1. Is chai good or bad for health?
Black tea has polyphenols that MAY protect cells from oxidative damage and support heart health. However, tea comes with tannins and even in black tea, tannins can cause acidity, gas, and/or constipation. Excessive milk, sugar, and the caffeine in tea itself can make chai harmful causing a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease or sleep problems.
2. What about flavonoids in tea? Aren’t they good for us?
Flavonoids in tea, basically the polyphenolic compound mentioned above in no. 1, act as antioxidants, protecting cells from oxidative stress and free radical damage aiding in human health. However, this is true if bitter tea is consumed without any other additions like sugar and dairy milk. On the other hand, it’s easier to get flavonoids from delicious fruits like grapes, mosambi, oranges, apples, guavas and Indian gooseberry (amla), vegetables like onions, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, carrots, broccoli, brinjal, and celery, herbs like coriander and mint, spices like mustard seeds and ginger and pulses like soybeans, rajma beans, and cowpeas (lobia) instead.
3. What is the most harmful ingredient in chai?
Chai is made with 50% water+50% milk+a few tea leaves+a good amount of sugar. All these are ultimately harmful, but surprisingly milk is the worst. Milk has high amounts of artery-clogging saturated fats leading to an increased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and is also linked to certain cancers and skin issues.
4. Does drinking chai cause acidity?
Yes, it can. The tannins in black tea and the combination of milk and sugar often trigger acidity, bloating, or gas, especially more so when consumed on an empty stomach or in larger quantities.
5. Can chai affect sleep?
Chai contains caffeine, which over stimulates alertness. Drinking it late in the evening or at night may disturb sleep and contribute to insomnia.
6. Is chai addictive?
Yes. The caffeine in chai can create dependency. People who skip their daily chai often feel headaches, irritability, or fatigue.
7. Does chai block iron absorption?
Yes. The tannins in black tea reduce the body’s ability to absorb iron from plant-based foods. This is particularly concerning in India, where iron-deficiency anemia is widespread.
8. Is masala chai healthier than plain chai?
Masala chai contains spices like ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon, which aid digestion and have anti-inflammatory properties. However, chai contains a lot of milk and sugar, and so the downsides remain.
9. How much chai is safe to drink daily?
It is said that 1 to 2 cups a day is generally fine for most people if prepared with minimal sugar and dairy. However, it stresses the body on a small scale daily, which can accumulate and trigger health issues if the body is also being taxed in other ways. More than 3 or 4 cups daily can cause acidity, poor sleep, and health risks.
10. Can lactose-intolerant people drink chai?
Traditional chai with dairy milk can cause bloating, cramps, and diarrhea for lactose-intolerant people. Plant-based alternatives like almond, soy, or oat milk can make chai easier to digest.
11. Why do so many Indians drink chai despite its health risks?
Though the British introduced chai to India as recently as just 200 years ago, Indians consider it a cultural habit, and it is now deeply tied to hospitality, family, and relaxation. For many, it’s less about health and more about “tradition”, comfort, and social bonding. Moreover, the caffeine in tea, casein in milk and sugar itself are all addictive substances.
12. How can chai be made healthier?
Well, we can dilute poison to reduce its effects, but the best option would be not to consume it at all. However, if you think you want to take smaller steps, here’s what you can do:
- Try plant-based milk instead of dairy.
- Use less sugar or skip it or as a first step switch to jaggery.
- Switch to herbal infusions.
- Best of all is to just remove it from your diet and replace it with fruit.
13. How is tea related to deforestation?
The British introduced tea to India around 200 years ago. In order to compete with Chinese tea for economic dominance, they cut down large areas of dense ancient forests to do large-scale tea cultivation in Assam, North Bengal, Nilgiris, and Kerala. This destruction continues in the expansion of these tea plantations even today.
14. What is the water footprint of chai?
A cup of Indian chai likely uses anywhere from 180-210 litres of water (mostly embedded in milk used in chai) rather than the ~30 litres for simple black tea. However, because chai is so common in India, the total water footprint of chai consumption is significant, especially in milk production and feed cultivation. It’s best to switch to fruits and vegetables instead as these have a fraction of chai’s enormous water footprint.
15. Should we have tea on the days we are fasting?
Fasting is meant to help the body heal and calm the mind. But chai usually contains milk, which comes from great suffering. Dairy farmers separate mothers from their calves and the mothers yearn to breastfeed their calves throughout the day like mothers of all other species. Calves suffer from hunger throughout the day. Milk is the nutrition that God, Nature or Srushti (the power of creation) has provided for infants of all species, not for our cup of chai. Chai with milk can never be ethically acceptable on any day whether we are fasting or not. Fresh fruit is a far kinder and purer choice.