What Is Thai Tea? Everything You Need to Know About This Sweet, Spiced Delight

Thai tea is a chilled, spiced black tea beverage that often includes cardamom and star anise. Due to the added sweeteners, it’s sugary, so it’s wise to enjoy Thai tea in moderation.

Widely enjoyed at Thai eateries around the globe, including those in the United States, Thai tea blends traditional Thai street tea with Western preferences for sweet, boldly flavored iced drinks.

Essentially, Thai tea is iced black tea combined with milk and aromatic spices. Its flavor is unmistakable — earthy and pleasant, with a lush, sweet finish that sets it apart from other teas.

Because black tea is rich in polyphenols — compounds with potential disease-fighting properties — Thai tea may provide some health perks.

Additionally, the spices used in Thai tea are full of antioxidants and plant compounds believed to support health and counter disease.

That said, Thai tea can be loaded with added sugar.

Continue reading to learn what Thai tea is, why it’s beloved, and the science behind its ingredients and their possible health effects.

What is Thai tea?

Also called Thai iced tea, Thai tea is a spiced, chilled black tea drink commonly consumed in Thailand and neighboring regions.

Its striking orange-red hue comes from spices such as star anise, cardamom, tamarind seed, and often red food coloring.

It can be brewed from loose black tea leaves or Thai tea bags, and on occasion it’s served hot rather than iced.

The tea is sweetened with condensed milk or evaporated milk blended with sugar before cooling, creating a creamy layer atop the drink. Flavor notes typically include earthy base tones, nutty hints, and a strong sweetness.

Recipes vary, but most versions use a Thai tea mix, which can be made at home or purchased from Thai restaurants.

Thai tea nutrition

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that an 8-ounce (240-mL) portion of Thai tea contains 154 calories and a substantial amount of sugar (1).

Other nutrients include:

• Protein: 1 gram
• Carbohydrates: 31 grams
• Fat: 2.8 grams
• Fiber: 1 gram
• Sodium: 64.8 milligrams
• Sugar: 24 grams
• Calcium: 6% of the recommended daily intake (RDI)
• Iron: 2% of the RDI

Thai tea also delivers caffeine. Tea bags have been measured to contain about 218 mg/L of caffeine (2).

Actual caffeine amounts differ among brewed teas. Factors such as the tea leaf’s origin and processing, plus brewing method, all influence caffeine content.

Caffeine is a natural stimulant that many people rely on for enhanced mental alertness. While evidence shows caffeine can boost performance, it may also cause side effects like insomnia and heightened anxiety (3, 4).

Summary: Thai tea is high in added sugar. The caffeine level in brewed black tea varies by preparation. Caffeine can enhance performance but may produce adverse effects.

Thai tea health benefits

Thai tea may offer several health advantages — including anti-inflammatory effects and prebiotic actions — largely due to its component ingredients.

Black tea

Black tea is rich in antioxidants and bioactive compounds that may reduce inflammation, potentially helping prevent chronic disease.

Clinical evidence indicates that drinking black tea might offer protection against diabetes and cardiovascular disease and may aid weight management (5).

Some research suggests black tea polyphenols could be more effective than green tea polyphenols for weight-loss support, despite green tea’s reputation as a metabolism enhancer (6).

Lisa Andrews, a registered dietitian at Sound Bites Nutrition, notes that black tea contains significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds.

“Black tea contains polyphenolic compounds, such as theaflavins and thearubigins, that may help protect against cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease,” Andrews told HealthEH via email.

One review indicates black tea polyphenols may aid in managing obesity (7), though more research is needed before drawing definitive conclusions about black tea’s role in weight control.

Black tea’s benefits extend further.

Research in animals suggests black tea can positively affect the gut microbiome, according to Andrews.

“It’s been found to increase short-chain fatty acid production and the diversity of the gut microbiome, but reduce Lactobacillus bacteria in the gut of healthy rats,” she said.

The gut microbiome consists of roughly 100 trillion microorganisms that perform various functions — some protect against disease, others support general health (8).

A diverse gut microbiome tends to be more resilient than one dominated by only a few bacterial types, and this diversity may help protect against illness (8).

Tea consumption has also been tied to brain benefits.

The antioxidant activity of tea polyphenols may reduce oxidative stress, potentially lowering risk for conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease (9).

Oxidative stress is caused by unstable oxygen molecules (free radicals) damaging cells. Elevated free-radical production is associated with increased risk for certain chronic illnesses (10).

Summary: Black tea supplies antioxidants that help reduce bodily inflammation, potentially preventing chronic disease and supporting brain health. It may also benefit the gut microbiome.

Cardamom

Cardamom lends a pronounced aroma and flavor and is used whole or ground to give Thai tea its characteristic taste.

“According to phytochemical analyses, cardamom contains several chemical compounds, including carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, lipids, essential oils, flavonoids, terpenoids, and carotenoids,” Andrews said.

Cardamom has been associated with better blood-sugar control and reduced triglyceride concentrations.

“A small study in subjects with diabetes found that cardamom supplementation aids in reducing Hba1c [average blood sugar level], insulin, and triglycerides,” Andrews explained (11).

Summary: Cardamom is rich in various phytochemicals and may help manage diabetes and lower triglycerides.

Star anise

Star anise contributes a licorice-like note to Thai tea, balancing the drink’s creamy sweetness.

Beyond culinary use, star anise is common in traditional Chinese medicine for its antiviral qualities (12).

“It’s a medicinal herb,” Andrews said, “with several health properties such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory.”

Star anise is also a source of shikimic acid, a compound used in the production of antiviral medications like oseltamivir (Tamiflu), which is used in Western medicine to help treat influenza, Andrews added.

Nonetheless, more investigation is needed into star anise’s effects, and you should consult a healthcare provider if you feel unwell.

Summary: Star anise is a medicinal spice with antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Tamarind seed

Seeds from fruits like tamarind are rich in active phytochemicals (plant-derived compounds with antioxidant effects), notably flavonoids, anthocyanins, vitamin C, and carotenoids (13).

Andrews notes that tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP) may support beneficial gut bacteria.

“TSP promotes beneficial bacterial growth,” she told HealthEH, “which researchers believe may have prebiotic functions, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and maintenance of the intestinal gut barrier” (14).

Prebiotics are types of dietary fiber that feed friendly gut bacteria, potentially improving digestive health and overall wellness.

TSP is also used as a thickener in food and medicinal formulations, Andrews said.

“It’s been found in some studies to be a good substitute [for] or used in conjunction with hyaluronic acid for injection compounds for arthritis,” she said.

Summary: The tamarind seed is a source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant effects and may encourage the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.

Potential downsides of Thai tea

Sugar

Thai tea often contains a large amount of added sugar — roughly six teaspoons per serving — which can be detrimental to health if consumed frequently.

The 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting added sugars to under 10% of total daily calories, which amounts to no more than 200 calories (about 12 teaspoons) on a 2,000-calorie diet (15).

A single serving of Thai tea supplies about 50% of the recommended daily added-sugar allowance.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) note that Americans consume excessive added sugars, which can contribute to weight gain, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes (16).

Summary: Thai tea is high in added sugar, and frequent consumption could negatively impact health.

Food coloring

Food colorings are dyes created to make foods visually appealing by imparting vivid shades. Many are synthesized from petroleum-derived substances.

Older reviews have raised health concerns about certain dyes such as Red 3, which has been shown to cause cancer in animal studies; other colorants have also been associated with carcinogenic risk (17).

Traces of benzidine and other potential carcinogens have been found in some dyes, including Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 (17).

At least four common dyes (Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) may provoke hypersensitivity reactions (17).

Based on studies in insects and in vitro models, avoiding heavy, chronic exposure to food colorants over a lifetime is advisable (18).

While debate about the safety of food dyes continues, current regulated use in the United States is generally considered safe (19).

Summary: Food dyes are artificial pigments used for visual appeal, and some have been linked to cancer in studies.

The bottom line

Thai tea is a spiced black tea drink with a distinctive orange-red color from its spice blend and often artificial dye.

It’s a sweet, creamy beverage made with milk and sugar.

Black tea brings potent antioxidants and plant compounds that may promote health and help fight disease.

However, Thai tea also contains a notable amount of added sugar — about 6 teaspoons per serving, which represents roughly half of the daily recommended limit for added sugars.

For that reason, it’s best to enjoy Thai tea in moderation.

Just one thing

Try this today: You can include Thai tea occasionally as part of a balanced diet. I prefer a modified version that skips the artificial coloring and cuts down on added sugar by using dates for sweetness — they work wonderfully.

Here’s one adapted Thai tea recipe if you want to try making a homemade version.