A celebration drink that’s good for you

 

Christmas is a time where we celebrate with food, drink and more food and drink. It’s a lot of fun but it can leave our digestive systems feeling a little worse for wear.

 

Chai is the Indian word for tea and it is traditionally prepared warm with milk, strong black tea and herbs and spices. This milk-free version is refreshing and packed full of herbs that will give your digestive system the love it needs. For those people who don’t drink alcohol it’s also just a deliciously refreshing beverage perfect for hot summer days.

 

Why it’s good for you!

Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and star anise are all warming herbs that reduce bloating, support stomach acid production and balance blood sugar. Pretty much all you need to support your Christmas dinner indulgence!

 

Licorice tastes 50 times sweeter than sugar without the same blood spiking effects. It soothes an irritated digestive tract, helps your adrenals work better so you’ll be cool, calm and content!

 

This is a cold infusion as I liked the way the flavours were subtle but complex. However, you could also make this as a hot infusion if you like a stronger flavour hit. Steep in freshly boiled water for 15-20minutes.

 

Chilled Christmas Chai

 

Makes: 1 litre

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoons of licorice root
  • 2 cinnamon quills
  • 6 cardamom pods
  • 3 pieces of orange rind (about 5cm each)
  • 4 teaspoons of loose-leaf green or black tea
  • 4-5 slices of ginger
  • 8 whole black peppercorns
  • 4 star anise

 

Method

  1. Break apart the cinnamon quills and lightly crush the cardamom pods.
  2. Place all ingredients in a container and cover with 1 litre of filtered water.
  3. Cover, place in fridge and leave to infuse for 4-5 hours or overnight.
  4. Strain and consume within 24hours

 

Options:

The taste of licorice is not very strong but if you are not a fan substitute this for 6 drops of stevia to add sweetness.

 

You could also add a scraped vanilla pod, 1 teaspoon of fennel, 1 tablespoon of Goji berries or 1-2 clove buds. Experiment to find the flavours that work for you.

 

If you want to make a sparkling version make the chai base more concentrated by only using 500mL of water and use half a glass of the chai topped up with sparkling water.

 

Cheers!

 

Happy holidays!

Need help with your health?

Norelle Hentschelis an experienced Naturopath with a clinic in Stones Corner, Brisbane who enjoys supporting her clients to reach their health goals.

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