Chai: Just raise the question of CHAI in a room and see all the hands raised! People often tag it as a beverage desired by all, refused by none! Referred to as tea in English, Chai often refers to the water boiled with tea leaves and some sweeteners. People prefer to add milk or some other ingredient like adrak (ginger), elaichi (cardomon) or more as per their preference.
What is Chai- The Real Question?
Ask a Chai lover and see how he goes from dreamy moments to calmness! A cup of chai includes some natural spices mixed in a beverage with tea leaves. Chai comes with several historical evidences and variations. You can say more about it if you have travelled to different places and tasted their local tea. Yes, all are different, but they bring the same calmness and develop a bond. The preparation of tea is different for different families, cultures, and preferences. The common method includes blending tea with water, milk, and sweetener, which is used in most parts of India. It might have some additional herbs to it, again depending upon the likeness.
Origins of Chai: From Ancient Ayurveda to Modern Cups
In the race of creating something unique, the original taste of chai is being lost. Experiments are good, but have you ever wondered about the real origin of the Chai?
The origin of chai comes 5000+ years back and is somewhere connected to a healing story. It is believed that once a king was unwell and was served a healing spice beverage. After consuming it regularly, he started feeling better. This had ginger, black pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and more.
How do these ingredients help you? You must be wondering
When ginger and black pepper were boiled together, the effect was known to act towards better digestion. Adding cloves to it helps in internal healing and in overcoming pain. Cardamom acts wonderful as a mouth freshener and mood reliever, and cinnamon helps in better respiratory function.
With the spreading words of this healing beverage in India and beyond, people started using better herbs and spices in its preparation. The more benefits, the healthier, and this is how the benefits associated with tea kept on increasing. If we go to the originality of the real masala chai, it never had any Camellia sinensis tea leaves in it. Even milk and sugar were not a part of it. Thousands of years later, these three ingredients were added. Precisely, somewhere between the mid-1800s, Britishers cultivated the Camelia sinensis assamica tea plant. They want to consume something strong, complemented with fresh milk and sugar.
Components of Chai: Meet the Ingredients That Make Chai Unique
Chai preparation has different meanings for different people, and so do its components. One cannot stick to any particular recipe to describe the process of chai making. Looking at the present era, the main ingredients of chai are as follows:
1. Tea Leaves
Tea leaves coming from Darjeeling and Assam are popularly used in maximum chai base. These days, the trend of green tea and flower tea are also popular. You should check with chamomile tea or hibiscus tea for that unique flavour, in addition to other flavours. There are several teas, though, with no tea leaves at all.
2. Sweetener
Have you added raw honey, white or brown sugar to the tea? Indeed, it is to add sweetness to the tea. Besides, using the natural form of sweetener ensures it will not bring extra calories. Jaggery is also used by a few people besides other sweeteners in India.
3. Milk
Before reading this, you would have never thought of the list of details we are going to give you here. Often, buffalo milk is the common milk you will get in the maximum tea, but there are other types of milk that you cannot miss in the list. Cow's milk, soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, goat milk, rice milk, and more such options are also there nowadays. In some royal recipes, you will find a strong chai water prepared first and milk added later. People prefer making tea by adding water and milk and sometimes only with milk.
4. Spices/Herbs
One cannot stay restricted to any particular masala used in chai as people prefer their magical potion of calmness in their own way. Going with the common selection of spices- ginger, cardamon, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper goes well. People are also using nutmeg, mace, vanilla, fennel, and more while making tea. Bay leaf, saffron, and allspice are also the favourites of a few.
Popular Types of Indian Chai You Should Try
Feeling tea-lighted, a common phrase used by tea lovers in India, is often used in different regions. The base might be the same or different, and so as the preparation method.
Explore some of the common chai types here:
Masala Chai: This is the most used tea where people use a combination of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, etc.
Adrak Chai: Whenever people talk about chai, mention of adrak is something, like one no one likes to miss! During winter and in Ayurvedic kadha, this herb is essential.
Kashmiri Kahwa: This tree has lately been growing popular, and the green tea used to make it comes from Kashmir. Kahwa tea is especially for those who love to try the delicacy of particular states and love the unique taste.
Elaichi Chai: Bring the cardamom flavour while you sip serenity.
Sulaimani Chai: Lemon, cinnamon and cardamom make this tea as many's favourite. It has its roots in Kerala.
Bombay Cutting Chai: People who are fond of tasting something strong and flavourful must try this tea. This tea is a kind of booster for tea lovers and is often served in small glasses.
Noon Chai: This is another tea coming from Kashmir and is often called pink chai due to its pink colour. This chai is made by combining baking soda with green tea.
Ronga Saah: This speciality is coming from Assam in all its red colour. The red colour is due to the presence of a special wild ginger in tea.
Tulsi Chai: At least once a lifetime, you need to sip this tea of excellence, full of benefits. The herb has its medicinal value besides religious sentiments. Tulsi tea is for everyone and has several health benefits.
Butter Tea: Now, this may sound like something new to you, as this special tea comes from the Himalayan region. It has a buttery and salty flavour. Yes, you read it correctly!
Green Tea Chai: Talking about green tea, there are many variations for tea lovers to enjoy. The best part is it deals with an immunity booster and a better digestive system.
Tandoori Chai: This chai started recently, to be precise, some years back. In this chai, the kulhad is dipped in the chai and the chai of kulhad is then served in another kulhad.
Herbal Chai: The contribution of various herbs has always been present in chai and has been loved by health lovers. Herbal tea is the easiest caffeine-free option.
Surprising Health Benefits of Drinking Chai
Teas are often believed to accompany benefits, especially for your overall health. Some people also say they feel a sense of calmness, relaxation and energy after drinking tea.
Sip, savour, repeat! With this thought, there are several health benefits associated with chai. Let's take a healthy look at them:
1. Better Digestion
There are spices and herbs added to the tea, which can actually help in developing enzymes and stomach acid, which in return helps in better digestion. Adding spices like cardamom, ginger, bay leaf and more really helps.
2. Immunity Power
Have you ever added cardamom with cloves to your tea? If not, you need to try it once to experience the antimicrobial properties it might bring you. It might help you to fight against bacteria. There are other teas that might become a superhero when it comes to immunity boosters.
3. Might Help With Heart Health
If you are adding spices like cardamom and cinnamon to your black tea, it might work wonders. With its inflammatory properties, it might help to preserve heart health.
4. Might Help with Stress and Anxiety
It is suggested that tea consists of L-theanine and amino acids, which are known to have a relaxing effect. Besides, it is also believed to bring anxiety down slowly.
5. Antioxidant
Chai comes with loads of antioxidants and slowly helps to slowly remove the free radicals from the body and finally protect cells from any possible damage.
6. Increasing Concentration
So many people believe that tea helps in better concentration.
7. Better Skin
Chai is known to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which might help skin health. It also controls any kind of inflammation or redness.
8. Anti Inflammatory
Chai can be made mixed with turmeric and ginger, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties.
9. Might Help in Respiration Wellbeing
Symptoms of respiration infections or any possible infections can be easily reduced with the spices in the tea. The sore throat can get the first treatment with a good tea.
Tea Myths Busted: 5 Common Myths Debunked by Expert
There is nothing in the world that comes without myth. Certainly, there are some myths associated with tea. Let's check them one by one:
Tea Myth 1: Skin Colour May Go Dark
Many parents may say that skin colour may go dark if you consume tea, but indeed, it is a myth. It is a complete myth, and drinking tea will never affect your skin colour; instead, it can make your skin healthy.
Tea Myth 2: Chai Tea and Indian Masala Chai are Identical
Masala chai is a variety of chai, but all the chai cannot be masala tea. In the above blog, you would have read how many types of chai are there, and saying all are masala chai will not be justified.
Tea Myth 3: Chai Tea is Incomplete Without Milk
This myth holds no truth at any point. A chai can be with or without milk, and it is all based on one's preference. Mostly, health conscious people prefer their tea without milk only.
Tea Myth 4: Chai Should Be Drank During Winters Only
Heard someone saying only a strong soul person can manage to drink tea during summer? It is a complete myth as it is all year round beverage. Though it gives an additional relief during winters, it provides refreshment throughout.
Tea Myth 5: Chai is Full of Caffeine
The quantity of caffeine in a chai cup depends upon how you prepare it. If compared to coffee, the caffeine presence in tea is really less. People who prefer to take less caffeine must stick to tea to enjoy their refreshment potion.
Things To Remember While Storing Tea
There are a few things that you should know if you wish to use your chai for a longer duration. Try to buy chai from reputed places or brands to ensure the tea cup served to you is fresh. A stale tea is neither healthy nor does it have a pleasant taste.
Using these tips might help you in storing your tea in the right way
- Store tea in a cool, moistureless and dark place.
- Keep it in an opaque container which is airtight.
- Never mix the tea with other beverages, especially coffee.
- Avoid storing tea in the freeze; it will completely ruin the taste of your tea.
- Never store your tea in a heated area.
Chai in Different Languages
Chai is addressed by different names in different places, which also proves its roots in different places for a long.
Facts About Chai
One side of the story states that Chai originated in India and immediately had multiple ways to prepare it based on the different climates, cultures, locations, and preferences.
Another side of the story governs tea started in China in 2737 BC. According to the popular story, the Chinese emperor Shen Nung was sitting under a tree and asked his domestic help to bring some boiled water. While he kept the boiled water aside, some leaves fell into the water and added a refreshing taste to it. Later, it became a trend.
Is there any tea time or anytime tea time?
Mid-morning is the right time to consume tea as your mind and body need a metabolic boost at that time. Whether you take green tea or masala chai, it indeed gives you a metabolic boost.
Grabbing your desired cup of chai during the break can refresh you and accelerate your productivity.
In short, there is no fixed time as chai time; in reality, any time is chai time.
Adults can go for 3-5 cups of tea a day as per the British Heart Foundation, but you need to check the amount; it is not huge. Remember, the meme in which a man drinks a ten-litre cup of tea at a time is indeed what we are not governing here. A decent amount of tea is what we point out here. This amount is sufficient enough to add antioxidants and boost you overall. It also depends upon one health condition.
Sip Everyone's Favourite Brew- Chai
When in doubt, chai it out! While appreciating all the health benefits associated with your chai cup, sip the serenity and calmness! You can have it in a way you want, with or without milk, hot or cold, to soothe your taste buds and preferences. You can explore different teas whenever you wish to taste a new cup of refreshment.
Keep calm and drink your tea!
Frequently Asked Questions About Chai
1. Is tea healthy?
Tea is already known to add several health benefits. It is connected to the control of several health ailments. We are discussing heart, digestion, skin, and overall health issues. There are several hidden benefits of drinking, too, which one might not be aware of. They might help in contributing to overall health conditions.
2. What is the reason behind tea's popularity in the world?
If you are a tea lover, you must be knowing tea is beyond a beverage. It symbolises friendship, hospitality, bond and care. Passing from Asia, it was added to Korean and Japanese cultures, and all of them had their own tea traditions and uniqueness.
3. Is it advisable to gift tea?
Tea is versatile and also indicates cultural significance. It has a bundle of health benefits and is eco-friendly in nature. It is a thoughtful present where you share a moment of tranquillity and that binding connection. You can check our 7 Best Gift Ideas for Tea Lovers.
4. Is it a fact or myth that tea brings good luck?
Back in centuries until today, the tea tradition has its roots in rituals which is beyond just consumption. It shows connection, reflection, and incantation of fortune. Back in ancient history, it was known to bring luck and prosperity.
