Cooking and Meal Prep Recipes Yogi Tea Chai By Ann Pizer, RYT Ann Pizer, RYT Ann Pizer is a writer and registered yoga instructor who teaches vinyasa/flow and prenatal yoga classes. Learn about our editorial process Updated on August 23, 2021 Print Keiko Iwabuchi / Getty Images (130 ratings) Total Time: 185 min Prep Time: 5 min Cook Time: 180 min Servings: 8 (1 cup each) Nutrition Highlights (per serving) 0 calories 0g fat 0g carbs 0g protein Show Nutrition Label Hide Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings: 8 (1 cup each) Amount per serving Calories 0 % Daily Value* Total Fat 0g 0% Saturated Fat 0g 0% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 0mg 0% Total Carbohydrate 0g 0% Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Total Sugars 0g Includes 0g Added Sugars 0% Protein 0g Vitamin D 0mcg 0% Calcium 0mg 0% Iron 0mg 0% Potassium 0mg 0% *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. At Yoga Yoga in Austin, Texas, students are served a delicious yogi tea (also called chai) after each class. The recipe they use is adapted from Yogi Bhajan, who introduced Kundalini Yoga to western students in the late 1960s. Yogi Bhajan's recipe was also the inspiration behind the creation of the "Yogi Tea" company, a popular herbal tea brand that is easy to find in health food stores. It's effortless to make this tea at home, and it fills your house with its wonderful aroma as it simmers for several hours. Unless you do a lot of Indian cooking, you'll probably have to pick up the whole spices to create that distinctive chai flavor. Once you have the ingredients, it's as simple as boiling water. The spices that are used to infuse chai with flavor are also good for you. Ginger, in particular, settles the stomach and is known for its anti-inflammatory effects. Cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves are all also good for digestion. Tea is a known antioxidant. Drinking chai when you're sick or have seasonal allergy symptoms often makes you feel better, which might be because ginger and black pepper can provide pain relief. There are lots of chai teas on the market, but many of them are over-sweetened. By making your own, you can control the amount of sugar for a healthier drink. Ingredients 2 quarts water 15 cloves, whole 20 cardamom pods 20 black peppercorns 3 sticks cinnamon 8 slices ginger, 1/4" thick, no need to peel 1/2 tsp black tea leaves, regular or decaf (approximately 2 tea bags) Preparation Bring water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the cloves and boil one minute. Split the cardamom pods first by gently squashing them with the side of a knife. Add the cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon, and ginger to the saucepan. Cover and boil for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer for two to three hours. Remove the pot from the heat, add the black tea, and let it cool. Strain all the spices and tea leaves out, discard them, and serve hot. Variations and Substitutions You can substitute some dried, powdered spices, like ginger, if necessary, but the flavor won't be as full. Cooking and Serving Tips Chai is traditionally served with milk. You can use dairy milk or a non-dairy alternative like coconut milk. Though wonderfully delicious on its own, you may add a sweetener of choice. A little honey or agave both pair well with this tea.You can store brewed tea in the refrigerator if not serving immediately. Simply reheat when ready to enjoy. Rate this Recipe You've already rated this recipe. Thanks for your rating! 3 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Anh NH, Kim SJ, Long NP, et al. Ginger on human health: A comprehensive systematic review of 109 randomized controlled trials. Nutrients. 2020;12(1):157. doi:10.3390/nu12010157 Kumar V. Seven spices of India—from kitchen to clinic. Journal of Ethnic Foods. 2020;7(1). doi:10.1186/s42779-020-00058-0 Yan Z, Zhong Y, Duan Y, Chen Q, Li F. Antioxidant mechanism of tea polyphenols and its impact on health benefits. Animal Nutrition. 2020;6(2):115-123. doi:10.1016/j.aninu.2020.01.001 By Ann Pizer, RYT Ann Pizer is a writer and registered yoga instructor who teaches vinyasa/flow and prenatal yoga classes. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Helpful Report an Error Other Submit Advertiser Disclosure × The offers that appear in this table are from companies that partner with and compensate Verywell Fit for displaying their offer. These partnerships do not impact our editorial choices or otherwise influence our editorial content.