Tulsi Rooibos Spiced Chai Tea Blend Recipe

Many of us think of chai as a coffee shop specialty tea, but there are many beneficial healing properties in this Tulsi Rooibos Spiced Chai tea blend.  

Holy basil has a long history of use in India where it is considered a rasayana, an herb that promotes long life and perfect health.  Holy basil has been shown to lower blood sugar and help reverse metabolic syndrome. (Agrawal)  It is an adaptogenic herb, which lowers stress hormones including cortisol. (Winston, 201)  Holy basil is also a nervous system tonic that is neuroprotective, reduces anxiety, facilitates cerebral circulation, promotes cognitive function, increases memory, can support ADHD, and combines well with other nootropic herbs to reduce brain fog. (Bhattacharyya)

Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) is a shrub that grows in the mountains near the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.  The needles and stems of the bush are cut and crushed, then left in piles in the sun to ferment.  This gives the caffeine-free tea its distinctive red color.  Red rooibos is extremely high in antioxidants, most noteworthy being aspalathin.  Rooibos is the only known plant to contain the flavonoid, which has been useful in treating type 2 diabetes and is cardioprotective. (Muller)

Historically, spices have been used by cultures all over the world.  They tend to grow in hot climates near the equator and are highly aromatic due to their strong essential oil content.  Spices tend to be pungent and warming, helping to stoke up our internal fire.   Traditionally, spices serve as carminatives (helping to support digestion and expel gas), help make the body inhospitable to parasites, and support the body during seasons of illness.

Ginger is a warming, pungent herb, useful as an expectorant to move congestion in the chest and in the sinuses.  It is highly antimicrobial and helps to fight colds and the flu, as well as helping to prevent accompanying bacterial infections.  Ginger is a great pain reliever when stagnation is involved and the person shows signs of coldness, such as menstrual cramping, arthritic conditions, and headaches.  It is also helpful for sluggish digestive systems, relieving gas, nausea, and stimulating healthy digestion. 

Cinnamon is a very astringent spice and is supportive in cases of diarrhea.  It is also a great spice to use as part of a healthy diet in supporting blood sugar balance.  In the digestive tract, cinnamon helps to balance the gut flora causing good bacteria to flourish and keeping bad bacteria at bay.

Clove is often used to promote circulation in the body.  It supports digestion by promoting gut motility (movement).  Clove has compounds in it that are somewhat numbing in nature.

Cardamom — a little goes a long way!  Often you will see only a few cardamom seeds in a batch of spiced tea.  Cardamom has antispasmodic and expectorant qualities often useful in respiratory and digestive support.

Tulsi Rooibos Spiced Chai

Ingredients:

1 part tulsi (Holy basil)1 part red rooibos tea
1/2 part dried orange peels
1/4 part cinnamon chips
1/4 part dried ginger
1/8 part cloves
1/8 part cardamom pods

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, then place in a storage container.
• When ready to make tea, use approximately 1-2 teaspoons of tea mixture per cup of water. 
• Heat water to almost boiling, remove from heat, and pour over tea. 
• Steep tea in a covered container for at least 20 minutes.
• Strain and sweeten, if desired.
• Tastes delicious with honey and a touch of heavy cream.

This recipe is easily adaptable for making both large and small batches of tea mixture.  I usually equate a part to a cup and my batch makes a little over three cups of dry tea blend.  It easily fits into a quart jar for storage.

Resources:

Agrawal, P et al. “Randomized placebo-controlled, single blind trial of holy basil leaves in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.” International journal of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics vol. 34,9 (1996): 406-9.

Bhattacharyya, D et al. “Controlled programmed trial of Ocimum sanctum leaf on generalized anxiety disorders.” Nepal Medical College journal : NMCJ vol. 10,3 (2008): 176-9.

Muller, Christo J F et al. “New Insights into the Efficacy of Aspalathin and Other Related Phytochemicals in Type 2 Diabetes-A Review.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 23,1 356. 29 Dec. 2021, doi:10.3390/ijms23010356

Winston, David, and Steven Maimes. Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief. Healing Arts Press, 2019.