People have known about the health benefits of tea for hundreds, if not thousands of years. As far back as the thirteenth century monks in Japanese Zen monasteries drank green tea “because of the relaxation effect of the L-theanine" explained by Michael Lelah, Ph.D., "At the time, the monks found that green tea helped them concentrate and remain alert during their many hours of meditation."
Today, a huge number of studies have shown that teas like chai may improve your immune system, reduce inflammation, and even ward off cancer and heart disease. Although the evidence for the health effects of coffee goes back and forth, with one study saying it’s good for you and the next saying it’s bad, the positive effects for tea are under no doubt.
First, let's get to know chai tea's nutritional content
For a 500 ml (roughly 17-ounce) serving of chai tea, here’s the nutritional breakdown that contributes to its health benefits:
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Essential Vitamins and Minerals (vitamin C, K and B2, Manganese, Calcium)
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Antioxidants for Cellular Health (combat oxidative and lower chronic disease risks)
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Bioactive Spice Compounds
And how much caffeine is in chai? A 17-ounce chai contains around 60–100 mg of caffeine—providing an energy boost without the jitters of stronger caffeinated drinks.
Chai Tea for Alertness
Anyone who has drunk tea first thing in the morning, or to avoid the mid-afternoon slump, knows about the caffeine in tea, and chai contains almost as much as a cup of standard black tea. Although the high quantities of caffeine in coffee and energy drinks can make you feel jittery and nauseous, the level of caffeine in chai tea is much more moderate. Caffeine in tea has been shown to help extend your attention span, as well as many other mental health benefits such as clarity of mind and relaxation.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are everywhere in today’s food trends, and for good reason. Research has linked antioxidant-rich foods and drinks to longer, healthier lives. One key theory of aging involves "oxidative stress," a process where free radicals damage cells, accelerating aging and contributing to chronic diseases.
Tea is naturally rich in antioxidants like polyphenols and flavonoids, which combat free radicals. A study published in The British Journal of Pharmacology found that tea’s antioxidants help neutralize these radicals, potentially protecting against age-related issues like cancer, heart disease, and neurological disorders.
Interestingly, chai spices like nutmeg also contribute to these antioxidant benefits. Research by Ehab A. Abourashed and Abir T. El-Alfy revealed that nutmeg’s antioxidants may slow aging. In an animal study, nutmeg extract helped protect cells from oxidative damage. Rats given nutmeg extract showed significantly less tissue damage and cell death compared to those without it, highlighting nutmeg’s potential protective role.
| 💡 Key takeaway: Chai tea’s antioxidants from tea and spices like nutmeg help combat oxidative stress, potentially slowing aging and reducing disease risk. |
Diabetes
Although we’re not sure exactly the reasons behind it yet, a number of studies have shown that people who drink three to four cups of tea per day could have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes than those who drink less.
As well as that, recent studies about black tea consumption have shown that drinking tea after a meal can help stop people from experiencing the big spikes in blood sugar which can eventually lead to diabetes. The reason for this is still being figured out, but it may well be due to tea’s major bioactive compounds, the polyphenols.
💡Key Takeaway: Regularly drinking three to four cups of tea, particularly black tea after meals, may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by preventing spikes in blood sugar, likely due to the beneficial effects of tea’s polyphenols.
Digestion
All these benefits of tea are great, but why drink chai tea?
The simple answer is that chai contains lots of health improving ingredients not present in a cup of your standard black tea.
Chai contains cloves, cardamom, black peppercorns and ginger all of which have been shown to help with digestive disorders and even obesity for their positive influences on human's blood glucose and lipid regulation.
The ginger in chai Ginger is often marketed as a natural way to reduce nausea or calm an upset stomach. In fact, ginger is so good at helping with nausea that some studies have found that it may be as effective as some anti-nausea medications, but it doesn’t have the side effects that those over the counter medications come with.
See more: Dirty Chai - Everything You Should Know
| 💡 Key Takeaway: Cinnamon in chai is a potent antioxidant with anti-inflammatory benefits that supports heart health, blood sugar control, and may protect against neurodegenerative diseases, infections, and even cancer. |
Cinnamon - A Superfood
Cinnamon, one of the most important spices in your chai, has been used in traditional Indian (ayurvedic) medicine for thousands and thousands of years and it's only recently that science has begun to understand how powerful it may be. Cinnamon is crammed full of antioxidants, which have been shown to stop your cells ageing and hypertension, and in a study that compared the antioxidant activity of 26 spices, cinnamon wound up as the clear winner, even outranking “superfoods” like garlic and oregano.
In fact there are so many health benefits of cinnamon alone it will be worth us writing a blog about just that one day, but let's just say it’s been shown to be anti-inflammatory, may cut your risk of heart disease, improve your sensitivity to insulin, lower your blood sugar levels, have beneficial effects of neurodegenerative diseases, protect against cancer, help fight bacterial and fungal infections and may even help the body combat the HIV virus.
And that’s just one ingredient in chai! Phew!
| 💡 Key Takeaway: Cinnamon in chai is a potent antioxidant with anti-inflammatory benefits that supports heart health, blood sugar control, and may protect against neurodegenerative diseases, infections, and even cancer. |
Aches and Pains
More than one of the spices in chai have been shown to reduce inflammation and help with pain.
Cloves, one of the most important spices in chai, have been used for thousands of years in India to treat pain, especially toothache and are still used to this day, both to help with dental pain and give people sweet smelling breath. Cloves are so effective that studies have even shown that clove gel can be used as a topical anaesthetic similar to benzocaine.
Cardamom has been used in Tibet for thousands of years to improve dental hygiene, and recent studies of Ratika Sharma about Cardamom comfort have shown that it can reduce common mouth bacteria as well as help with bad breath.
Nutmeg (another ingredient in chai) is rich in anti-inflammatory compounds called monoterpenes, including sabinene, terpineol, and pinene. These may help reduce inflammation in your body and benefit those with inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.
Ginger increases circulation, delivering oxygen-rich blood cells to areas with aches and pains, which helps to alleviate painful symptoms. It has been shown to reduce inflammation, especially for people suffering from osteoarthritis.
| 💡 Key Takeaway: Chai’s spices—cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, and ginger—provide natural relief from pain and inflammation, benefiting dental health, arthritis, and circulation. |
How To Make Chai Tea?
Chai tea can be prepared in several ways depending on the type of chai you have on hand. Here’s how to make chai tea using loose-leaf tea, concentrates, and powders:
| With Loose Leaves | With Concentrates |
|---|---|
| Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add 2-3 teaspoons of loose-leaf chai, and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Use a strainer to remove excess leaves. For added richness, stir in milk or sweetener and simmer an extra 2 minutes to enjoy the full depth of flavors from spices and tea leaves. | Chai concentrate is a liquid version with added sugar. Mix equal parts concentrate and milk in a saucepan or microwave-safe container, heating gently until hot. Add sweetener to taste for a quick, robust chai experience with minimal prep. |
For more details, follow our step-by-step on how to make a chai tea
Summary
To sum up, chai tea can improve your health in many aspects, here are some benefits of chai tea for our health and wellness:
- Improve immune system
- Reduce inflammation
- Ward off cancer and heart disease
- Improve dental hygiene
- Stop or slow down the aging process of your cells
- Increases energy and alertness
- Improve digestion
- Cut the risk of heart disease, improve sensitivity to insulin
- Reduces muscle pain
- Effective in soothes nausea
- Improve skin health
- Good for sore throat
As you can see there’s a huge amount of evidence to suggest that the tea in chai, as well as all the spices in it, are really good for you. However, we need to remember that the science is quite new and in ten years some of it might be disproved. However, not all of it will be and either way you still get to enjoy a delicious cup of tea!
FAQs
1. Is chai tea good for weight loss?
Chai tea can support weight loss efforts by improving digestion and metabolism. However, it's important to consume it as part of a balanced diet and not rely solely on chai tea for weight loss.
2. How much chai tea should I drink per day?
Moderation is key. Drinking 1-2 cups of chai tea per day can provide health benefits without excessive caffeine or calorie intake, especially if you are mindful of the amount of sweetener used. The best time to drink chai tea is usually during daytime.
3. Are chai and tea the same?
Chai & Tea differences are usually mistaken by many people. Here's a quick explanation.
Chai meaning "tea" in Hindi, specifically refers to a spiced tea blend often made with black tea, milk, and a mix of spices, offering rich flavor and added health benefits. In contrast, traditional tea refers to plain varieties such as black, green, white, or oolong, which are typically unspiced.
4. What are the health benefits of chai tea?
Chai tea provides numerous health benefits, including improved immune function, reduced inflammation, enhanced mental alertness, and digestive support. Its rich antioxidant content helps protect against chronic diseases and promotes overall wellness.
See More: How many calories in chai?