Chai – also known as masala chai – is a sweet (and slightly spicy) Indian tea beverage that offers several health benefits and, well, just tastes and smells incredible all around. If you’ve had chai before, you know exactly what we’re talking about.

The tea traditionally includes aromatic spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper (giving that subtle spicy zing), leaving a dance party on your tongue – and yes, a party so good that there’s now a holiday dedicated to chai!

That’s right. National Chai Day is a thing, and we’re pretty excited about it.

Okay, so technically, the holiday only dates back to September 21st, 2018, but the Registrar at National Day Calendar made National Chai Day an annual holiday that would take place on September 21st from thereon out (thank goodness). The popularity of chai, however, dates back long before 2018.

Today, we know chai as a popular drink order at cafes and coffee shops around the world. Yet, the ancient Indian beverage actually dates back thousands of years ago. In earlier years, chai was primarily used as both an herbal medicine and a special treat for royalty. Now that the mix has gained a worldwide fan base, average people like you and us can feel a glimpse of royalty when drinking the soothing, familiar beverage.

Not only does this fragrant blend taste like autumn in a cup, but it provides several health benefits. Here are a few worth noting:

Cinnamon is simply one of the coziest, warmest flavors in our book, but it may also be extremely helpful in reducing blood sugar levels and insulin resistance by anywhere from 10-29%. Oh, and it just so happens to be a key ingredient in chai!

Unfortunately, not all chai lattes or brews are created equal. Chances are several cafes use heavily sweetened mixes, which counteract the blood sugar-lowering powers of cinnamon. So, we suggest either making home-brewed chai yourself or doing your research and finding a brand without icky additives and unnecessary amounts of sugar.

Along with cinnamon, chai contains cardamom, cloves, and pepper – all four of which have high antibacterial properties. These ingredients may help in preventing bacterial infections and in turn, support proper digestion.

It’s a win-win for your stomach and your taste buds.

Back to cinnamon (because really, we could go on about it for days). Studies have shown that cinnamon may help lower blood pressure and overall cholesterol. Also, if you’re making chai using black tea, this ingredient can support lower cholesterol levels. Win-win!

By talking so highly of cinnamon, we don’t want you to feel like you have to sprinkle cinnamon on anything and everything to reap the health benefits. Drinking just a single cup of chai with 120 mg of cinnamon each day is sufficient.

Now that we’ve hopefully warmed you up to the idea of chai, are you wondering how to celebrate this fun holiday? That’s easy. With a cup of chai, of course! Here at Perk Energy, we’re celebrating National Chai Day by sipping on our Original Chai Latte.

We’re drooling just thinking about it.

If you like a morning energy boost, warm flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, and pepper wrapped up in creamy goodness, and NO added sugars, our Chai Latte is calling your name. Celebrate September 21st with a dance party in your kitchen and a warm cup of chai!

Happy Chai Day!