The most significant question that is frequently questioned is if it is necessary to give up drinking traditional Indian milk tea because chai, or tea, is regarded an emotion in India. The answer is no, if fitness and health influencer Shubhi Shivhare is any indication!
Shivhare states that 1 tsp (4.2 grams) of sugar provides 16 kcal, while 100 ml of animal milk has about 50–60 kcal. “1 cup of chai made keeping in mind this measure gives you roughly between 100-110 kcal,” said Shivhare.
She instates that, “unnecessary white sugar you add in your cup of tea and also the snacks that are eaten with it like rusks, biscuits, khari, pakodas to name a few”.
She clarified that, based on your daily calorie allowance and any health concerns that may require you to reduce your caffeine intake, it is quite acceptable to consume two small cups of chai in a day.– avoid having unnecessary sugar/jaggery with your tea cups instead have 0 kcal sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit.
Shruti K Bhardwaj, chief dietician, Zydus Hospitals, Ahmedabad added, “It has calories. Tea has tannins which hinder the absorption of iron and certain minerals”.
“Take it before meals and after meals only after maintaining a gap of one to two hours. If milk tea intake is more in a day, replace a few cups with green tea or black tea,” added Bhardwaj.
“Jaggery or sugar has almost equal calories so it is recommended to limit their intake. One can choose brown sugar,” mentioned Bhardwaj.
Dr Somnath Gupta, senior consultant physician and Diabetology at Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad recommended, “Chai made with whole milk or cream can be high in saturated fats. By avoiding chai, you remove these high-fat ingredients from your diet, which may contribute to weight loss and improve overall heart health”.
