Across India · Drink
Tea with milk and sugar
Also called chai, masala chai, cutting chai, chaya, milk tea
Black tea boiled with milk and sugar, often with a little ginger or cardamom, then strained and served hot. The everyday cup of chai in most Indian homes.
The short answer
Tea with milk and sugar has about 108 kcal in a regular serving (1 cup, about 260 g), with 3.9 g of protein and 0 g of fibre. It rates 3.0/5 (moderate fit) for weight management: it is low in calories for its weight and a regular serving is a modest portion, but it has little fibre for its calories and it is low in protein for its calories.
Reviewed by Deepu Oommen on 2 Nov 2026 · How we review
- Calories per serving
- 108 kcal
- 1 cup (about 260 g)
- For weight management
- 3.0 / 5Rated 3 out of 5. Moderate fit for weight management
- Protein and fibre
- 3.9 g · 0 g
- per serving
- Brisk walking
- About 20 min
- uses similar energy (70 kg adult)
What's in tea with milk and sugar?
Raw weights for one serving (1 cup, about 260 g), from the standard recipe
- Milk, 122 g
- Sugar, 5 g
How is tea with milk and sugar made?
Preparation 5 min · Cooking 15 min
- 1Crush a little ginger or a few cardamom pods if you like.
- 2Boil the water with the crushed spices and the tea leaves for about 3 minutes, until the liquid turns dark.
- 3Add the milk and sugar and bring it back to the boil.
- 4Simmer for a minute or two, then pour it between two pots a few times if you like it frothy.
- 5Strain into cups and serve hot.
Tea with milk and sugar nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (1 cup, about 260 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 108 kcal | 42 kcal |
| Protein | 3.9 g | 1.5 g |
| Carbohydrate | 10.9 g | 4.2 g |
| Fat | 5.5 g | 2.1 g |
| Fibre | 0 g | 0 g |
| Added sugar | 5 g |
Calculated from a standard recipe (based on a recipe by Swasthi's Recipes: Masala Chai Recipe (Masala Tea), method 1: instant masala chai, serves 2) using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values for the raw ingredients, divided by the weight of the cooked dish (523 g for the whole recipe). Salt and dry spices are left out. The regular serving is the average portion in three chefs' recipes: Swasthi's Recipes, Masala Chai Recipe (Masala Tea), method 1: instant masala chai 262 g, Hebbar's Kitchen, Chai Masala Powder Recipe (masala chai made with the powder) 312 g and Ranveer Brar, Easy Masala chai 210 g. Food composition: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), Hyderabad. How we calculate nutrition facts. Home and restaurant versions vary with the oil, rice and portion used.
Is tea with milk and sugar good for weight management?
It rates 3.0/5, a moderate fit, because it is low in calories for its weight and a regular serving is a modest portion, but it has little fibre for its calories and it is low in protein for its calories.
- Calories per gram (35% of the rating)0.41 kcal · 100/100
- Protein per 100 kcal (25% of the rating)3.6 g · 36/100
- Fibre per 100 kcal (20% of the rating)0.0 g · 0/100
- Portion (20% of the rating)108 of 150 kcal (drink) · 78/100
Each part is scored against fixed limits, then weighted. A higher rating does not mean a food causes weight loss. How the rating works
Lighter ways to have tea with milk and sugar
- Use one level teaspoon of sugar instead of two, and reduce it a little more each week
- Use toned or low-fat milk instead of full-cream milk
- Keep to a regular cup, not a big mug, and count every cup in your day
- Flavour with ginger or cardamom instead of extra sugar
- Have it without biscuits or rusk, or limit them to one
Common questions about tea with milk and sugar
How many calories are in tea with milk and sugar?
About 108 kcal in 1 cup, about 260 g, or 42 kcal per 100 g.
Is tea with milk and sugar good for weight management?
It rates 3.0/5, a moderate fit: it is low in calories for its weight and a regular serving is a modest portion, but it has little fibre for its calories and it is low in protein for its calories. See the lighter ways to have it on this page.
How much protein is in tea with milk and sugar?
About 3.9 g in 1 cup, about 260 g, which is 3.6 g for every 100 kcal.
How much walking uses the energy in tea with milk and sugar?
About 20 min of brisk walking for a 70 kg adult uses similar energy to one regular serving.
Does tea with milk and sugar add many calories?
The tea itself has almost none. The milk and sugar add the calories, so the number of cups a day and the sugar in each matter more than the tea.
Is tea without milk and sugar better for weight management?
Plain tea has almost no calories, so it is the lighter choice. A milk tea with less sugar can still fit into a weight-management day.
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Information, not medical advice. Values are estimates for a typical recipe. Found an error? Tell us.