Healing Chai Tea (Video)

Healing chai tea has a comforting flavor and aroma that will provide you with a sense of peaceful bliss. This simple tea recipe is perfect to serve your family and friends hot for the cold winter months or iced for the sizzling summers.

History of Chai

There is a long history behind chai. Also known as masala or spiced tea, the tradition of ingredients used to make chai varies throughout cultures and continents. Chai was created for its medicinal purposes, with each spice playing its own roll in healing parts of the body.

If you have a number of digestional problems, cardamom is the answer. The leaves or unripe berries of the Jamaican pepper, which produces allspice, has a vast amount of healing properties. Star anise help resolve an upset stomach and runny nose. Although nutmeg is not a traditional ingredient, it is one of my favorites to add, both for the taste and its anti-inflammatory properties.

Cinnamon helps settle an upset stomach and use clove to ease digestive and respiratory pain. Ginger is our known star⭐ and helps with nausea, arthritis, migraines, hypertension and colds. Black peppercorns are the BIGGEST surprise here. Their versatility can treat arthritis, asthma, a number of digestional issues, headaches, menstrual pain, migraines, dizziness and the list goes on!

Type of Tea to Use for Healing Chai

Darjeeling is the traditionally use of tea to make chai but you can use green tea if you prefer, or even a combination of both. Whether you use loose leaf or tea bags is up to you.

If you like to get AMPED up on caffeine or are more like me and can’t handle the jitters anymore, it’s so great to make your own chai to suit your own liking.

Sweetener

Chai tea is one of my ultimate favorite drinks to savor and I indulge in it several times a week. I prefer unsweetened drinks but it is just as easy to make this recipe with your favorite type of sweetener. Honey is a favorite amongst chai drinkers.

Milk

It was tradition to boil all of the ingredients together, including the milk. Here, we like to make a concentrate that will last for long periods of time.

You can use any type of milk you prefer or your diet requires to add to this chai tea concentrate. Oat milk is a favorite among the chai drinkers of today. If you are looking specifically to cut carbs, try mixing the larger portion of almond or coconut milk with one or two tablespoons of heavy cream. Dairy will provide the best overall flavor profile.

What you will need:

• cardamom pods
• whole allspice
• cinnamon sticks
• star anise
• black peppercorns
• whole clove
• whole nutmeg
• fresh ginger
• black or green tea
• water
• sweetener of choice (optional)
• milk of choice
• large saucepot
• strainer

How to Make Healing Chai Tea

Using the flat side of a large knife or with a mortar and pestle, gently break the cardamom pods up. Peel and cut the ginger into ½ inch slices. 

Place a large saucepot or stockpot on medium-low heat and add all of the spices, except the ginger. Toast the spices for five minutes or until you can smell their warm aromas releasing, stir occasionally.

Add the ginger, water, tea and (sweetener if using.) Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer. Cover the pot with a lid for 5-7 minutes.

Remove the lid and give the tea a good stir if you added sweetener. Strain the spices out of the tea.

Use approximately a 50:50 ratio of chai to milk.

If you are not using the tea immediately, place in a sealable container and place in the refrigerator. The tea concentrate will last refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Have you made this RECIPE? Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think.

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Looking for more great recipes? Check out homemade apple cider and papaya and Greek yogurt smoothies.

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