Skinned almonds are sattvic and build ojas. Ojas is loosely translated as nutrition. Under conditions of stress and high Vata the sympathetic nervous system (flight and fight) redirects blood from the digestive tract to the brain and muscles. When the digestive tract lacks blood the ojas and nutrition of almonds is inaccessible.

In almond chai, nutmeg is a nervine that calms Vata and activates the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). Spices also encourage blood to stay in the digestive tract. The result is a rasayana that even Vata can digest.

Since I first started brewing sweet, spicy teas in my kitchen ten years ago I've been looking for an alternative to black tea. Almond Chai is creamy, rich, and hearty without the black tea or cream. It satisfies that winter urge.

1 c	Almond Milk
1/4 tsp	Cardamom
1/4 tsp	Cinnamon
2 tsp	Ghee
1/4 inch	Ginger (Fresh)
1 tbsp	Maple Syrup
1/8 tsp	Nutmeg

Bring to a boil over medium heat and serve. Instead of almond milk, I often use fresh, blanched almonds (1/4c or 30). When I don't have ghee I substitute butter (but not for Kapha). The result of adding the fats is a creamier texture.

Jessica Snyder, a practitioner in Michigan, finds this recipe more delicious with adding fennel.

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Almond skins are brown because they contain tannins, an acidic and astringent substance that provokes Vata and Pitta. The cyanide in almond skins is toxic to the liver and starves the cells of oxygen (prana).

Skinned, the creamy, gentle, oily sweetness of almonds is wonderful for Vata in small amounts. But even skinned nuts can provoke Vata because their density makes them difficult to digest. Almonds are much easier to digest when soaked for thirty six hours first.

Oily nuts, when eaten in excess, stress the liver and may increase Pitta. Nuts, brown rice and other foods are also high in arginine, an amino acid that encourages proliferation of the virus that causes cold sores in infected indviduals.

Do you not boil any of the spices in this recipe in water before hand ? If you were to boil the spices in almond milk, doesnt it destroy the Vit. E and a lot of valuable nutrients ? I heard that L arginine helps with improving circulation as to help my Reynaud's disease.
Here you are recommending 30 almonds of 1/4 of a Cup but Dr Vasant Lad recommends not eating more than 10 almonds per day. Why is this ?
Here you are recommending 30 almonds of 1/4 of a Cup but Dr Vasant Lad recommends not eating more than 10 almonds per day. Why would he recommend this ? Is there such a thing as "overdosing " on blanched almonds ? I have experienced that I can't take them at night or else I havetoo much energy and cannot fall asleep, so I think this beverage is best earlier in the day
I really enjoyed this drink. calming & soothing to the belly!