Benefits and Ingredients of Masala Tea
India has the mantle of the second-largest producer of tea in the world, with China being the largest producer. Among the many varieties of tea it produces, Masala Tea is one of the standout kinds of tea.
Masala Tea ingredients used are loose, black tea leaves along with various essential spices and herbs endemic to the subcontinent. There is no standard recipe for masala tea. Cardamom and Ginger are the most commonly used ingredients for masala tea. Masala tea can be had along with many other spices depending on the drinker’s preference.
Fancy versions of the humble masala tea have become quite popular thanks to the many cafés and restaurants that make them.
The original recipe of masala tea ingredients are cinnamon, cardamom, ginger cloves, and peppercorns. These ingredients are brewed with black tea leaves that make for a robust and spicy brew.
Tea drinkers in western India infuse their tea with masala tea ingredients like ginger, garlic, pepper and cinnamon. A pre-ground mix of spices is also sometimes used in place of freshly ground spices.
Commonly used masala tea ingredients in India and their benefits include:
- Black Tea Leaves
- Dry Ginger Flakes
- Cinnamon
- Cardamom
- Cloves
- Black Pepper
- Fennel
It has long been a tradition to include only select spices in this variety of tea. Not every spice is used in the making of this wonderful beverage.
Each variety of spice plays an essential role in defining the tea’s characteristics. The benefits of individual masala tea ingredients are emphasised below:
1. Black Tea Leaves:
Black Tea is popular as it has strong antioxidant properties. The tannins that are a part of black tea leaves help in regulating the heart rate and blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels.
2. Dry Ginger Flakes:
Ginger is well-known as a naturally occurring herbal spice that is used as an ingredient in medicines. Ginger can help to ease migraines and headaches.
It also assists in helping those digestive issues and nausea due to its anti-inflammatory nature.
3. Cinnamon:
Cinnamon is a spice that has lots of value and has a sweetish taste and fragrance. It is quite popular among masala tea ingredients as it helps in maintaining healthy levels of blood sugar and blood pressure in addition to making digestion easy.
Cinnamon is a rich source of antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory benefits that curb the chances of being afflicted with chronic diseases.
4.Cardamom:
Cardamom gives off a pungent minty flavour, and yet sweet. It gives a unique flavour to any dish it is used in. Apart from the taste, cardamom is known to prevent cancer.
5. Cloves:
Cloves are among the masala tea ingredients that have a unique shape
Cloves are tiny aromatic buds that resemble flowers. They are extremely pungent but lend a certain warmth to a nice steaming cup of masala tea.
Cloves boost levels of Vitamin K and Manganese.
6. Black Pepper:
Black pepper is otherwise known as the king of spices. It is among the masala tea ingredients that give a sharp and spicy flavour to the masala tea.
It is both rich in antioxidants and a prominent anti-inflammatory agent. It is believed that black pepper can be used to slow down or prevent degenerative brain disorders like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
7. Fennel:
Fennel’s flavour is similar to that of liquorice and is a part of the spice blend and one of the many masala tea ingredients that go into making the perfect cup of masala tea.
The presence of iron and zinc in fennel contributes to bone health. Fennel further plays a vital role in lowering blood pressure.
Also Read: How to Choose the Right Masala Tea Online
Some Masala Tea Recipes:
Basic Masala Tea Recipe:
- First, get two cups of water to a boil.
- Next, add the following:
- Cardamom - 3 nos
- Cloves - 4 nos
- Black peppercorns - 2-3 nos
- Ginger to taste
- Small cinnamon stick
- A teaspoon of Anise.
- Two teaspoons of black tea leaves
- Let it boil for 10 minutes with the lid closed.
- Drink it black or optionally add honey to the mix.
Masala Green Tea:
- First, get two cups of water to a boil.
- Next, add the following:
- Cardamom - 3 nos
- Cloves - 4 nos
- Black peppercorns - 2-3 nos
- Ginger to taste
- Small cinnamon stick
- A teaspoon of Anise.
- Substitute black tea with green tea.
- Let it boil for 10 minutes with the lid closed.
- This tea can be had without any additional sweeteners.
Moringa Masala Tea:
- Bring two cups of water to a boil.
- Next, add the following:
- Cardamom - 3 nos
- Cloves - 4 nos
- Black peppercorns - 2-3 nos
- Ginger to taste
- Small cinnamon stick
- A teaspoon of Anise
- Moringa powder - 1 teaspoon or to taste
- Two teaspoons of black tea leaves
What Are Some Of The Health Benefits Of Masala Tea Varieties?
Now that we know how masala tea is made, let's dwell on its benefits.
Benefits of Regular Masala Tea:
- Helps recover faster from minor ailments such as the flu and common cold.
- Cures the sore throat.
- Helps clear any nasal congestion.
- Helps in reducing stress, and relieving depression and anxiety.
- Promotes cardiovascular health and helps to lower cholesterol.
- Assists in alleviating inconveniences experienced during the menstrual period.
Benefits of Green Tea:
- Green tea helps stimulate the nervous system, increase mental focus and strengthen tooth enamel.
- Green tea helps pursue healthy weight loss.
- Green tea can help those afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis and alleviate its symptoms.
- Green tea helps restore healthy skin and repair damaged skin. It also helps protect against skin cancer.
- Green tea could possibly lower blood sugar levels in people who are afflicted with type 2 diabetes.
- Consuming both green and black tea helps protect the heart from cardiovascular diseases or any other heart ailments.
- Green tea also helps to reduce anxiety significantly.
Benefits of Moringa Masala Tea:
- It helps to protect and nourish the skin and hair as it acts against free radicals and keeps hair clean and healthy. The protein in Moringa also protects skin cells from getting damaged. The detoxifying elements in Moringa tea help keep the skin radiant as well.
- Moringa masala tea is useful in treating Oedema, a painful condition in which there is fluid build-up in certain tissues of the body. As Moringa has anti-inflammatory properties, it helps in keeping Oedema at bay.
- Protecting the liver is another useful function performed by Moringa tea and can help to quicken its healing process should the need arise.
- Preventing and treating cancer is a major benefit of Moringa. The compound niazimicin present in Moringa helps in suppressing the development of cancer cells.
- Handling digestive woes and helping to treat certain stomach disorders such as constipation, gastritis, and ulcerative colitis is a great benefit of Moringa. Its antibacterial and antibiotic properties work to inhibit the growth of varying pathogens. Further, its Vitamin B content assists in countering indigestion.
- Fighting against bacterial diseases comes naturally to Moringa Tea as it has antifungal, and antimicrobial properties as well. Moringa tea definitely helps in combating infections such as food poisoning caused by Salmonella and E.Coli.
- Moringa tea helps in making bones healthier as it contains significant amounts of calcium and phosphorus, which aid in keeping bones both healthy and strong. Moringa is known to treat conditions like arthritis and even heal damaged bones at a faster pace.
Conclusion:
Masala tea is consumed widely and is an incredibly popular beverage all over India. Not only in India, but its taste and aroma have also captivated many people all over the world and made them loyal patrons of the humble tea leaf.
It is a commonly held belief that masala tea is therapeutic thanks to its unique blend of spices and that it can even prevent and cure many types of ailments and keep the body healthy by boosting immunity.
Authored By : Poorvi Chhajer
About Author : Poorvi is a psychology graduate with a knack for writing and belief in ayurveda.
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