DIY Spicy Chai

I was experimenting today with a few of the many essential oils I have. Not only have I created a new favourite recipe for chai tea, but I have also found a method that is easy for me being a busy working woman. Chai with freshly ground spices is absolutely the best but when in a pinch we have to resort to something a little less time consuming. I’ve tried chai flavoured tea, liquid chai mix, pre packaged chai spices. None of this is nearly as satisfying as having a fresh traditional chai at your local Indian cafe or restaurant, let’s be honest! Well I’m happy to say I’ve found the next best thing! I use doTERRA essential oils because they pride themselves on the purity and quality of their products.

Many people drink chai after a meal because the ginger and spices in the tea can help with digestion. As we all know, ginger can be very effective in aiding with nausea as well. I prefer using ginger oil because it is so concentrated that I only need one drop to give me that hot and spicy earthy taste that I crave as well as settle my stomach after a meal. Cardamom is similar in the sense that it may ease indigestion, it can be used for nausea and stomach issues such as constipation or diarrhea. Cardamom is also known to help with breathing and clearing the airways. Chai an excellent choice if you have a cold or flu, but let’s be honest... we drink chai on any ordinary day because it is delicious!

DIY Essential Chai recipe:

• 1 teabag Orange pekoe tea
• Boiling water
• 1 shake of Chai spice (fresh from your local Farmer's Market or the grocery store in the ethnic food section may have it)
• 1 drop Ginger essential oil
• 1 drop Cardamom essential oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• A splash of milk

First steep the teabag in a mug 2/3rds full of boiling water for about 4 minutes. Add a shake of chai spice and one drop each of the ginger and cardamom oil. Mix in the honey, then too with a splash of milk and voila! A delicious spicy chai that actually has flavour similar to the traditional Indian beverage.

If you want to be even more authentic you can add 1 drop of fennel essential oil, it has a very sweet and earthy taste. To me this adds a well rounded sweet licorice taste to the tea, not mandatory but definitely preferred if you ask me. Fennel is traditionally used as a breath freshener in India, many Indian restaurants will serve this after a meal. Like the other oils we talked about, fennel is known to have many healing properties as well. Fennel is commonly used for menstrual issues and PMS, water retention, nausea, sluggish bowels, and blood sugar imbalance.

The oils are great because a little really does go a long way, they are quite flavourful and pungent with only using one drop. The cardamom gives it that traditional chai taste meanwhile the ginger gives it the perfect amount of spice and warms you right up!

I guess the moral of this story is that essential oils are awesome. They smell nice, they taste good, and are known to have a variety of health benefits. I encourage everyone to play around with their oils and to try out some DIY recipes. Just be sure which ever oils you buy, that they can actually be ingested. Chances are if the oils cannot be ingested, they are not 100% pure. I will definitely be sharing more all natural DIY recipes and beauty tips and life hacks. I hope all you busy body chai lovers can enjoy this chai!

Here’s to enjoying the holidays and keeping warm. Cheers!