The most refreshing Iced Chai tea for those scorching summer days…

It’s so delicious, easy and refreshing, when you need a cup of chai but it’s too hot out , why not try an iced version.

We’ve always been a big tea drinking family, and heck I even ran my own tea business for 7 years, so it would be a bit amiss to not include a recipe or two involving tea. 

Tea is such a panacea for me, and it reminds me of Mum in so many ways. 

She used to say ‘should we have a cup of’… Her favourite was a premium black blend with milk and no sugar. It had to be hot! And quite strong. She wasn’t a huge fan of chai like I am but it was more of the ritual of making a pot of tea and sitting down to enjoy it with others that fueled her love of it. And having a little snack on the side was always welcomed. 

Her mother (my Granny) had so many gorgeous tea cups and we continued to use them even after she left this world and now that Mum is no longer with us, I often drink from them and hopefully my daughter will carry on drinking from them to keep the tradition flowing.

Drinking tea for me is steeped in so many memories, it can make you feel closer to those you miss, it can help you unwind and relax and it’s also good for us in numerous ways.

A bit about Tea… and it’s health benefits

Green, black, oolong, matcha and white tea all come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. 

The difference in each type of tea comes from how it is produced, whether it’s oxidised (black tea), partially oxidised (oolong), steamed (green tea), white tea is the leaf buds either steamed or dried, Matcha is the whole leaf of tea ground up and it’s also grown in the shade and so on…

And of course there are varying degrees within each type as well. And the flavour will be different depending on where the tea was grown. And also not to mention the quality of the tea leaves will also affect the taste and antioxidant levels as well. 

You could write a whole book on all the variables in tea and I’m sure there are some good ones out there. I often think of it like wine or coffee. There really is an art and science to tea, it’s pretty amazing!

Also the health benefits vary in accordance with the different types of teas, for example green and white teas have a much higher amount of polyphenols or antioxidants than black tea due to the processing. But in saying this black tea is still beneficial. 

Research shows that the most likely health promoting aspects of tea is due to its polyphenol content which are basically antioxidants. And as I mentioned above, green tea often weighs in with a much higher polyphenol content, specifically EPCG or epigallocatechin gallate than black or oolong tea. This specific polyphenol has been reported to have cancer fighting abilities.

Some research shows that drinking tea has been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke. 

It’s also been shown to lower blood glucose which therefore contributes to reducing your risk of developing diabetes.

So we can all enjoy our cuppa a little more knowing it’s doing us good, and maybe switch up a black tea for green or white tea every now and then for some extra Antioxidants..

A few tips for the recipe

~Loose leaf tea always tastes better than tea bags

~Make it as strong or as weak as you like

~Add sweetener if you desire

~Any plant based milk will suffice

~Make sure to have ice cubes in the freezer, the addition of ice makes it much more refreshing

Low waste tips

~Choose loose leaf tea either from a bulk food/package free store or eco friendly packaged loose leaf tea where possible

~Plant based milk, make your own or purchase in glass or recyclable cartons.

~Rice syrup or honey, purchase from bulk/package free or in glass packaging, locally produced where possible

Now here’s the recipe, I’d love to know what you think?

Iced Chai Tea

A refreshing, easy and delicious iced chai tea

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Servings 2

Equipment

• Tea Pot and Strainer

Ingredients

  

• 2-3 tsp Loose leaf chai tea (use more or less depending on personal preference of tea strength)
• 1 cup Plant based milk (Almond, Oat, Hemp milk etc)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2-4 Ice cubes
• 2 tsp Rice syrup, honey or maple syrup (optional)

Instructions

 

• Add 2-3 heaped teaspoons of Chai tea to a tea pot
• Pour in 1 cup of boiling water and let it infuse for 5-10mins

  Strain into a jug and then place in the fridge to cool, say around 30mins to and hour

  *Note, if adding sweetener, add it to the strained chai mix before refrigeration
• Place 2 ice cubes into two tall glasses or mugs
• Pour 1/2 cup cooled chai tea mix into each glass
• And then pour 1/2 cup plant milk of choice over the top of each
• Enjoy!

Notes

**Note

You can prepare your chilled chai tea mix ahead of time, especially if you’re a hot chai tea drinker. 

Collect any remaining chai tea you have in your teapot and place in the fridge to have on hand for an iced chai!