By BALA SARDA
Because they keep the body warm from within, hot beverages are synonymous with winter. Wearing your cosiest woollens and sipping a steaming hot beverage on a bright and sunny day is the order of the day this season. Did you know that adding a few spices to your tea can be extremely beneficial to your health?
In the winter, a hot cup of spiced tea can provide your body with much-needed warmth to combat the bone-chilling cold. Spices such as cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, saffron and ginger warm 
the body while also increasing metabolism and immunity.
Spices have been used in tea for nearly as long as tea has been consumed, and there are many different spiced tea drinks to choose from. Three of the most well-known spiced teas that should not be overlooked in the winter are:
Masala chai, also known as “chai tea”, is a popular spiced beverage. It can be made with a single spice (such as ginger or cloves) or with a combination of spices. Despite its origins in northern 
India, chai is now consumed in a wide range of locations worldwide.
Ginger tea, many spiced tea blends and freshly brewed spicy teas contain ginger tea. Green tea, black tea, puerh tea, and even oolong tea complement ginger well. It gives teas a warming, tangy, slightly sweet flavour. Ginger has been used in tea since antiquity and can now be found in teas all over the world.
Cinnamon tea, Cinnamon is usually used to flavour black teas, but it can also be used to flavour green, oolong, or puerh teas. It has a sweet, warming taste that goes well with fruit ingredients in tea drinks.
Some of the few benefits of having spiced tea in winter season are —
Boosts immunity: Antioxidants in spiced tea help to boost the body’s immune system and fight cold and flu symptoms.
Inflammation: Warm blends aid in the reduction of inflammation and pain. It is said that drinking saffron-infused tea or putting a few cloves in a boiling kettle of drinking water can help relieve pain by lowering inflammation in the body.
Weight loss: Because spiced teas are low in calories but high in nutritional value, they are an ideal beverage for anyone looking to lose weight. Squeezing a few drops of lemon juice into your tea acts as an excellent body tonic and aids in hunger control.
Blood circulation: Due to a lack of activity, our bodies stiffen and blood circulation weakens during the winter months. Cinnamon tea improves blood circulation while also controlling blood sugar levels.
Improved digestion: During the winter, heavier foods, as well as a tendency to sit and avoid movement, increase the risk of digestive problems. Tea steeped with ginger, mint or star anise can aid digestion and relieve gastric distress, especially when consumed after or in between meals.
Boosts energy: Because energy drinks frequently contain high amounts of caffeine, which can be harmful to one’s health, spiced tea can be used as a natural energy booster with few to no negative side effects because it is high in critical nutrients and minerals.(IANSlife)
(Bala Sarda, Founder & CEO, VAHDAM India)