The

Chai Debate in Summer

: Should You Actually Stop Drinking It

Quick Summary

There is a particular stubbornness associated with the daily practice of making chai in India – a practice carried out even if there isn't a snowball's chance in hell of it being necessary. In the heart of May, in Delhi or Nagpur with 43-degree Celsius air, millions still take out the kettle and make their chai anyway.

They boil their milk. They measure out their tea leaves. And they sip their chai, knowing for once that their day is going to get sorted.

For the rest of us, it is a form of defiance. For the Indians themselves, it is merely part of the routine.

But somehow, every year, the question inevitably gets asked: Is it really wise to drink chai in weather like this?

It seems clear-cut enough: The online wellness circles are sure of their answer. Your body, however, is more interesting.

Deep Dive

The most logical scientific reasoning behind a summer chai lies in basic human physiology. The moment we consume something that heats our body from the inside, our bodies respond in their tried-and-tested way – by sweating. Once the sweat evaporates from the surface of our skin, we get the benefit of the process of evaporative cooling. Thus, theoretically speaking, a hot drink increases our body heat and causes us to sweat more, resulting in the actual cooling effect.

But, as we all know too well, things aren't always simple. The problem arises when the ambient temperature rises above our skin temperature, as it is the sweat evaporation that becomes the most effective method of heat loss. Thus, if the environment does not allow us to lose heat via sweat evaporation, it means that our internal temperature will increase, causing an adverse impact on our health.

Which means that hot drinks are indeed likely to cool us off in dry weather (like Rajasthan, or a large portion of central India). If you're trying them in humid environments, like coastal Indian cities in the monsoon, or even in monsoon-prepped afternoons, they'll likely do more harm than good. Wikipedia

The Dehydration Factor

One of the arguments against drinking summer chai has always been that it leads to dehydration, and that one calls for a more thorough analysis.

Chai, as a general rule, contains caffeine, a mild diuretic. According to the British Dietetic Association, however, the amount of caffeine contained in the two or three cups that the majority of Indians consume daily has no negative effect on hydration levels whatsoever. The issue becomes more significant with milk and sugar, especially with heavy cream, in several portions. This chai is far from the best rehydration tool during hot weather.

But, of course, the chai aficionados are well aware of that. If you ask someone drinking four cups of summer chai daily, he or she will most likely admit drinking much more water than the majority of Indians.

The Spices and Heat Balance

So now, we've established that the hot drink argument and the dehydration argument are both rather subjective. There is, however, another angle to consider – the one involving the masala that goes into chai.

Traditionally, masala chai combines cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, anise, and pepper. According to Ayurveda, these are heating spices and perfect for the winter weather – they provide the necessary warmth and promote good blood flow. In summer, these spices are likely to add to excessive pitta in our body, creating heat inside us even though the climate outside has plenty of it on its own.

Not many know, however, that masala can be changed depending on the season. In Ayurveda, coriander seeds are classified as cooling spices, effectively balancing the pitta. Fennel seeds contain anethole, an essential oil that helps lower body heat – something especially valuable in summer.

What's more, both of these ingredients are readily available in Indian kitchens. Whole spices, including whole coriander seeds and whole fennel seeds, can be found in many well-sourced spice ranges.

Moreover, science backs up the claim that fennel reduces internal heat in summer due to its powerful digestive properties – particularly useful during hot days when the heat affects the digestive processes. A slightly less spicy, lightly sweetened fennel-based chai brewed faster than the usual winter counterpart is less aggressive in terms of heat. It's a completely different experience.

The Summer Chai Case

Thus, instead of stopping drinking chai, one should change their chai.

If you substitute cardamom with fennel seeds and use coriander seeds for added coolness in your summer chai, you'll get a completely different product from what we normally see in winter.

Use less black tea in the blend and shorten the brewing time to minimise caffeine intake. Pour less milk into your chai – or dilute it with a little bit of water.

This way, you'll get a perfect chai recipe for summer that will satisfy your craving while not doing you any harm.

According to Ayurveda, these spices are called Sheeta Virya spices – meaning they lower the internal heat. Thus, the aim of a summer chai recipe based on them is to support the body's natural thermoregulation, not interfere with it.

A fennel-based summer chai is exactly about that: providing you with the feeling of comfort during the hot weather, not adding to your discomfort.

Aashirvaad's fennel seeds and whole coriander seeds will add the exact feeling of coolness you want in your summer chai.

Fennel seeds will provide the taste of fresh herbs, while the whole coriander seeds' subtle citrus notes will round off the drink.

The Truth About the Summer Chai

Do we need to give up our daily chai during the summer? No, definitely not.

While the question is rather subjective from a scientific point of view, the answer is obvious.

The process of sweating in response to a hot drink is one of the major ways in which our body regulates heat, which means that, in certain conditions, a hot drink may indeed help. As far as dehydration is concerned, it is also rather subjective, especially if you're drinking water along with your summer chai.

As for the actual way to enjoy your favourite chai during the warm weather, it's by using summer masala in it, as well as making changes in the recipe and using less of the ingredients.

This is exactly why the summer chai exists – and we love it just as much as the usual winter version.