Matcha Vs. Chai: Which Is Healthier?
In rounding up the types of teas, we’ve come to the conclusion that matcha and chai are inarguably the two most popular picks amongst college students and everyday coffee drinkers alike. That’s right—The habitual caffeine addict might even crave matcha or chai once in a while to change up the pace. We at The Edge have all the info you need to know about these “super teas”, ranging from health benefits, to taste to different variations you can order the next time you hit up your local coffee shop. Let’s start off with chai:
What is chai?
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The word “chai” comes from Hindu, meaning “tea”, also known as black tea. However, chai has changed its shape and form in the Western culture, mainly nowadays referring to an Indian-style tea, the chai latte, with a combination of various ingredients such as ginger, spices, lemongrass, and milk.
It’s the synergy of spices and black tea that make chai a healthy yet delicious drink that many prefer as a healthier replacement for coffee. Chai powder contains up to 55 mg of caffeine per serving, while the concentrate has roughly around 35 mg per serving.
Health Benefits
Chai is not only a powerful antioxidant, but it also has antiviral properties. It is extremely beneficial for cardiovascular health, improved immunity and mood elevation. It also has potential to prevent neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and inhibits effects of aging. The element theanine in chai also increases attention and focus. So start to drink up now while you’re still young!
What is matcha?
This traditional Japanese drink gives a unique twist to conventional green tea. Matcha starts from the same green tea plant that you find in bagged or loose-leaf form, only, it’s ground into a powder. Instead of steeping and then removing it from the liquid, when preparing matcha tea, you consume the leaf as the powder dissolves into water or milk.
The process of growing, harvesting and treating the plant is what makes it different from traditional green tea. Matcha gets its flavorful element from tannin, a bitter-tasting substance that can be found in most plant tissue. A regular cup of matcha requires at least a tablespoon of powder, which equates to about 80 mg of caffeine per serving.
Health Benefits
Like chai, matcha has antiviral properties, has the potential to prevent neurological diseases, and inhibits the effects of aging. It also reduces the risk of cancer and tumor creation and reduces the risk of arthritis, improves concentration and boosts energy. The main distinction between matcha and chai is that matcha speeds up weight loss due to catechins.
So, what’s the final verdict? It has been believed for a long time that green tea has more health benefits than black tea. But recent studies have proved that the elements in black tea and green tea have the same antioxidative potency. Drinking a decaffeinated chai latte may help you push through cravings and speed up the weight loss process as well.
Having all of this in mind, controlled and moderate consumption of both these delicious drinks will maintain good health and even help with improving it. Feel free to DM pictures of you and your friends enjoying these drinks (especially your iced lattes over the summer) to @theedgemag on Instagram.