I have recently dropped into the 21st century and have been exposed to something wonderful called chai latte. My sister is the one to have introduced me to this literal cup of Autumn. She is trying to cut back on coffee for health reasons, so, she began looking up teas and stumbled upon chai. From there, I got her some vanilla chai tea. Whenever something new comes into our house, if it can be shared, we like to each try it. She basically made me try it when she said it tasted like Autumn. I was completely blown away by the taste. It only got better when she made pumpkin chai lattes for us. While I can’t say I will be giving up pumpkin spice lattes from Dunkin’, I do know I will be drinking more chai. After all, chai has such great bonuses for health:
Digestive Health: Since chai contains ginger and cinnamon (both of which are great for helping digestion), drinking chai everyday helps improve in this area. Not only will it ease the stomach, but in doing so, it will help fight off nausea if that is something you suffer from a lot. Along with ginger and cinnamon, chai also has a spice called cardamom, which is known for helping against stomach ulcers.
Weight Loss: Chai tea does NOT guarantee weight loss, but it can certainly help. Since chai lattes contain milk, this gives you enough of a dose of protein to fill you up. Thus, you won’t be hungry for a while. Chai is also made of black tea, which has been known to help in weight management.
Fighting Against Cancer: Again, chai contains cardamom, which has many health benefits outside of what is mentioned in this article. One notable benefit is that it helps increase activity in enzymes and natural killer cells that help fight off cancer cells.
Improving Mood: During these tough times, it can be hard to feel happy. Stressful events in the news and our own personal lives can make life hell. Coffee is known for increasing anxiety in some people, which certainly won’t help life. Chai tea, however, can help reduce stress and increase a more positive mood. When nutmeg is added to chai teas, it acts almost like an antidepressant if taken long enough. The better part about this deal is that there are no real negative effects if you stop taking chai tea, whereas it can be bad if you stop taking antidepressants without the knowledge of a doctor beforehand.
Outside of these four mentioned benefits, chai is also helpful in the areas of hormone balance, heart health, teeth strength, regulating blood sugars, fighting against diseases like Alzheimer’s, improving sex drive, and fighting against infections (like the Flu). With many people focusing on their health now more than ever, adding chai tea into your diet would not only be beneficial, but delicious.