Sacred Heat: How Bhakti Chai Honors the Legacy of Spice

In medieval times, spices were used as currency and sometimes considered contraband. The hunger for spices galvanized countries, built fortunes, and subjugated natives.

Some of the most expensive spices extracted from Asia (and then exported by the East India Company and the Portuguese) were ginger, cloves, pepper, and cardamom—all ingredients in Bhakti Chai. 

Bright. Bold. Blazing: The Ginger That Fuels Our Fire

Bhakti wanted what is called agni, or fire, to be in every cup. The smell of ginger was intoxicating, and the taste alone would burn you up, but the bright yellow shots of ginger were the star of the show.

Ginger jolts the senses alive and boosts digestion and the immune system. It helps with nausea and migraines and works to break up inflammation in the body associated with cancer. 

We use organic ginger root from Peru. When you snap it in half a bright yellow, juicy center blares out in all her glory. This was the gold—soon to be made into liquid gold. The body was like milk and the color of bright lemons.

That ginger was sowed, harvested, and packed in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest, which had the ideal soil and climate for organic ginger, and the farm provided fixed hours of work for women with children and families, medical stipends, and paid time off.

It was an alternative job from working in nearby farms growing coca that will be processed into cocaine.

At Bhakti, we believe in honoring every root, every seed, every sip. Ginger isn’t just an ingredient—it’s an awakening. From the first snap of its golden flesh to the slow burn that follows, ginger fuels your body with nature’s boldest intentions. It doesn’t whisper wellness. It shouts it.

This sacred root has been revered in Ayurvedic and Eastern traditions for centuries—and for good reason. Ginger’s power is as ancient as it is relevant. We use only organic ginger root from the Peruvian Amazon, where soil, soul, and sustainability meet.

Here’s why ginger belongs in your cup:

• Anti-inflammatory warrior – Ginger helps reduce inflammation, which is linked to conditions like arthritis, heart disease, and even certain cancers.

• Digestive dynamo – It supports healthy digestion, easing bloating, gas, and nausea—your gut’s fiery friend.

• Immune booster – With antiviral and antibacterial properties, ginger defends your system and shortens colds.

• Pain reliever – Natural compounds in ginger target migraines and muscle soreness—without the side effects.

• Energizer & detoxifier – Its thermogenic properties kickstart circulation and metabolism, fueling clean energy from the inside out.

We don’t mellow it out. We don’t tone it down. Because wellness shouldn’t be watered down. At Bhakti, we let the ginger burn—because in that burn, you come alive.

The Queen of Spice: Cardamom's Bold, Healing Grace

Cardamom has a sweet, rich fragrance and is in the same family as ginger. Some of the best cardamom seeds are found in the cloudy forests of Guatemala, where farmers pick cardamom pods by feel and experience.

They should be soft to the touch, like an olive, but not too dry. More than half of the world’s cardamom comes from Central America, and it is the third most expensive spice globally, behind saffron and vanilla, due to the labor-intensive process.

Cardamom is in our proprietary masala blend. Masala means “a combination of spices,” and for Bhakti, we use cardamom, black pepper, clove, and star anise.

At Bhakti, we don’t just steep spices—we celebrate them. Cardamom is our crown jewel. Warming, fragrant, and wildly complex, it’s the quiet power in our blend—the sacred spice that balances fire with grace.

Known in Ayurveda as a tridoshic spice, cardamom works with every body, every constitution. From sacred rituals to street chai stalls, cardamom has whispered healing through generations. It cools the gut, calms the breath, and stirs the senses.

We source organic green cardamom pods with the same reverence we bring to our entire craft—sustainably harvested, sun-dried, and bursting with oil-rich seeds.

Here’s what this mystical pod brings to your cup:

• Digestive harmony – Cardamom soothes indigestion, gas, and bloating, and is a natural carminative—aka your belly’s best friend.

• Heart & breath support – This aromatic spice has been shown to lower blood pressure and improve circulation, opening the heart and lungs.

• Mood balancer – Rich in cineole and borneol, cardamom can help relieve stress, anxiety, and brain fog—your fragrant path to clarity.

• Antimicrobial magic – Its potent essential oils help combat harmful bacteria while supporting oral and gut health.

• Anti-inflammatory & detoxifying – Cardamom helps flush out toxins while cooling internal heat and reducing inflammation.

Delicate, yes. But never dainty. Cardamom is elegance with edge—alchemy in a pod. And in every Bhakti brew, she shows up bold.

The Soul of Spice: Clove’s Fierce and Healing Flame

Clove is intensity incarnate. A single bud carries more heat, more potency, and more ancient wisdom than most roots could dream of. At Bhakti, clove isn’t background—it’s backbone. It burns clean, heals deep, and roots every cup in something wild and wise.

Clove, known in Ayurveda as lavanga, is one of the oldest healing spices in the world. Native to Indonesia and traded like gold along the ancient spice routes, it’s not just a kitchen staple—it’s a medicine chest in miniature. With its warm, peppery sweetness and numbing bite, clove is pure vitality wrapped in a flower bud.

We use only the highest quality clove, rich in essential oils and sourced with sustainability and integrity. Clove reminds us that healing isn’t always gentle. Sometimes, it’s fierce.

Here’s what clove brings to your cup—and your body:

• Anti-Inflammatory Powerhouse - Clove contains eugenol, a compound so potent it rivals pharmaceutical anti-inflammatories. It helps reduce pain and swelling in joints, muscles, and even gums—making it a natural ally for arthritis, injury recovery, or daily wear and tear.
• Respiratory Relief - With its warming and expectorant properties, clove opens up congested airways, soothes sore throats, and calms coughs. In Ayurveda, clove is considered a kapha-pacifying spice—perfect for damp, heavy lung conditions.
• Antioxidant Armor - Clove is one of the highest-ranking spices on the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale, meaning it's packed with antioxidants that protect your cells from damage, aging, and oxidative stress.
• Oral Health Champion - Used for centuries in traditional dental care, clove oil can numb toothaches, reduce gum inflammation, and kill harmful bacteria. It's the natural antiseptic your mouth will thank you for.
• Brain & Mood Booster - Eugenol and other compounds in clove may help reduce mental fatigue and improve memory. Clove’s warming nature stimulates blood flow, including to the brain, enhancing alertness and focus.

Clove is fierce, focused, and fearless. It doesn’t whisper wellness—it announces it with a kick. In every Bhakti blend, clove is the spice that holds the line. It warms your belly, opens your breath, and reminds your body what vitality feels like.

Because true healing isn’t always soft—it’s strong, deep, and deliciously bold.

The Fire Starter: Black Pepper’s Bold Path to Healing

At Bhakti, we don’t play it mild. We lean into the bold, the ancient, the alchemical. Black pepper—kali mirch—isn’t just a seasoning. It’s a stimulant for the soul. It’s the spark behind every spice blend, the activator that turns ingredients into medicine. Pepper doesn’t wait politely to be noticed—it charges in and wakes you up.

Long before it became the world’s most traded spice, black pepper was a sacred healer in Ayurveda. Known as the king of spices, it was prized not only for its flavor but for its unmatched ability to unlock the power of other herbs. We source our organic black pepper where the soil is volcanic, the sun relentless, and the energy unmistakable.

Here’s why pepper deserves its place in every blend and every body:

• Digestive Igniter - Black pepper kindles agni, the digestive fire. It increases the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, improving digestion, easing bloating, and helping the body better absorb nutrients.
• Bioavailability Booster - The real magic lies in piperine, pepper’s signature compound. Piperine enhances the absorption of other powerful nutrients like turmeric’s curcumin by up to 2000%. Pepper doesn’t just work solo—it amplifies everything it touches.
• Antioxidant & Anti-Inflammatory - Piperine is also a potent antioxidant, protecting the body from free radicals and oxidative stress. It helps reduce inflammation, making it a key ally for joint support, recovery, and chronic inflammation.
• Respiratory Cleanser - Pepper clears the sinuses, loosens phlegm, and opens the lungs. In both ancient medicine and modern remedies, it’s a trusted decongestant and respiratory aid.
• Metabolism & Weight Support - Pepper’s thermogenic properties boost metabolism and fat breakdown. It’s a natural stimulant that helps energize the body and support healthy weight management.

In every Bhakti blend, black pepper shows up with fire and focus. It doesn’t just warm the body—it awakens the spirit. It holds history, heat, and healing in every grind, every spark.

Pepper is not background noise. It’s the heartbeat of spice. The flicker that becomes a flame. And we wouldn’t blend without it.

Bhakti Chai's Spice Blend Brings the Fire

At Bhakti, we don’t just blend spices—we channel centuries of resistance, reverence, and revolution into every sip. Ginger, cardamom, clove, and black pepper weren’t chosen at random. These aren’t trend ingredients or hollow flavor notes. They are the original currency of empires, the reason ships sailed and borders shifted. And now, they’re the heart of our chai.

This is more than tea. It’s a call to consciousness. A reckoning with history. A celebration of spice as story, as strength, as sacred ritual.

We don’t water it down. We let it blaze.

Because at Bhakti, every cup is an offering—to the earth, to our ancestors, and to the fire that lives in us all. Try our chai concentrates today.