I know that green tea is good for you and has lots of major health benefits, but what about chai tea?
August 20, 2010
Specifically chai latte? It’s just so good I can’t keep my hands off it. But is it good for you at all? Does it have any health benefits like green tea does?
First off, Chai is not a type of tea in the same way that green is.
Green, red, black tea all refer to the various oxidation stages of the leaves used.
Chai tea is tea (usually black, but not necessarily) to which spices and sugar and sometimes milk or creamer have been added.
Sometimes there is a fairly large amount of sugar/sweetener added to bring out the flavor, so you’ve lost some net health benefits there.
With a chai latte, you have quite a bit of sugar/sweetener and milk/creamer added, which I agree definitely tastes good, but the combination of the sweetener and creamer counts against you.
To summarize, it certainly won’t hurt you, but you’re getting alot o tasty but unhealthy additives along with the tea. You still have some of the anti-oxidant benefits that come with black tea. But you definitely don’t have the same health benefits that green tea offers.
My recommendation:
Have one every so often if you like them, but cultivating a taste for green tea would be better for you!
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2 Responses to “I know that green tea is good for you and has lots of major health benefits, but what about chai tea?”
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Their both the same just diffrent flavours
References :
First off, Chai is not a type of tea in the same way that green is.
Green, red, black tea all refer to the various oxidation stages of the leaves used.
Chai tea is tea (usually black, but not necessarily) to which spices and sugar and sometimes milk or creamer have been added.
Sometimes there is a fairly large amount of sugar/sweetener added to bring out the flavor, so you’ve lost some net health benefits there.
With a chai latte, you have quite a bit of sugar/sweetener and milk/creamer added, which I agree definitely tastes good, but the combination of the sweetener and creamer counts against you.
To summarize, it certainly won’t hurt you, but you’re getting alot o tasty but unhealthy additives along with the tea. You still have some of the anti-oxidant benefits that come with black tea. But you definitely don’t have the same health benefits that green tea offers.
My recommendation:
Have one every so often if you like them, but cultivating a taste for green tea would be better for you!
References :
wo ai cha!