Ginger Chai Elixir

A delightful ginger-y elixir that boosts your morning cup of tea with amazing flavor and some pretty powerful medicinal properties.

Elixir: a magical or medicinal potion. Miraculous, magical, and maybe a little mysterious, an elixir is a sweet substance or solution that cures the problem at hand.

I’ve been in love with chai for many, many years; in fact, I might be a little chai-obsessed. I drink at least four large mugs of chai every day. It’s the first thing I do when I wake up every morning: after washing my face and putting my contacts in, I brew my first cup of chai. I have a low tolerance for caffeine, so when local stores stopped selling decaf chai, I started purchasing many different varieties of chai from LuckyVitamin.com, an online health store that has a HUGE selection of teas, vitamins, supplements, and all kinds of other wonderful things for your health. (BTW, if you make a purchase from this link, you should get $5 off your order and I get a little money to help support the blog.)

Anyway, there was one chai in particular that I absolutely loved the best: Celebration Herbals Double Chai Tea, which strangely enough, had no actual tea in it. This fabulous chai was simply a mix of spices in a tea bag. When it disappeared from my favorite tea store, I went searching online elsewhere for it and apparently they no longer make it. Sad face. What to do?

Well, then, I decided I’m just going to have to make it myself! I concocted this magical elixir by steeping the essential spices typically used in masala chai, but without the tea: ginger, cardamom, black pepper and cinnamon. I used LOTS of ginger to make it extra tasty.

What’s so magical about this elixir? Well, aside from the delightful flavor, the ingredients all have some serious health benefits, so you will feel better after a cup of this deliciousness.

What kind of health benefits? I’m so glad you asked …

Health Benefits of Ginger:

Scientific analysis shows that ginger contains hundreds of compounds and metabolites, some of which may contribute to health and healing.

The phenolic compounds in ginger relieve gastrointestinal (GI) irritation, stimulate saliva and bile production, and suppress gastric contractions as food and fluids move through your body. At the same time, ginger also has boosts the enzymes trypsin and pancreatic lipase, and increases motility through the digestive tract, so ginger could help prevent colon cancer and constipation.

During cold weather, drinking ginger tea helps keep you warm. Ginger is diaphoretic, which means that it works to warm the body from within. Ginger is also great for reducing pain and inflammation and improving your cardiovascular health. On top of all that, ginger is full of vitamins and minerals that are great for your health. Source: Medical News Today

Health Benefits of Cardamom:

Cardamom has been used for thousands of years to aid digestion. It’s often mixed with other medicinal spices to relieve discomfort, nausea and vomiting. The most researched property of cardamom, as it pertains to relieving stomach issues, is its possible ability to heal ulcers. Additionally, cardamom is an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial and it may help fight bad breath and cavities. Cardamom may also help increase airflow to your lungs and improve breathing. This unique, exotic spice also helps protect your liver, reduce anxiety, and can even aid in weight loss. Source: Healthline

Health Benefits of Black Pepper:

Black pepper, often used in ayurvedic medicine, is used to stimulate the appetite, aid in digestion, and to treat coughs. Black pepper contains antimicrobial compounds that help keep food fresh as well as a natural painkiller called piperine that can aid with headaches, arthritis and inflammation. Rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, black pepper can also enhance the absorption of nutrients in food. Source: Guidedoc

Health Benefits of Cinnamon:

Not only is cinnamon a delicious spice that naturally makes food and drinks taste sweeter, it also has some powerful medicinal properties. Cinnamon is loaded with antioxidants, aids in reducing inflammation, reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer, and can drastically reduce insulin resistance making it super helpful for those with type 2 diabetes. Plus cinnamon lowers blood sugar levels, fights bacterial and fungal infections and may also be beneficial for treating neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Source: Healthline

I typically use this elixir with rooibos tea (I love the red color) to make a fabulous, flavorful, caffeine free cup of chai that delights my senses, soothes my stomach and provides all sorts of other wonderful health benefits, but you can use whatever kind of tea you like (black, red, green, white … so many choices!) … or you don’t have to add tea. This lovely elixir tastes great all on its own, with a little milk or creamer and the sweetener of your choice. (I like Stevia.) Drinking this elixir adds a little more joy to my mornings.

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Looking for more Chai-inspired recipes?

• Better than Starbucks Iced Chai Latte
• Double Chai Pear Cake
• Cranberry Cinnamon Chai Zucchini Bread
• St. Brendan’s Irish Cream Chai
• Cinnamon Chai Banana Bread
• Pumpkin Apricot Chai Granola
• Apple Cinnamon Chai Bread Pudding
• Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte