RealChai v’s Powdered Chai

Food isn’t what it used to be in this modern world we live in. We are bombarded with processed food and drinks full of additives, preservatives, colours, flavours and thickeners. So many adults and children are developing reactions to these chemicals that can trigger allergies as well as aggravate asthma and skin conditions. Have you looked at the ingredients in instant powdered chai? My No.1 guideline for patients is “if you grandmother wouldn’t recognise it don’t buy it”.

The other issue in powdered chai is the sugar content. Did you know that around twenty years ago Australians consumed 5 kg of sugar per year. Now it’s 50 kilos of sugar per person per year! No wonder we have an epidemic of fatigue, stress, obesity, diabetes and other lifestyle diseases. Sugar is addictive and uses up B vitamins and magnesium that give us energy and help us cope with stress. Sugar and glucose are the second, third and fifth ingredients which means they make up a substantial proportion of what you drink. Why would you kick start sugar cravings, followed by an energy slump when you can have something delicious, relaxing and restoring?

The ingredients in Realchai are fresh, whole and unprocessed. The spices actually help with digestion. Ginger is used to stimulate digestion and warm the stomach so it’s good for most of us, especially the elderly. Cinnamon is now used as herbal medicine in the western world. It is an important ingredient to help stabilise blood sugar, reduce sugar cravings and prevent energy crashing. Honey is still sugar so don’t overdo it and buy it from markets so hasn’t been boiled and over-processed.

The milk you use depends on personal taste. For those who like soy milk make sure it’s Australian and organic. You don’t want to end up drinking soy from Vietnamese beans tainted with agent orange. If you prefer cows milk make it organic too then you’ll be sure the cow isn’t pumped full of antibiotics. Those with allergies sometimes find that A2 milk from a different species of cow doesn’t cause a problem. There’s always rice milk, but once again go for an Australian Organic low sugar version.

The reason tea doesn’t have the wind up effect of coffee is that as well as the stimulation from caffeine, it also contains theanine. In research theanine was found to trigger the alpha brain rhythm, (similar to meditation) 30-40 minutes after ingestion. So this is why we feel relaxed and alert with tea. During pregnancy caffeine is not recommended as it passes through the placenta to the baby stimulating it. If you want a baby that sleeps well don’t expose it to caffeine. Choose a low caffeine tea once a day instead. It is best to avoid caffeine if having difficulty falling pregnant or while pregnant if there is a history of miscarriage.

A big problem these days is not taking time out for ourselves. Don’t get sucked into being stressed and rushed all the time. I love the slow food movement credo of using quality ingredients and taking the time to prepare them. Taking time out to relax and nourish ourselves need not be a disappearing art. Choose not to join the ‘stressed out’ epidemic. Appreciating the aromas filling the kitchen while brewing chai is one of those caring for yourself moments.

by Michelle Kirby Dip H.M. Rem M., ACNEM Primary Training, MINDD training, Post Graduate Natural Fertility Management, Grad.Dip Adult Ed and Training, Member ATMS

The low down on Caffeine

The Buzz!
Most of us have experienced the ‘buzz’ you get from caffeine (be it good or bad). It’s also highly likely that we’ve relied on caffeine at some stage to help push through tiredness barriers. But what is it exactly and how does it work.

The Drug
Well put simply caffeine is a drug found in the beans laves and fruits of some plants. Here’s something you might not know… it actually acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants.

The Effects
Don’t worry, it’s unlikely to kill you and even less likely to paralyse you but it is classified as a drug. This is because of it’s stimulating effect on the nervous system. Caffeine is renowned for increasing alertness and giving people a temporary energy boost.

The Problem
Nothing wrong with that you might say. The problem is that our bodies quickly gets used to caffeine and require more and more of it to get the same effect. Too much caffeine can results in the “jitters’, anxiety, dizziness & headaches. Headaches are a common side effect of caffeine withdrawals, which can take 1-5 days to get over.

The Interesting Twist
In its dry form tea actually has more caffeine than coffee. It is during the brewing process that the caffeine in coffee becomes stronger. The levels of caffeine in tea vary depending on the time of harvest, growing conditions, and different processing techniques. RealChai uses a tea from a low caffeine family.

The Trick
If you want to lessen the caffeine in tea even further infuse it for as short a time as possible. This doesn’t really work with chai as you want to brew it long enough to enliven the spices. However if you re-use your RealChai mix, your second brew will have less caffeine as there will be less of the water soluble caffeine.

The Pregnancy Debate
Is caffeine safe during pregnancy? I asked my naturopath, Michelle Kirby and she said it’s best to avoid caffeine altogether during pregnancy. I’ve only just realized that must mean chocolate too – that sucks! According to Michelle, after the 3 month mark it should be fine to have a cup or two of chai a day. Read more from Michelle Kirby about chai and health

The Links
For more info about caffeine visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine
To read more about RealChai health benefits: Health Secrets Revealed