughout the day, leading to weight loss.
Second, the compounds found in black tea used to make chai tea have been shown in research to help reduce calories that your body absorbs from foods and also promote fat breakdown.
Additionally, drinking three cups of black tea per day has been shown in a high-quality study to potentially help prevent unwanted weight or belly fat gain. However, it is important to note the study reported modest effects that may only work in the short term.
Finally, consuming black pepper has also been shown in animal studies to help prevent the accumulation of body fat.
It is however important to note that the weight loss benefits reported are attributed to chai tea’s ingredients rather than chai tea itself, thus necessitating further research before making any recommendation.
Chai Tea Benefits: It may be good for your heart.
Chai tea has been demonstrated to be beneficial for your heart health.
Animal studies suggest that chai tea may reduce blood pressure levels due to its main ingredient, which is cinnamon.
In fact, cinnamon has been shown in one study to reduce triglyceride, “bad” LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels by up to 30% in some individuals.
Some studies used 1–6 grams of cinnamon per day, but a recent review found that even as little as 120 mg per day may suffice to obtain its heart-healthy effects.
In addition, the black tea found in chai tea has also been suggested in studies to contribute to reduced blood cholesterol levels.
For example, drinking ≥ 4 cups of black tea per day has been demonstrated in most research to modestly reduce blood pressure levels. Also, drinking ≥ 3 cups of black tea per day may reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 11%.
However, further research on the direct effect of chai tea on heart health is necessary before making any recommendation.
Chai Tea Benefits: It may lower blood sugar levels.
Chai tea contains ginger and cinnamon, which are both beneficial for blood sugar management.
In fact, cinnamon has been shown in studies to cause 10–29% reductions in insulin resistance and fasting blood sugar levels.
Reduced insulin resistance helps your body use insulin easily to bring sugar out of your blood and into your cells, thus promoting blood sugar management.
Moreover, people with type 2 diabetes who were given 2 grams of ginger powder every day have been found in a recent study to experience a 12% reduction in their blood sugar levels.
Accordingly, the effective doses of cinnamon and ginger typically range from 1–6 grams per day, which are more than what you can expect to get from a cup of chai tea in most cafés.
Thus, preparing your own chai tea from scratch can give you the freedom to incorporate effective doses of ginger and cinnamon in your tea, and this can be even more beneficial.
Moreover, it is important to note that chai teas prepared in cafés are often loaded with sugar, which may negate the blood-sugar-lowering benefits of other chai tea ingredients.
So make sure to consume the unsweetened version for best blood-sugar-lowering results.
Chai Tea Benefits: It may reduce nausea.
As earlier mentioned, ginger is among the multiple ingredients of chai tea, and it is famous for its anti-nausea effects.
In fact, it has been found to be effective in reducing nausea during pregnancy.
For example, a daily dose of 1.1–1.5 grams of ginger has been found in a review of studies on 1,278 pregnant women to significantly reduce nausea.
Chai Tea Benefits: It may improve digestion.
Cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper, which are all ingredients found in chai tea, have antibacterial properties. They may prevent digestive problems caused by bacterial infections.
For example, black pepper has been shown in animal studies to increase levels of digestive enzymes which support optimal digestion.
Does chai tea have caffeine?
Like other teas, chai tea contains caffeine, unless you are getting a specific decaffeinated chai.
Its caffeine content per cup varies, depending on several factors like how you prepare the brew. For example, you can reduce its caffeine content by 80% if you reduce the steeping time.
Preparing your chai tea at home..
Chai tea requires only a few ingredients, making it relatively simple to prepare at home.
Chai Tea Concentrate
Ingredients
2.5 tbsp loose-leaf black tea
20 whole black peppercorns
5 green cardamom pods
4-in fresh, sliced ginger
1 cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
1 star anise
2.5 cups water
Instructions
- Roast cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, and star anise on low heat until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Grind cooled spices into a coarse powder using a coffee or spice grinder.
- Combine the water, ginger and ground spices in a large saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes. Avoid letting your mixture reach a boil, to prevent the spices from becoming bitter.
- Stir in the loose-leaf black tea, turn the heat off and allow to steep for around 10 minutes.
- Strain the chai tea concentrate into a sterilized bottle and let cool prior to refrigeration. Enjoy!
The Takeaway
A sweet, spicy, and aromatic beverage, chai tea may provide a range of health benefits, from weight loss to improved heart health.
Although the benefits reported are attributed to its ingredients, rather than chai tea itself, it’s still not bad to try chai tea—you won’t have much to lose.
Always remember to choose minimally sweetened versions to get the most benefits from your chai tea. Preparing your own chai tea from scratch at home is even better!
