Issue #8 of the Chai Bhai newsletter. The science edition.
The Spice Cabinet as Medicine Cabinet
Ayurveda — India's 5,000-year-old medical tradition — classified every ingredient that goes into masala chai as a therapeutic substance long before the germ theory of disease, before clinical trials, before the term "anti-inflammatory" existed.
What is striking is how well the traditional uses align with contemporary research. This is not coincidence; it is the result of millennia of careful empirical observation. Here is what we know about each of the core chai spices.
Ginger (Adrak)
Ayurvedic classification: Hot, dry, light — kindles digestive fire, reduces Kapha and Vata.
Active compounds: Gingerols (fresh) and shogaols (dried/cooked) — both potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant molecules.
What the research shows:
- A 2015 meta-analysis in Phytotherapy Research found ginger significantly reduced markers of muscle pain and soreness
- Multiple trials confirm ginger's effectiveness for nausea (including chemotherapy-induced and pregnancy-related)
- A 2019 study in Nutrients found regular ginger consumption associated with reduced fasting blood sugar and improved insulin sensitivity
The shogaols produced when ginger is heated (as in chai brewing) are more bioavailable and more potent than the gingerols in raw ginger. This means brewed ginger chai is pharmacologically more active than raw ginger juice. The old practice of simmering ginger in the brewing liquid rather than adding it last is, it turns out, optimal.
Green Cardamom (Elaichi)
Ayurvedic classification: Sweet, cooling, aromatic — balances all three doshas.
Active compounds: 1,8-cineole (the dominant volatile compound), terpinyl acetate, limonene.
What the research shows:
- Cardamom has demonstrated antihypertensive effects in small trials — a 12-week randomised study found systolic blood pressure reduced significantly in participants consuming 3g of cardamom daily
- Animal and in-vitro studies show strong antibacterial properties, particularly against Streptococcus mutans (the primary cause of dental caries) — which may explain the traditional use of cardamom after meals as a breath freshener and dental protectant
- Anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effects have been noted in rodent models
Cinnamon (Dalchini)
Active compounds: Cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, cinnamate.
What the research shows:
- Multiple meta-analyses show cinnamon consumption associated with reduced fasting blood glucose and improved insulin sensitivity — the effect size varies but is consistent across studies
- A 2013 study in Annals of Family Medicine found 1g/day of cinnamon reduced HbA1c (long-term blood sugar marker) in type 2 diabetes patients
- Strong antimicrobial activity documented against a broad range of bacteria and fungi
Note: Ceylon cinnamon (Sri Lanka) is preferable to Cassia (the most common commercial variety) for daily consumption — Cassia is high in coumarin, which can affect liver function in large doses. True Ceylon cinnamon is lower in coumarin and has a more delicate, complex flavour.
Clove (Laung)
Active compound: Eugenol — one of the most powerful natural analgesics known.
What the research shows:
- Eugenol is a COX-2 inhibitor — the same mechanism used by ibuprofen — explaining clove's documented use in pain management
- Potent antifungal and antimicrobial properties, particularly against Candida strains
- A single clove contains more antioxidant activity (measured by ORAC value) than a serving of blueberries
One clove per pot of chai is sufficient. The flavour is powerful enough that more would overwhelm; the pharmacological dose is low enough that one provides meaningful benefit.
Black Pepper (Kali Mirch)
Active compound: Piperine — the molecule that makes pepper hot.
The most important spice interaction in the cup: Piperine enhances the bioavailability of curcumin (from turmeric) by up to 2,000%. It also enhances the absorption of many other nutrients. If you add turmeric to your chai, black pepper is not optional.
Even without turmeric, piperine has documented thermogenic and digestive enzyme-stimulating effects that explain its place in the winter chai tradition.
“Your morning chai is not a luxury. It is maintenance. The spices in your cup have been tested by a billion people over five hundred years. The research is catching up.
Next month: the monsoon and why the rain makes chai taste different.
Chai piyo, zindagi jiyo.
— Chai Bhai