Chai, a beverage produced from tea, is a fantastic alternative to coffee, however does it provide the same caffeine boost? In no way. Tea-based chai does contain caffeine, but it’s not nearly as much as ordinary coffee. Does that give us a cause to cease enjoying this divine beverage? Absolutely not. Additionally, we are not just saying it to be prejudiced. Contrary to popular belief, chai has advantages that will help you stay more focused and clear-headed than coffee.
What percentage of caffeine is in chai?
Warm dairy products, a sweetener, spices, plus black tea are used to make chai. And that black tea has caffeine unless you’re purchasing a particular decaffeinated chai. Depending on a variety of conditions, the quantity of caffeine you’ll consume in one cup fluctuates.
Depending on how the brew is made, a typical cup of prana chai might contain anywhere between 20 to 100mg of caffeine. You can cut the caffeine level by 80% if you shorten the steeping period.
The amount of caffeine in “chai lattes” prepared with powder or concentrates may differ from those made using a spice blend. One cup of chai made from powder contains 25–55 mg of caffeine, however chai made from concentrate is more likely to have 30–35 mg.
If you compare that to the 120mg in a typical cup of coffee, it becomes clear that sticking to coffee beans is definitely the best option if you would like to be a vibrant bag of beans.
What Are the Caffeine Contents in Chai in Relation to Other Teas?
You might also be curious about how potent your morning chai is in comparison to other types of tea. The caffeine levels add up as follows if you’re sipping classic black chai masala coffee while reading the morning newspaper or finishing your daily crossword puzzle:
- Oolong vs. chai – A serving of oolong tea typically contains 37–55 milligrammes of caffeine. The result is that oolong has almost half the amount of caffeine as your strongest black chai tea.
- Chai vs. green – Green tea has between 35 and 45 milligrammes of caffeine in an 8-ounce cup, which is comparable to chai green tea and oolong. You’re definitely best off keeping with your black chai with its 50–100 milligrammes of caffeine if you’re looking for a potent tea to give you a boost of energy for the day.
- White vs. Chai – White tea is exceptionally fresh as it is picked before the tea plant’s leaves have had a chance to fully unfold. It has a more delicate flavour profile than other forms of tea because it is processed and oxygenated less than those other types of tea. This explains why a cup of white tea only contains 15 to 30 milligrammes of caffeine.
- Chai vs. herbal – Contrary to what they are called, herbal teas are not actually teas at all, and they do not contain the same amount of naturally occurring caffeine as tea leaves. Teas made with herbs are most akin to the caffeine-free rooibos chai tea in terms of strength.
Factors That Affect The Caffeine Level In Chai Tea
- The kind of tea used, the boiling technique, and any other ingredients all affect how much caffeine is present in chai tea. When it concerns caffeine content, keep the following in mind:
- Type of Tea: White, green, or black tea can all be used to make chai. White and green teas have far lower quantities of caffeine than black tea, which has the largest amount.
- Brewing Technique: The amount of caffeine in chai tea can also vary depending on how it is made. In general, longer steeping times result in stronger, more caffeinated beverages.
- Additional items: While black tea, dairy products, spices, plus sweeteners are required in classic chai preparations, other items can be used to lower the caffeine level. Black tea can be substituted with herbal tisanes such rooibos or honeybush, and increasing the amount of milk can also help cut down on the caffeine content.
The Health Benefits of Chai Tea
When people learn about how to mix medicinal teas, such as in our e-course Medicinal Teas in Little Spaces, one of my favourite teas to teach them how to make is chai tea. This is due to the fact that the herbs used to make chai tea have so many excellent health advantages. You have black tea, which has less caffeine that coffee, all of the wellness advantages of green tea, if that’s what you choose, and then herbal teas.
Ginger is an anti-inflammatory, soother of throat discomfort, anti-viral, blood movers, cough suppressant, pain reliever, reducer of bloating, and aid in digestion.
Cardamom: Reduces inflammation, helps treat ulcers, soothes the stomach, stimulates digestion, and is antibacterial.
Cinnamon is an anti-inflammatory, helps with cramps, lowers blood sugar, is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, or has antioxidant properties. It also treats indigestion, gas, heartburn, and stomach aches.
Conclusion
Switching to chai tea from coffee is a healthy way of getting your recommended daily dose of caffeine without consuming as many calories. Chai has a comparatively low caffeine content compared to coffee, despite being a “high-caffeine” tea compared with other tea varieties. So, is coffee more caffeinated? Yes. But it doesn’t mean you can’t drink chai tea for a wonderful morning or afternoon drink or to receive a nice energy boost.