Is it necessary to quit chai on your fat loss journey?

Since chai or tea is considered an emotion in India, the most important question that is often asked is whether it is necessary to quit the traditional Indian milk tea. If fitness and health influencer Shubhi Shivhare is to go by, the answer is no!

According to Shivhare, 100 ml of animal milk contains around 50-60 kcal, and 1 tsp of sugar (4.2 grams) gives you 16 kcal. “1 cup of chai made keeping in mind this measure gives you roughly between 100-110 kcal,” said Shivhare.

What makes fat loss difficult is the amount of “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 explained that it’s completely acceptable to have 2 small cups of chai in a day depending on your daily calorie allowance and also your health issues if that asks you to cut a bit on caffeine.

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Shivhare said:

– avoid having unnecessary sugar/jaggery with your tea cups instead have 0 kcal sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit.

– Don’t have more than 1 cup of chai if you have anxiety, high cortisol, high blood sugar level, and hyperacidity issues.

We turned to our in-house experts to understand more.

Shruti K Bhardwaj, chief dietician, Zydus Hospitals, Ahmedabad said that if one is looking for weight reduction, it is recommended to reduce tea intake. “It has calories. Tea has tannins which hinder the absorption of iron and certain minerals,” said Bhardwaj.

 

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Avoiding tea with a major meal is necessary. “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,” said Bhardwaj.

Like Shivhare, Bhardwaj also mentioned that one should limit the intake of sugar. “Jaggery or sugar has almost equal calories so it is recommended to limit their intake. One can choose brown sugar,” said Bhardwaj.

Dr Somnath Gupta, senior consultant physician and Diabetology, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad said that sugar control can help control cravings and prevent spikes in blood sugar levels, potentially aiding in fat loss. “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,” said Dr Gupta.

Opting for water or other low-calorie beverages in place of chai to help keep you hydrated without adding extra calories, mentioned Dr Gupta.

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