Different beverages across the world are known for different benefits and purposes. Tea and Coffee being the most common and famous beverages across the world, has gone through different innovative recipes in different parts of the world. On one hand we have cappuccino, dalgona coffee, cold coffee, black coffee, coffee latte etc, we also have varieties in tea like black tea, green tea, spicy tea and more. One such variety of tea is Chai Tea.
Chai Tea is mainly an Indian tea having a combination of sweet and spicy flavours. Although different states in India prepare it in slightly different manner, the major ingredients include milk, water, processed chai/tea leaves which are often called - chai seeds, ginger and sometimes cardamom, clove, cinnamon etc. Locally, it is known as the ‘masala chai’.
Is Chai Tea good for your health?
If consumed in limit with natural ingredients, it can do wonders for your health, especially for your heart. Many people add herbs and different spices that can prove to be beneficial in their own way. For example, cinnamon may help in lowering the blood pressure or cholesterol levels.
As Chai Tea contains ginger, one of the most anti-inflammatory ingredients, it can help you protect your body and fight against diseases like common cold and flu.
Other benefits of Chai Tea includes its ability to improve your immune system due to the spices added in it. Chai Tea is often said to help in the times of nausea too.
If made in a certain way, it can also help in losing weight. When you add milk having a good amount of protein like cow’s milk or soy milk while making Chai Tea, it helps you feel fulfilled which in turns results in lesser feeling of hunger. In fact, one of the benefits of having a good amount (or the required amount by your body) of protein regularly is that it helps you reduce the craving feeling.
Cardamom in this tea has endless benefits. It is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance which can help prevent certain diseases. It also improves digestive health.
The conversation around ‘Chai’ also brings us to the next topic:
Does Chai Tea have caffeine?
Yes. Apart from all the spices and herbs added in a Chai Tea, another most important ingredient to make Chai Tea is added which is the processed tea leaves. It is known as ‘Chai Patti’ locally. Dark brownish in color and with a small seed like size, it is measured via teaspoon and added while making the tea. It definitely contains caffeine but to a limited amount depending on the brand of it.
Talking of Chai Tea, many people confuse the term with Chai Tea Latte. Both of these beverages are different. Chai Tea is just a normal beverage drunk in several households and prepared with traditional methods. Whereas Chai Tea Latte is made in a fancier way. It has a lot of froth on the
top and it is prepared in a different manner even though most of the ingredients are the same.
There is a sweet syrup added to make a great Chai Tea Latte which also makes it different from Chai Tea. Chai Tea Latte is sweeter than the usual Chai. The syrup added in it can be maple syrup or any other sweet syrup.
How to make a Chai Tea Latte?
Keep your ingredients ready. The major ingredients in Chai Tea Latte are cardamom, cinnamon, clove, black pepper, milk, water and ginger.
Now, before making a Chai Tea Latte, you will have to know how to make a Chai Tea. Take a pan and light the stove while keeping it at the lowest flame. Pour water half the amount of total drink that you want to make. Add spices, more specifically crushed spices or powdered form of them in it. These spices are ground cinnamon, ground ginger, cardamon, clove and black pepper. Mix them properly and let them boil for a few minutes. After the boiling point, turn on the stove and let it cool.
Then, turn the stove on and put black tea bag in the pan. Pour maple syrup or any other sweet syrup that you will like to add. Mix it properly while letting tea bags stay on the side of the pan. Your tea is ready. Strain the tea in the cup and let it cool. Now prepare the latte.
Take a pan and add milk more than half of the amount of the drink you want to have. Add maple syrup in it. You can add a bit of cinnamon powder if you want to. Next, mix it well. Turn the stove o once it is mixed well. Take an electric blender and blend it till you can see the froth. Now,
take the poured tea cup and gently pour the latte on the top of it. And you Chai Tea Latte is ready!
Talking of Chai Tea Latte, the beverages by Starbucks has always created a hype among the consumers. And the most recent one that is the Chai Tea Latte has created a lot of buzz among the people too! This brings us to the next topic:
How is the Starbucks Chai Tea Latte?
Does it have the good original taste of a Chai Tea Latte? Is it too sweet or too spicy? Does it have froth on the top?
Yes. It has the best of the best ingredients and look. It is a perfect blend of delicious spices and syrups with dense creamy froth on the top. One cup of it has 240 calories out of which total fat is 6 percent. Then there’s 5 percent sodium, 16 percent protein, 16 percent carbohydrates, 7 percent cholesterol and 95mg caffeine. What makes the Starbucks Chai Latte more delicious than the usuals is the vanilla essence and some great natural flavours added in it.
So, that’s it folks! Make yourself a good Chai Tea or Chai Tea Latte or just visit Starbucks to have it anytime.