As temperatures drop, the spicy, warming flavor of chai tea beckons. With its fragrant and spicy notes, chai tea is a perfect autumnal drink typically made from black tea (although we also have some caffeine-free versions).
Like many teas, chai tea has unique health benefits, including being rich in antioxidants. Many chai teas contain turmeric, ginger, and black pepper, all potent ingredients with many touted health benefits.
I’m diving into the most common chai tea health benefits backed by various research studies in this article to give you a look at how chai tea can support your health goals this fall.
Chai Tea Health Benefits
May Fight Inflammation
Chai tea is packed with antioxidants and different inflammation-fighting ingredients, like turmeric.
In a 2020 research review that examined ten studies on turmeric’s effect on pain in individuals with knee osteoarthritis, these studies compared turmeric to NSAIDS, otherwise known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin.
All ten studies reported that participants had reduced pain and improved function from baseline when using turmeric, which is a fantastic find!
Another study found that turmeric had potential uses against inflammation-causing diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, depression, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Other human ailments turmeric had efficacy against include cancer, diabetes, acne, fibrosis, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Needless to say, turmeric is a powerhouse spice that chai tea can help you add to your diet. For more information about turmeric, read our previous article on herbal remedies for aches, pains, arthritis, and more.
Supports Healthy Digestion
Many chai teas contain ginger, which gives them a warming zing and promotes certain health benefits, like improved digestion.
Ginger is commonly eaten or taken by those experiencing nausea, such as pregnant women or seasick people. For example, one 2014 study review examined research findings on ginger and found that orally consumed ginger significantly improved nausea symptoms compared to placebos.
Black pepper is another common chai tea spice with a biting, pungent quality that supports certain digestive benefits. In animal studies, black pepper has been found to increase digestive enzyme levels, which may support optimal digestion by aiding the body in breaking down foods properly.
Read our previous article on 4 amazing black pepper health benefits to learn more.
May Improve Heart Health
Chai tea typically contains several ingredients that may support cardiovascular health, such as cinnamon and black tea.
Cinnamon is a common spice used to make aromatic chai teas and has been shown to lower blood pressure.
Specific components of cinnamon bark possess antioxidant activities, which the Mayo Clinic shares are essential for protecting cells against daily damage from free radicals. Antioxidant-rich foods and drinks may help prevent the risk of health issues related to aging, such as Alzheimer’s disease, certain cancers, heart disease, and age-related macular degeneration.
In addition, cinnamon may reduce the levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides by as much as 30%, according to a study on people with type 2 diabetes.
Black tea has also been studied for its effects on cholesterol and shown to potentially reduce blood pressure levels. One study showed that black tea reduced the risk of coronary heart disease and concluded that black tea positively affected overall health.
All this to say that chai tea has some excellent heart-supporting benefits!
May Lower Blood Sugar Levels
Common chai tea ingredients like ginger and cinnamon may balance and reduce blood sugar levels.
A 2015 study examined ginger’s effect on fasting blood sugar in type 2 diabetic patients and discovered that ginger significantly reduced fasting blood sugar levels compared to the baseline and control groups.
Cinnamon has long been used as an “anti-diabetic spice,” and modern research backs this claim up. One review study examined a group of diabetic and non-diabetic studies and what they found about cinnamon’s effect on fasting blood glucose. Most of these studies showed significant 8.4% to 29% results in reducing fasting blood glucose levels.
Lastly, I found an incredible study on cinnamon that showed this spice to have a moderate effect in lowering fasting plasma glucose concentrations in diabetic patients struggling with glycemic control. This study followed 79 patients with diabetes, and no adverse effects were observed.
All in all, chai tea contains incredible spices that can support many different health goals.
Amazing Chai Teas
Interested in finding your perfect cup of chai tea? These are some of our best-selling, most scrumptious chai teas that are perfect for fall and winter or iced in the summer.
- Vanilla Chai Black Tea: This delightful chai tea is made from creamy Madagascar vanilla. It has a zesty ginger finish with lovely cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. We love this tea piping hot, and it’s absolutely perfect for fall and winter!
- Turmeric Chai Tea: If you love the flavor of chai tea but want to skip the caffeine, this is the tea for you. Our Turmeric Chai Tea has no added black tea, making it caffeine-free. Our artisanal tea contains antioxidant-rich turmeric, which promotes many health benefits, like lowered inflammation and healthier liver function.
- Honeybush Chai Tea: We love this caffeine-free chai tea option with sweet honeybush, intense ginger, warming cardamom, nutmeg, and cinnamon. This tea is autumn in a cup! You can even make a perfect iced tea from this delightful blend.
- Spiced Apple Chai Black Tea: A punchy caffeinated black tea with fabulous cinnamon bark, apple pieces, and warming flavors from ginger, cardamom pods, and cloves. Perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up or giving you a boost when you wake up on a cool morning.
- Pumpkin Honeybush Chai Tea A quintessential tea for autumn. Our Pumpkin Honeybush Chai Tea combines Masala-Chai spice with robust, tangy pumpkin. Enjoy this tea hot or iced!
For our complete collection of chai teas, click here.
I’m a big fan of potent chai tea for its punchy, savory flavor and many purported health benefits. I hope this article inspires you to try new chai teas as autumn approaches.
Thanks for reading!
Herbalist Natalie
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Natalie Hajdu-Voakes is a consulting Herbalist with over 27 years of hands-on experience and the owner of The Herb Stop. |