Chai is a black tea combined with various spices and milk (though it can be substituted with soy if you'd prefer not to drink milk), and in many traditions has been used to help rejuvenate and detoxify the mind and body . It is still used today for many of the same purposes.
A chai tea latte is comprised of the following ingredients: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, pepper, milk, and honey. This special blend of ingredients not only helps in revitalizing the body and mind, but is a wonderful taste to try for those who enjoy coffee shops without the coffee itself.
The black tea contains high levels of antioxidants, which help to fight “free radicals,” substances with capabilities of destroying our cells, and more antioxidants mean less free radicals. High levels of free radicals in the body have been associated with illnesses caused by cell damage such as cancer, heart disease and even cataracts. Research also shows that tea can aid in lowering “bad” cholesterol from the body and reduce blood pressure.
Chai tea also contains cloves, which contain Eugenol, which helps prevent digestive tract cancers and inflammation in the joints. Eugenol is also known to be an excellent source of antioxidants as well.
Nutmeg is believed to be able to lower blood pressure, soothe upset stomachs, relieve stress and remove toxins from the liver.
But remember: chai tea, like many teas, still contains caffeine (though it has approximately 3 times less caffeine than an average cup of coffee). You should consume no more than four cups of caffeinated beverages per day, and an excess in caffeine intake from chai tea will render the health benefits of a chai tea latte negligible. Still, if you're looking for a healthy and tasty coffee alternative from an independent coffee shop, ask about their chai tea lattes.
Comments
Interesting. I have often wondered about this & I love my chai lattes.
This warning about the "caffeine" in tea deserves a caveat about itself, ironically. The truth is, tea has no comparison in coffee, cola, or energy drinks because it doesn't contain caffeine alone. Tea has L-theanine, an amino acid, to balance off the caffeine. It therefore relaxes instead of stressing you out as the straight-caffeine beverages do. Tea is going in the opposite direction for your body, mind, and spirit. Saying it's like coffee isn't really true at all.
Not all chai teas are created equal though. Sure enough chai tea can provide a lot of great benefits as long as the blend itself contains a fair amount of the spices mentioned above.
It is my experience that most chai teas drank here in coffee shops come from liquid concentrates which are loaded with sugars and you can't hardly taste the spices in it.
Yogic Chai is a chai tea company online that specializes on loose leaf chai tea blends. Their blends contains a good fair amount of the spices and are all made with 100% organic ingredients.
Check out their website at www.yogicchai.com and check their reviews at TEAVIEWS www.teaviews.com
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