While drinking regular tea, I always have this thought that there should be some benefits to it other than caffeine.
Consuming caffeine in larger quantities could make you dependent on it, and unfortunately, it is unhealthy for the liver too. However, if there is a balance of beneficial ingredients along with caffeine it could serve as a healthy drink to consume. Additionally, you should also consume it in moderation.
Regular tea is usually black or milk tea that contains a high amount of caffeine and no other ingredients. However, it is your choice to add a few beneficial ingredients.
Thai tea is sweeter than regular tea because of the inclusion of sugar and condensed milk. And the milk adds creaminess and thickness. Thai tea, as opposed to regular black tea, is flavored with star anise and cloves.
For regular tea lovers, it’s a bit pricy to add beneficial ingredients all the time when they consume, and so that’s the reason regular tea was often viewed as an unhealthy beverage.
Read this blog post and learn more about the differences between Thai tea and regular tea.
Is Iced Tea Better Than Hot Tea?
Well, regular tea is usually hot, and those available as iced tea are not regular but flavored or like iced coffee.
In hot regions, people prefer cold beverages that soothe their bodies and keep them hydrated. However, hot tea in hot regions would not be a good option.
Will you consume the regular tea that is hot in the hot regions, especially in Thailand? I guess you would be laughing here thinking about drinking regular hot tea on sunny days in Thailand.
However, the colder regions require hot beverages, and regular tea would be preferable.
Caffeine Content Comparison
For me, caffeine is the source that keeps me awake, and without it, I can’t imagine my morning. I’m a person who always needs caffeinated beverages, so I chose regular tea at first, but when I tried Thai tea, I changed my mind.
Thai tea has slightly higher caffeine as compared to regular tea as it can instantly provide me energy.
Here the question arises: how is Thai tea healthy as it has slightly high caffeine levels? The answer is that, in the body, you need some sources to make you active, but consuming them, particularly in excessive quantities, could be dangerous.
However, adding a few beneficial ingredients and sources could help to mitigate the red flags. You should also remember to consume caffeinated beverages like Thai tea in moderation.
Let’s compare the caffeine contents of one cup of popular beverages:
| Beverage | Caffeine |
| Black tea | 45 mg |
| Coffee | 60 mg |
| Thai tea | 50-55 mg |
Thai tea consists of ingredients with anti-inflammatory benefits that suppress caffeine’s demerits and increase its benefits. It not only gives energy but also improves health.
On the other hand, regular tea only has caffeine, which is somehow lower than Thai tea, but it has no other ingredient that could suppress the side effects. Therefore, Thai tea with high caffeine and other beneficial ingredients is my comfort drink. Others might prefer this too.
The beneficial ingredients Thai tea has are:
- star anise
- tamarind
- turmeric
- cloves and tea leaves
Flavors of Thai Tea
Flavors are another essential factor that customers prefer. Usually, Thai tea has different flavors, but regular tea has none. However, you can add a few ingredients to change the taste.
Due to this factor, I felt too bored to further consider regular tea in my routine because, for me, change and variety are important. Most importantly, I believe in a healthy lifestyle, and for that, regular tea would not be a preferable option.
How Do Thai Tea Flavors Differ With Regular Tea?
Nowadays, there are different flavors available in Thai tea, as youngsters prefer variety in their beverages.
I have tasted cocoa milk tea and vanilla milk tea in the Thai tea ranges and both of them felt so soothing to me. These flavors got me hooked up at once. For those who want to experience new flavors along with a healthy option for tea, Thai tea could be the best option.
However, it is up to the customers to decide what flavor they want. In regular tea, you will have no options besides milk and black ones.
Moreover, Thai tea allows you to choose the sugar quantity according to your taste and even if you choose less sugar it will still taste good. In contrast, in regular tea, less sugar will make the tea strong enough that you feel like eating bitter gourd.
What Does Science Say About Teas?
Drinking tea helps reduce stress and anxiety, but consuming caffeine in excessive amounts could be dangerous.
Regular tea contains caffeine; that’s the reason consuming it a lot in a day could be dangerous. However, Thai tea has other healthy ingredients and is iced too that not only soothes you in hot weather conditions but could also give you energy.
Benefits of Thai Tea
- Thai tea has anti-inflammatory ingredients that ultimately reduce the risks of heart disease.
- It increases stamina and helps you become more active.
- Strong caffeine bitterness gets suppressed because of the presence of other ingredients.
If you want to know more about the benefits of drinking Thai tea daily, check out this video.
Why Is Thai Tea Not So Creamy?
Usually, tea has a thin texture as it is prepared in water. It depends on what texture you want.
For beginners, it usually takes time for them to understand how to make it at home, but I suggest preparing the tea in milk along with water and adding condensed milk to enhance the sweetness. You can also add ingredients such as star anise and cardamom as per your liking.
As far as the bitterness of tea is concerned, it can be lowered by adding some condensed milk which gives additional creaminess to the tea.
Why Is Regular Tea Not As Good In The Summer As Compared To Thai Tea?
In the summer, it is appropriate to drink beverages that calm down and decrease the body temperature as the external temperature is already high. To balance the temperature, cold beverages would be preferable.
As regular tea is often served hot, it might increase the body temperature, increasing the heart rate whereas Thai tea is best for soothing in the summer.
Conclusion
- Thai tea and regular black tea both are made with Assam leaves.
- Thai tea also makes use of star anise, cardamom, and cloves.
- The caffeine content of Thai tea is slightly higher than that of regular black tea.
- Thai tea offers several flavors.
- Thai tea is popular in hotter regions because it is iced so it gives you energy and keeps you refreshed too.