The word "Chai" usually denotes tea from India. The word chai is also universally used in languages specially Urdu/Persian, Russian, Turkish, and Chinese. The drinking of Chai or tea is centuries old tradition in India and from there it was transported to other cultures and countries around the world. Today it has become extremely popular in the West mainly Britain. The main purpose of drinking tea in India is due to its stress relieving properties.

Furthermore, the ingredients of chai are known to have several health benefits. Recent studies have shown that oral consumption of a tea component enhances the immune system in form of "T cell" proliferation and "cytokine" secretion. Cosmetics and herbal remedies of tea are well known. For example, people drinking tea are less prone to skin sensitivity. It is thought that many deaths in the Western world could be prevented through appropriate dietary modifications. Anti-oxidative activities in tea due to "polyphenols" could prevent against many cancers such as of the skin as it has the ability to mop up "reactive oxygen species".

Moreover, scientific studies have shown that green tea contains anti-cancer activities, protects the myocardium and liver, prevents bone loss in women, and is capable of enhancing learning and memory in the aged. Furthermore, green tea extracts prevented hypertension, cardiovascular damage and reduced renal injury by preventing oxidative stress in experimental models.

Indian Chai is usually made by boiling of loose leaf leaves and milk and later adding sugar and various spices depending on preferences. Common spies would include peppercorn, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg or saffron. The spices promote the digestive system hence the common practice of drinking after a meal.

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