Chai and I

from The Dart, Feb. 10, 2023; Vol. 87, Issue #4

A Culture of Consumerism

My love for chai has sparked over the past year and I’m here to tell you why.

Story by Isabel Glover | Staff Writer Graphics by Anna Massman | Opinions Editor

It’s a chilly winter day as I make my way to my favorite place for chai lattes…Headrush. I walk in and see the familiar cashiers and baristas as I order my usual chai tea latte with oat milk. As I take the first sip, it’s the perfect blend of spices to warm me up. If I get up early enough, I might do school work on the trendy and comfy couches with my chai latte and a scone.

A chai tea latte is the best drink for any time. In cool weather you can get it hot, and in warm weather you can get it iced. If you want to be risque or just need a caffeine boost, you can order a dirty chai with shots of espresso. Chai tea wakes me up in the morning and makes me ready for the school day.

My first time trying chai was on a family trip to Colorado a couple years ago. My mom suggested that I try a chai latte and at first I wasn’t the biggest fan. I don’t think I was expecting all the spices. I tried it again about a year ago and I loved it. Now it’s an obsession. I’ve had chai lattes from many different places and even tried to make one, but I will always return to the locally owned coffee house: Headrush.

If you are looking for an affordable and delicious chai, Headrush is the place. A chai tea latte at Headrush costs $3.50 compared to a $5 Starbucks chai tea latte, which sounds like a pretty good deal to me. Headrush also has a card that you get stamped for every time you buy a drink there, and once you have 10 stamps, you get a free drink. If you are going for the best flavor, Headrush has the most powerful spices in their chai out of all the places I’ve been.

If you are considering the homemade chai route, I would recommend buying the Tazo Classic Chai Latte brand. To prepare it, mix equal parts chai concentrate with the milk of your choice. Then heat on the stove or microwave, or simply pour over ice.

Chai originated in India more than 5,000 years ago and was used as a healing beverage. By the 1700’s, chai had spread from East Asia to Western Europe, and from there to the Americas. The original name for chai tea was “masala tea,” because masala means “spiced” in Hindu and chai means tea. So when you are ordering a chai tea, you are really asking for “tea tea.”

The traditional ingredients of chai are black tea mixed with strong spices, such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger and black peppercorns. You can make it a latte by adding the milk of your choice, mine being oat milk.

There are many health benefits to chai such as heart health, digestion and controlling blood sugars. Chai tea and the spices in chai are rich in antioxidants. Studies show that chai tea can help to increase alertness and focus. Black tea (the type of tea in chai) is high in vitamins and minerals that are good for your skin.