With the holidays approaching, nothing beats the cold, windy weather like a delicious cup of chai tea. In addition to being delicious the spices used in chai tea offer some great health benefits!
Spices frequently included in a classic chai drink include: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamon, and cloves. These spices are considered powerhouses of the herbal world. They offer antiviral, antibacterial, carminative, and antioxidant properties (to name a few). If you struggle with a sluggish digestion over the holiday season, chai tea can come to the rescue.
Historically, these herbs and spices were collected and steeped in boiling water. This is the ideal way to extract all the medicinal qualities of these herbs. However, sometimes we need simple and easy. Here is my "hack" for chai tea. We will still get a lot of benefits of chai tea without the time.
I make enough of this spice mixture to fill an eight ounce mason jar and I store it in a cool, dark place. Light will oxidize the spices so it is important to keep them away from direct sunlight. All spices used in this recipe will be in powdered form. Remember to label the jar!
Chai Spice Mix Recipe to fill 8 ounce mason jar:
15 tsp (5 tbsp) cinnamon
4 tsp cloves
7.5 tsp ginger
4 tsp cardamon
4 tsp nutmeg
If you don't want to make a full batch, try a single serving.
For a single serving (this recipe may be adjusted to fit your tastes):
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cardamon
A sprinkle of nutmeg
How to use:
Add 1 tsp of Chai spice mix (or the single serving recipe) to a mug with a black tea bag.
Bring water to a boil and pour over the spices and tea bag. Let steep for 2-5 minutes and remove the tea bag.
Add a splash of milk, cream, or dairy-free creamer, and a little bit of honey.The spices will sink to the bottom in the mug.
There are so many different types of chai. I have linked a couple of recipes below if you'd like to continue to experiment with chai tea recipes. Enjoy!
Other Chai Tea Recipes:
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