{"id":1390998,"date":"2020-01-22T22:01:34","date_gmt":"2020-01-23T04:01:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/origin-www.tasteofhome.com\/?p=1390998"},"modified":"2024-10-16T05:52:09","modified_gmt":"2024-10-16T10:52:09","slug":"what-is-chai-tea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/article\/what-is-chai-tea\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Chai Tea, Anyway?"},"content":{"rendered":"Oh, how I love chai tea<\/a>. When I was growing up, my mom, sister and I would brew up chai tea lattes in the morning before school, each dolloped with whipped cream. A piping-hot chai still holds a special place in my heart. It's one of my favorite fall drinks and my go-to coffee shop copycat recipe<\/a>.\r\n\r\nOver the years, I've come to realize that besides its incredible taste, traditional chai tea has multiple health benefits! Now, it's my turn to get you hooked.\r\n

What is chai tea?<\/h3>\r\nOriginating in India nearly 5,000 years ago, chai has been loved by many. Legend has it that chai didn't originally contain tea leaves, milk or sugar when it was first created. It was only comprised of a mix of spices native to India and was used for Ayurveda, an all-natural Indian healing practice. (Fun fact: \"chai\" means tea, so when you say \"chai tea,\" you're really saying \"tea tea.\")\r\n\r\nFlash-forward to the 1600s when black tea leaves were discovered in China. Once the tea leaf, known as\u00a0Camellia sinensis assamica,<\/em> made its way to India, the chai recipe we know and love today was created.<\/em>\r\n\r\nToday, chai tea is a brewed black tea prepared with multiple aromatic spices<\/a> like ginger and cardamom, milk and sugar. This blend gives chai its full-bodied, spice-filled flavor and creamy mouthfeel.\r\n\r\nLooking for a nostalgic tea? Make sure you check out this sun tea<\/a> that is brewed in a warm place, such as in the summer sun or on a kitchen counter.\r\n

What's the difference between chai tea and a chai tea latte?<\/h3>\r\nSpoiler alert: they're not the same. Many American cafes use the names interchangeably, but they're not one in the same. Their differences lie in taste and preparation.\u00a0Chai tea lattes<\/a> are a whole lot sweeter than a traditional chai tea (read on for the recipe).\r\n\r\nA chai tea latte usually contains added sugar and, depending on how you make it, can include a cream or sweetener and non-traditional spices that give it its super sweet taste. To top it all off (literally), chai tea lattes are typically served with a dollop of whipped cream, the way my mom did when I was a kid.\r\n\r\nTraditional chai, on the other hand, relies on its traditional spices, milk and sugar to give it its flavor. As far as preparation goes, chai is typically brewed with warm milk whereas chai tea lattes are prepared with frothed milk, like a traditional cafe latte.\r\n

What are the health benefits of chai tea?<\/h3>\r\nBesides being oh-so-tasty, traditional chai has numerous health benefits. On its own,\u00a0black tea has multiple health benefits<\/a>, like\u00a0reducing cholesterol<\/a> and enhancing overall heart health<\/a>.\r\n\r\nWhen you make it a chai, the benefits increase.\u00a0Chai may help lower blood pressure<\/a>\u00a0(thanks to the cinnamon),\u00a0fight skin cancer<\/a>\u00a0(courtesy of the cardamom), and much more<\/a>.\r\n

How to Make Chai Tea<\/h3>\r\nIt's definitely cozy, but this authentic chai tea recipe<\/a>\u00a0is perfect at any time of year.\r\n

Ingredients<\/h4>\r\n