Well, it would be fair to say that Thai tea does help in staying awake and active, because of the caffeine that it has. It boosts our energy and if we are feeling asleep, it takes drowsiness away for some time. Thai tea uses black tea as a base which is mainly responsible for the caffeine content.
In this article, we are going to look at caffeine content and other factors of Thai tea which help us stay awake as well as its effects on our health.
So, if you want to get more information on this topic, stick with me till the end.
Does Thai Tea Give You Energy To Stay Awake?
It is true that Thai tea gives you energy like normal milk tea does. Now, the question arises, which factors are responsible for this energy? The answer lies in two things:
- Caffeine: Caffeine is a stimulant that energizes and alerts your brain. An 8 fl. oz. cup of Thai tea contains on average 60 mg of caffeine which is more than enough to alert and energize your brain and body.
- Sugars: We all know that glucose is one of the sources of energy for our body and Thai tea consists of almost six teaspoons of sugar in one cup whereas normal tea only consists of one or one and a half teaspoons of sugar; so the level of energy provided by both is quite different.
What is Caffeine?
Caffeine is a type of natural stimulant found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and energy drinks. The most notable feature of caffeine is its property to make you alert and awake for a considerable period of time.
Effects of Caffeine
Depending on caffeine excessively can lead to sleep deprivation, which can manifest itself over time. If you are taking four or five cups of coffee or tea in a day to get through your day, then it is quite an alarming situation.
This manifests that you have no energy of your own and are totally depending on external sources to keep you active.
Short-Term vs. Long-Term Effects
Let’s look at this data table. It’ll enlighten us on the short and long-term effects of caffeine consumption through tea.
| Short-Term Effects | Long-Term Effects |
| Increased energy and alertness | Increased risk of caffeine dependence |
| Improved mood | Increased risk of chronic diseases |
| Increased heart rate and blood pressure | Teeth discoloration |
| Potential digestive issues | Possible interactions with medication |
What is Sugar?
Sugar is a form of glucose that provides the body with energy to do its daily tasks. Sugar is also known as simple carbohydrate which is naturally present in fruits and vegetables.
How Sugar Gives You Energy?
After ingestion of a substance with sugar, it absorbs into your body and gives you high energy for a period of approximately 30-60 minutes. After this time passes your energy level depletes and what you experience is now called a crash.
This cycle of high and low energy will get you dependent on sugars easily as your body starts craving them more and more after every crash.
Effects of Sugar
While we are at it, we should also understand that consuming this much of added sugar is harmful. It increases the risk of type II diabetes and may also leave you prone to obesity and weight gain.
Obesity being known as the mother of all diseases should be prevented at every cost. As per FDA, there are strict guidelines for consuming sugar. Males are supposed to consume not more than 36 g while females have their sugar intake ceiling at 24 g.
Another way to measure the ideal intake of sugars is 10% of the daily calorie consumption of an individual.
How Often Should Thai Tea Be Consumed?
Thai tea like all other eatables should only be enjoyed in moderation. Many health experts suggest that Thai tea should be consumed twice a day at maximum and not more than that because the amount of added sugar in the beverage is way too high. It may leave you with a risk of developing diabetes.
A human body can only work at its fullest if its homeostasis is maintained. Nothing should exceed its requirements and nothing should decrease. Only in this way, you can get the maximum output from your body.
Is Thai Tea A Stimulant?
Thai tea can be a stimulant. All teas have a caffeine compound which is naturally found in coffee, tea, cacao, kola nuts, and yerba mate.
So when you drink coffee or any tea type like Thai tea it acts as a stimulator for your nervous system which will help you stay focused and as a result, you will feel less tired.
Though it is not recommended to have caffeine in large amounts because excess of anything will have the inevitable side effects.
Some people who want to reduce the amount of caffeine in their daily routine switch to tea from coffee as tea comparatively contains less amount of caffeine. As per experts, this is a good way to start reducing caffeine because you are tapering it off gradually and not leaving it at once.
How Long Does Caffeine Last?
After reading this piece, you must be wondering how long caffeine stays in our system. Usually, it is said that caffeine effects can be felt after 15-60 minutes of its consumption and it can last for more than three hours.
Now again, it depends and varies from person to person. If you are used to taking a lot of caffeine in one day then your processing and absorption could be way higher than the person who takes it in lesser amounts.
People who consume less caffeine in a day has shown that their body process the caffeine in 12-14 hours which is very healthy and helpful to get through the whole day.
After many experiments and research, it has been concluded that it all depends on the human body and how fast it absorbs and processes caffeine.
Caffeine Content of Different Beverages
Here is the amount of caffeine you can expect in 8 fl. oz. cup of different teas:
- Black tea: 35 mg
- Green tea: 32 mg
- White tea: 34 mg
- Oolong: 39 mg
- Matcha: 57–133 mg
- Yerba mate: 128 mg
Please note that the above-mentioned amount is an approximate measurement and can vary depending on tea farming methods and area. Moreover, I would suggest you check this video for more factual information about the caffeine content of Thai tea
Conclusion
- It is true that Thai tea can help you stay awake but you must be mindful of the risks that come with its overconsumption.
- Thai tea not only gives you a flavorful boost of energy but it also gets you through the day with quite an ease.
- People consuming more than three cups of Thai tea are more likely to develop diabetes or be obese because the amount of added sugar in Thai tea is quite high.
- We should avoid drinking Thai tea on a regular basis, or better drink it in moderation which is twice a day with balanced sugar.
- While Thai tea is a beloved beverage, it is also important to know its side effects of it on our life; so we can keep a balance of everything because excess of anything is bad.