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Indians love tea, especially milk tea. They also like to consume it multiple times a day — but definitely in the mornings and evenings. But, turns out that consuming this beverage in the evening has certain health consequences. What are they? Talking about the same, Dr Dixa Bhavsar Savaliya, an Ayurveda expert, took to Instagram and shared that about 64 per cent of the Indian population loves drinking chai/tea every day with over 30 per cent of them drinking it in the evening.
“Are you one of those who loves sipping on evening tea daily, or mostly? Do you think it’s a healthy habit? What is the best thing for you — to drink or avoid tea during the evening? I’m here to answer all these questions today,” she added.
So, is drinking tea in the evening healthy?
“According to medical science, caffeine is best if avoided 10 hours before sleep (bedtime) to have sound sleep, optimum liver detox, reduced cortisol (inflammation), and healthy digestion,” Dr Savaliya wrote.
Adding, Dr Smriti Jhunjhunwala, BHMS nutritionist and dietitian, said that while tea in itself is not bad, “there has been a lot of confusion and muddling of thoughts when it comes to drinking the beverage, such as to drink it with milk or without it, with or without sugar, over brewing it or less brewing it, along with the best time to drink it.”
She added, “normal black tea, enjoyed by the majority of the population, is rich in antioxidants (compounds which prevent cellular damage and help reduce inflammation of the body) due to the presence of polyphenols like catechins, theaflavins and thearubigins — all of which promote the overall health of the individual. However, Indians consume their tea by adding milk and sugar in it, which alters its nutritional profile.”
Who can have tea in the evening?
According to Dr Savaliya, these group of people, are fit to enjoy their evening cup of chai.
– People who work in night shifts
– Those who don’t have acidity or gastric issues
– Who have healthy digestion
– Who aren’t addicted to tea (is fine if evening tea isn’t available)
– Who don’t have sleep issues
– Who eat on time daily
– Who drink half or less than 1 cup of tea
Who should avoid evening tea?
Dr Savaliya advises people with these symptoms to give up on their evening cup of tea.
– Those who have disturbed sleep or suffer from insomnia
– Those who suffer from anxiety and lead a stressful life
– Those who have excessive vata issues (dry skin and hair)
– Those who want to gain weight
– People with irregular appetite
– Those who suffer from hormonal issues
– Those with constipation/acidity or gastric trouble.
– Those with metabolic and auto-immune diseases.
– Those who are underweight.
– Those who desire healthy skin, hair and gut.
What happens when milk is added to tea ?
Explaining how adding milk alters the nutritional profile of tea, Dr Jhunjhunwala said, “Milk, when added to tea, reduces its bitterness or astringency — which is due to the presence of tannins — making it palatable and soothing for the taste buds. Additionally, sugar also counteracts tannin’s astringency, which is why milk and sugar are preferred in black tea”.
“However, milk also modifies the biological activities of the tea by reducing its antioxidants, in turn making it a source of inflammation and acidity. Casein, a milk protein, forms complexes with the flavonoid and catechin in the tea, thereby producing acidity. And since most Indians are habituated to drink milk tea the first thing in the morning, it not only erodes the oral health but also disrupts the metabolic activity and could lead to bloating”.
Make these changes to your tea drinking habit
Dr Jhunjhunwala suggests making following changes to your tea drinking habits for a healthier lifestyle. They are:
– Eat something like nuts, raisins, or a fruit and then opt for the milk tea.
– Do not over brew the tea after adding milk, it helps to retain at least some amount of antioxidants in the tea.
– Adding a spoonful of milk after brewing the tea makes it even better with its nutrition.
– If you are in the habit of drinking 3-4 cups a day, then you can initially switch to different varieties of tea like green tea or tea of different flavours and leaves. (chamomile tea, hibiscus tea, rose tea) and gradually cut it down to 1 cup per day.
– Avoid drinking tea in the evening hours as it might result in disturbance of sleep and also cause bloating.
– Tea taken on an empty stomach can result in loss of appetite with no nutritional value and therefore should always be taken in between meals.
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