Chai originated in India, Nepal, Tibet and Pakistan. The word "chai" is a generic word that means "tea" in those regions. Chai means a spiced tea mixed with milk and sweetener. The most common "chai" known is Masala Chai. Typically, such drinks are known as chai lattes in Western countries. Some legends in Siam and India say that chai was invented by a king and protected as treasure.

History
Ayurveda is an ancient Hindu healing system that used a combination of herbs, spices and sweeteners to cure the body. The use of chai can be traced as a cure that developed for minor ailments in people who did not have access to medical care. It was then consumed on a regular basis as a regenerative and cleansing drink.

Ingredients
The traditional spices in Masala Chai include cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, cloves, fennel, ginger and peppercorn. The spices are usually warmed in boiling water and mixed with milk, honey and black tea. However, the recipes varied from village to village, and even house to house. Black tea was added to recipes after the British began setting up Assam plantations in India in 1835.

Traditions
Chai is traditionally simmered over an open flame in clay tea cups called chullarhs. The cups are then shattered and discarded to compost into the earth. The spices were dried in the sun, which brought out more of their flavor. They were then hand ground before being brewed.

Health Benefits
Chai contains high levels of antioxidants, which may help to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Each of the spices used to make chai have additional healing attributes that can remedy a variety of ailments including the flu, colds, stomach and digestive problems, and lung problems.

Sweeteners
The most common sweeteners used in chai in India are cane sugar or the sap from date or coconut palm trees. However, these sweeteners have been replaced by more common sweeteners like turbinado sugar, honey or molasses in the West.