Chai is a spiced tea made from black tea mixed with different spices, like ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom. The mix of spices found in chai may have unique health benefits: For starters, cardamom, known for its distinct and aromatic flavor (and a key ingredient in Numi Golden Chai) may also offer a wide range of health benefits. A small study found that after 12 weeks of consuming 3 grams (g) of cardamom powder, the subjects’ high blood pressure levels decreased significantly.

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 In addition, a second study on mice found that cardamom has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and may help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, and could help support healthy blood sugar levels. Although studies with cardamom in mice provide valuable insights into potential health benefits, we still need human trials to confirm these effects.

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When we tasted Numi Golden Chai, we found its taste to be a beautifully balanced blend of black tea and richly flavored spices with a rich, mouthwatering aroma and just a hint of cinnamon. We could taste the individual flavors (cinnamon, anise, cardamom, ginger), but they meshed together perfectly, so that no one flavor overpowered the others. We found it to be smooth, with a mild floral flavor. This chai is also delicious over ice: The cozy, warm feelings it evokes flip to crisp and refreshing when chilled. It’s a tasty, refreshing alternative to coffee that has the added benefit of waking you up. We definitely felt perky after a cup of this chai.

To that point, Numi Golden Chai is made from Fair Trade Certified Assam black tea, which does contain caffeine. If you are particularly sensitive to caffeine, this may not be the tea for you. Aside from that, Numi’s chai has a lot going for it in terms of sustainability. For example, its tea bag wrappers are compostable. And in addition to using Fair Trade Certified ingredients, which are produced according to certain ethical standards, Numi is also a Certified B Corporation. That means it meets certain standards for social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.