Did you know that the modern-day Chai we’ve all fallen in love with is not the original Chai? The earliest chai did not contain tea leaves, milk, or sweetener. The recipes for making Chai differed according to the seasons, regions, and the available ingredients each family had on hand. There was no one recipe, each was unique. But how did it start?

Like anything in history, there are many stories about the origins of Chai. The most widely believed beginning says that there was a King in India who wanted to create a healing Ayurvedic drink for his people and for himself. During long court days, he wanted something to keep him awake. He knew that in Assam, India, the locals used tea leaves as herbal medicine, so he set out to gather ingredients that were known for their healing properties:

• The heat from ginger and black pepper was believed to stimulate digestion
• Thee antiseptic properties in cloves helped relieve pain
• Cardamom pods elevated mood
• Cinnamon supported circulation and respiratory function
• Star anise was known to promote healthy skin

This blend was the first Chai. It wasn’t until the British colonization of India that the modern additions of black tea, milk, and sweetener happened. Loose tea leaves from Assam and Darjeeling are most used in Chai.

(Fun fact: “chai” means tea, so when you say “chai tea,” you’re really saying “tea tea!”)