Dear Pharmacist: Why try chai?

I posted recipes for natural healthy soda at my website, so today I’m going to tell you to try chai! In China, Russia and India, the word “chai” simply means “tea.” In America, not too long ago, some clever marketing folks decided to use the word for a special blend containing aromatic spices native to India, and now you can find chai drinks everywhere. Yay.

Even when you order “Masala” chai in cafes or Indian restaurants, you’re getting way less sugar than what you’d get in a soda, a couple of teaspoons versus nine or ten, which is typical for non-diet soda pop. If you learn to make your own chai at home, you can substitute stevia, agave or honey as your sweetener, and it’s still going to offer grand health benefits.

I’m a huge tea fanatic myself, and chai is one of my favorites along with matcha, tulsi and rooibos. Chai starts with black tea, a powerful antioxidant which has anti-cancer compounds in and of itself. The individual spices that make up chai are also medicinally active:

There are thousands of chai recipes. Some include fennel which is good for menopausal problems and breaking fevers. Saffron, one of my favorite spices ever, is a powerful immune and mood booster. Anise helps with coughs and is a digestive aid, no surprise there.

See the pattern? Chai contains healthy spices that help you digest meals, that’s why you should replace your after-dinner Frangelico with chai.

I've had Bhakti Chai mixed with frothed vanilla almond milk for a delicious chai latte that I crave when it’s snowing or right after a big dinner. And don’t think chai is just for the winter months. If you’ve never tried iced chai, or chai smoothies you’re in for a treat. No matter how you drink it, chai is still better for you than soda because it offers impressive health benefits, and being low in sugar, it’s easy on your waistline.