The best drink to boost your energy!

Can chai tea really boost your energy? In my experience it can give you a great boost as well as all sorts of benefits for your health. I made up this recipe for chai tea years ago when I needed something strong to boost my energy after dinner. I was writing my first book and I only had time for that after dinner, when I was of course tired after working all day. This tea made all the difference because it gave me enough energy and focus to write for a couple of hours but did not keep me up when I went to bed. It took me three years to write that book and it became my routine to always drink this chai tea after dinner and it probably would have taken me a lot longer to write that book without that tea. When winter comes this tea is just perfect, it warms you, it tastes delicious and it is packed with good effects for your health.

There is a strong link between digestive health and skin health which herbalists have been aware of since ancient times. When a herbalist formulates internal blends for patients with skin disorders it usually includes herbs that are well known for their benefits on the digestive system. All the spices in this chai tea recipe have beneficial effects on digestion, which will contribute to skin health too. These spices also all improve circulation, which will boost blood flow to the face and give your skin a healthy glow. The spices in the chai tea also all have a high concentration of antioxidants, which are especially good for the skin. Antioxidants fight free radicals that damage the skin and they will reduce signs of aging. They also work actively against daily pressure on the skin of the face, such as damage from climate, environment and stress. The combination of chai tea anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and enhanced circulation and digestion will help you to keep your skin glowing and young looking.

This chai tea is packed with benefits for your health. All of the spices in the tea have powerful anti-inflammatory properties, especially ginger and turmeric and they can help to relieve aches and pains in joints and muscles. The spices are known to protect heart health and may lower cholesterol. Other benefits of these spices in the chai tea include improved circulation and digestion which make it especially suitable to drink after meal, but the spices are commonly used for indigestion, nausea, colic and inflammation in the gut. Chai tea can also boost the immune system and fight off colds and flu, making it the perfect winter drink to have in northern countries like Iceland.

• 5-6 cloves
• 6-9 cardamom pods
• 1/2-1 cinnamon stick
• 4-6 black peppercorns
• 4-6 slices of fresh ginger
• 2-3 fresh turmeric roots, sliced
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp loose black tea (I prefer earl grey)
• 1 cup plant based milk i.e. oat milk, rice milk, almond milk etc
• 1 tsp raw honey

1. Grind the cardamoms lightly in a mortar and put them into a saucepan with the other spices and water. Boil with the lid on for about one minute.
2. Add the black tea to the saucepan and boil for half a minute.
3. Add the milk and bring to boil.
4. Strain into a cup and add the honey.