Chai Latte (Mild)
Warmly spiced black tea simmered with cinnamon, cardamom, and fresh ginger—fragrant and soothing without harsh heat. The ritual of a steaming mug offers comfort, while ginger's anti-inflammatory compounds may help support gut health during remission.
Chai Latte (Mild)
Warmly spiced black tea simmered with cinnamon, cardamom, and fresh ginger—fragrant and soothing without harsh heat. The ritual of a steaming mug offers comfort, while ginger's anti-inflammatory compounds may help support gut health during remission.
Ingredients
- Low FODMAP
- Low FODMAP
- Low FODMAP
- Low FODMAP
- Low FODMAP
- Low FODMAP
- Low FODMAP
- Low FODMAP
- Low FODMAP
Instructions
Combine water, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, and ginger slices in a medium saucepan.
Equipment: medium saucepanBring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Let the spices steep for 5 minutes, until the water turns golden and fragrant.
Tip: The water should turn golden and become fragrant—this is when the spices have released their essential oilsAdd the tea bags (or loose tea), keeping the heat at a low simmer.
Steep for 3 minutes. Longer than 4 minutes and the tea turns bitter, shorter and the flavor stays weak.
Tip: Timing matters here—longer than 4 minutes and the tea turns bitter, shorter and the flavor stays weakPour in the lactose-free milk and sugar, stirring gently to combine.
Heat just until steaming and tiny bubbles form at the edges, about 3 minutes. Do not let it boil once the milk is added.
steamingTip: Do not let it boil once the milk is added, or the milk will scorch and develop an off flavorStrain the chai through a fine-mesh sieve into two mugs, pressing gently on the solids to extract all the liquid.
Equipment: fine-mesh sieveTip: Press gently on the solids to extract all the liquidDust the surface lightly with nutmeg just before serving.
Notes
Storage
Best enjoyed fresh. If making ahead, refrigerate the strained spiced tea (without milk) for up to 3 days. Reheat gently and add warm milk when ready to serve.
Decaf option
Swap regular black tea for decaffeinated black tea to eliminate caffeine while keeping the classic chai flavor. Caffeine can stimulate gut motility, which may worsen diarrhea during active disease.
Dairy-free substitute
Use oat milk or almond milk instead of lactose-free milk. Oat milk provides the creamiest texture and is low-FODMAP in servings under 1 cup per person.
Mild spice profile
Traditional chai often includes black pepper, which we omit here. The warming spices—ginger, cinnamon, cardamom—offer fragrance without gut-irritating capsaicin.
Fresh ginger is essential
Ground ginger powder lacks the bioactive compounds found in fresh ginger root. If you must substitute, use 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, but expect a less vibrant flavor and potentially fewer anti-inflammatory benefits.
Green cardamom
Stick with green cardamom pods. Black cardamom has a smoky, menthol flavor that overwhelms the delicate chai balance.
Sweetener swap
Replace sugar with maple syrup if preferred—low-FODMAP up to 2 tablespoons per serving. If following SCD, use honey but limit to 1/2 teaspoon per serving to stay low-FODMAP compliant.
IBD Considerations
Diet Protocol Compliance
How this recipe fits common IBD dietary approaches
