10 Best Chai Patti in India 2021 - Buying Guide Reviewed By Food Blogger/Reviewer

Chai is a staple of Indian food culture, and no one likes to compromise with its taste and aroma. So, we have taken the liberty of going through different websites and curating a list of our top 10 favourite chai patti in India.

Arsh is a professional food blogger and is currently pursuing a master's in Hospitality and Catering Technology. He holds a bachelor's degree in Hotel Management and Catering Technology and has worked with ITC Windsor Bengaluru in the front office department. You can also check out his amazing work on his Instagram account.

From masala chai to green and black tea, different tea types and flavours are available in the Indian market. So, how do you decide which kind of chai patti or brand to choose? Here's a buying guide to help you select and brew the perfect cup of tea.

Whether you are in a rush, or take time to prepare your tea, or prefer efficiency over taste, there are different forms of tea for you to choose from. There is loose leaf tea, tea bag, and powdered chai available in the market. In this section, we'll go through the pros and cons of each one.

Tea bags are the most cost-effective option of tea. They are especially useful for people who are looking for convenience as tea bags have pre-portioned ingredients popped in handy little bags. You just need to drop a bag in warm water, leave it for 2-3 minutes, and your tea is ready.

The tea that goes into a tea bag is often made using the crush, tear, and curl method, i.e., CTC method. It is said that since the tea leaves are no longer whole, the quality and taste of the chai is slightly weaker than the one with loose leaf. That said, the preparation using tea bags saves both time and effort. This type suits those who are always on-the-go

Loose-leaf tea is used to make traditional Indian-style chai. It is a preferred choice in households because it has a more intense, aromatic flavour, giving you the flexibility of choosing exactly how strong you like your chai. The quality and taste of loose-leaf tea are slightly superior to tea bags.

This form of tea comes packed in one large bag or resealable tin and hasn't been portioned out for you. So, its preparation requires a bit more time and effort. You also need to buy additional accessories like strainers/infusers and teapots. Loose-leaf tea tends to be more costly, but it does taste better than a teabag.

Powdered chai is a mixture of instant tea, powdered milk, chai spices (cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon), and sweetener. It tastes sweet and has a mild flavour which is far from how traditional chai tastes. But if you're looking for something that tastes like chai latte from Starbucks' and Dunkin' Donuts, then powder chai is the best option to recreate that flavour.

This chai form saves even more preparation time, as you just need to add a spoon full of powdered chai into warm water. So, if you're a drink-on-the-go type of chai lover, this one is definitely for you. However, these types of hot drinks are packed with extra sugars, which can affect your diet if you're cutting down on sugar.

Powdered chai is packed with more sugar than what you'd add yourself in a tea. Some of them contain artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and preservatives such as BHA to keep the product fresh. Either of these products is not good for your health. So, if you're trying to avoid sugar in your diet then powdered chai will not help with the purpose.

Chai is one of the popular milk teas in India made with black tea leaves, milk, and sugar. However, many different types of teas also come from the plant Camellia sinensis, like white tea, green tea, and oolong tea. The processing time and processing technique create these different types.

Black tea undergoes the most extended processing, where the leaves are harvested and then dried using direct sunlight or air to speed up the process. Once they are dried, they are processed either using the CTC method or the orthodox method.

In the orthodox method, tea leaves are fully oxidised by machine or hand to give a rich flavour and dark colour to the dried loose tea. Black tea contains the highest levels of caffeine, which makes them a good source to protect the lungs from cigarette smoke and reduce the risk of stroke.

It is also recommended to those who suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms or have a weak physical condition. Black tea has a bold, earthy flavour, which makes it a great choice for coffee drinkers and tea lovers. Depending on how much the black tea is processed, its flavours may vary from floral notes to nutty undertones.

Oolong is considered semi-oxidised tea as its oxidation process is shorter than black tea. At the end of the oxidation process, the leaves are heated using the pan-firing method so they don't continue fermenting. In terms of flavour, the heavily oxidised oolong teas have a stronger, earthier flavour.

But those which are lightly oxidised are lighter and more floral. Oolong tea contains polyphenol, which acts as an antioxidant and effective in controlling the fat metabolism in the body. Therefore, people use this tea to lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels. People like students and those who work overtime can refresh themselves with several cups of oolong tea throughout the day.

However, it is not recommended to drink oolong tea on an empty stomach as it can aggravate your hunger feelings, leading to headache, dizziness, and feeling of nausea. Also, pregnant women are not recommended to drink this tea as it is said to potentially affect the health of the fetus.

Green tea undergoes a minimal production process – the Camellia Sinensis leaves are steamed to create green tea. Since the leaves are not oxidised, green tea retains the nutritional ingredients, including vitamins, chlorophyll, amino acids, and EGCG (a powerful antioxidant with potential health benefits).

This tea is cold in nature and, therefore, has a good effect on clearing internal heat and helping you keep calm. Green tea also helps improve brain function and strengthen the immune system. However, it may cause stomach irritation if you have a sensitive stomach or a poor digestive system.

Green tea is dried using one of the two methods, i.e., pan-firing or steaming. Depending on these processes, the flavour of green tea varies from earthy to grassy and floral. Steamed green teas have more of a herbaceous flavour (relating to herbs) while pan-fired ones have a nuttier and earthy flavour. Green tea contains caffeine, but its quantity is less than that present in black tea.

White tea is unfermented, which makes it the most minimally processed teas of all types. Only the youngest buds and leaves are used to make this type of tea. Because of the minimal processing, white tea has the highest level of antioxidants. Its intake may provide relief to diabetic people and those with symptoms of constipation.

White tea isn't popular among Indians, but it is truly one of the rare luxuries for tea lovers. Its subtly sweet flavour, and light and airy texture makes the flavour linger on your taste buds. White tea is typically pale yellow or light golden when brewed.

Whether you prefer a traditional chai blend or one with a contemporary twist, there are various flavours available to suit your taste buds. Right from masala chai mix to the one loaded with the goodness of vanilla and turmeric, you can choose a flavour that even works for your immune system.

If you want to stay true to your Indian roots, you can pick a black tea loaded with green cardamom pods, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and black peppercorns. It is a refreshing and heart-warming tea mix that is loved in most households. To experiment with your chai, you can pick one in turmeric flavour.

Turmeric chai has gained immense popularity in the country, especially during the time of the pandemic. The chai tastes slightly bitter, but the antioxidant properties of turmeric help strengthen the immune system, which is a need of the hour.

If herbal tea is your calling, you can pick the one containing liquorice or star anise. These ingredients are added as a base flavour in several herbal teas, like Nature Chai and Traditional Medicinals. However, both these flavours are strong and not liked by all.

There are many brands available in the market that contain artificial dyes and flavours to make the tea taste better. But these additives can have an adverse health effect on humans. Therefore, it is best to pick brands that have a non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) verified logo.

To help tea farmers' lives, you can also choose tea labelled as fair-trade. This means that the tea is ethically sourced from farms where farmers are paid a fair price for their trade. This will help you drink your cup of chai with a clear conscience.

Whether you like to drink tea in the morning, or evening, or in between meals, you'd want a snack to go with it. From biscuits to granola, there are many items that you can have with your tea. So, here are a few recommendations from our other articles that might interest you.

It's amazing how each of the chai brands has something unique to offer, be it in terms of flavours or aromas. If you liked our recommendations of the best chai pattis in India, do give them a try and thank us later!

Author: Srishti Sikka

Reviewer: Arsh Deol