Should You Have Milk in Your Tea? posted by Stanley Mburu on November 20 2020

A Question We Hear Lots!

It’s a big debate in the tea world. Should you be adding milk to your tea? Or does it spoil it? Or even take away some of the health benefits associated with tea?

Let’s dive a little bit deeper, shall we?

Billions of people all over the world drink and love tea. But people drink their tea in their own way. Certain countries insist milk in tea is the only way to have it while many argue that it’s not the way to drink it at all. The ‘rules’ also seem to dramatically change depending on the type and blend of tea too. So, it’s certainly not a straight yes or no answer.

Why add milk to tea?

Originally, it’s said that people started to add milk to tea to reduce the natural bitterness of the taste. In general, black tea can be bitter when served solo, so adding a splash of milk sweetens the taste and makes it more palatable for many.  

It’s also said that milk was originally added to tea to lower the temperature and make it easy to drink and enjoy straight away after serving.

Again, different stories from different parts of the world.

This then turned into a habit and somewhat of a tradition in many places around the globe.

What about milk?

Milk is a source rich in calcium, protein and potassium. But does adding a splash to your tea actually help increase the healthiness of a cuppa? Or does it change the composition of tea?

This is a point argued and debated in hundreds of thousands of sources on the internet. And unfortunately, we still can’t give you a direct answer. It’s just not all that simple, you see!

We know that milk adds a certain level of acidity to your tea when you include it. Black and green tea is known for its natural antioxidants. This is one of many reasons why the drink is such a popular choice around the world. Aside from its delicious taste, of course! But some resources say that these antioxidants are reduced in efficiency when you add the acidity of the milk to your cup.

Some studies even go on to say that black tea benefits are totally wiped out by adding milk. But again, these studies are varied and for every study you find with these results, you’ll find another that argues the opposite.

Confusing, right?

So – should we add milk or not?

At the end of the day, you drink tea to enjoy it. So, it all comes down to personal taste.

If there’s one solution we can offer, maybe reduce the number of cups of tea with milk per day. Instead, try switching to other types of tea you can thoroughly enjoy without any milk. And you can always try adding a cube of sugar if you find the taste a little too bitter without it. This usually works a charm.

Some of our fave tea blends to enjoy without any milk at all?

Try Mint Grey, our minty Moroccan take on the classic Earl Grey. Opt for any of our incredible green tea blends or try a fruity or herbal tea that requires no additions at all.