Four reasons to enjoy chai tea

Within the wide variety of teas that we can find, there's one that stands out and has become quite popular in recent years. It's chai tea, a beverage that stands out not only for its taste but also for its multiple health benefits.

What is Chai Tea?

Chai tea, also known in its native language as masala chai (masālā cāy), is the result of combining a type of tea (usually black) with various spices. In fact, the Hindi word masālā literally means 'mixture'.

It was an attempt to adapt the English custom of tea to the Hindu style in the early 20th century, as its taste was very unpleasant to the Indian palate (more accustomed to the strong flavors of its varied cuisine).

Furthermore, at that time, tea in India had exclusively medicinal uses, which is still used today under the name Ayurveda.

What's the Secret of Chai Tea?

Without a doubt, its spices, which usually include cinnamon, cardamom, anise, ginger, cloves, pepper, nutmeg, or fennel. Although, there's actually a wide variety of recipes and styles of chai tea. Chai tea provides you with a lot of energy, making it ideal for the morning, after a meal, or in the afternoon.

Benefits of Chai Tea

If you haven't tried it yet, from this moment on, you won't be able to live without it. We'll explain four of the goodness of this brew from traditional Hindu medicine.

• Boosts Metabolism: Cinnamon and cardamom stimulate pancreatic enzymes, which naturally contribute to breaking down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.

• Enhances the Immune System: The antioxidants in tea and spices improve our immune response. Especially ginger, which relieves cold symptoms by reducing fever and expelling mucus.

• Reduces Abdominal Bloating: Thanks to spices like cloves or fennel, it combats stomach ailments and other digestive problems like acidity, nausea, or diarrhea.

• Strengthens Cardiovascular Health: Chai tea itself is rich in polyphenols, which are chemicals present in foods such as fruits, legumes, or cereals. They stand out for their strong antioxidant power, helping to reduce cardiovascular diseases.

How to Drink it and Why Powder Format is Better?

Our recommendation is always to have it in powder format and not in the traditional tea bags. This way, our body will better absorb the tea's nutrients (up to 10 times more!) and we'll avoid microplastic consumption.

The process to turn tea leaves into powder is done with stone mills, resulting in very fine powder (between 15 and 20 microns). The tea obtained contains no additives, coloring, or preservatives and can be easily dissolved in water, cow's milk, or plant-based milk.

Matcha & CO has two types of powdered chai tea: Spicy Chai and Cacao Spicy Chai. Both are slightly spicy and have a spicy aroma that will surprise you.