Should You Drink Hot Chai on a Hot Day?

Should you drink hot chai in the summer?

Garam or Iced, we’ve got your summer chai.

What the Science Says about Hot Drinks

It’s going to be another 100+ Fahrenheit day in Texas, and I’m about to make a cup of chai. Should I make it an iced chai instead? It depends. It may come as a surprise but hot drinks like masala chai cool you down by triggering a small amount of sweating. That’s because your body needs to regulate its temperature with the addition of a hot drink into an already heated body. But there are a lot of factors that will determine if you sweat - including the temperature of your chai, how much you consume, and the temperature and humidity of the environment, meaning you need to be in a well-ventilated space for the sweat to evaporate. If not, your core temperature will increase, because the heat has no way to exit your body. So, you might get even hotter.

Wait what??

What the Science Says about Cold Drinks

And if you drink something cold on hot day, the cold liquid will cool your core temperature by escaping to the fluid. So you might be better off enjoying a chilled drink. But, if your drink is very cold, it shuts down your body’s sweat response because it cools your core temperature, so your body needs to sweat less.

It’s complicated!

Either way, stay hydrated, no matter what the temperature of your drink. 

So whether you’re in the mood for garam chai or iced chai, try these deliciously satisfying treats all summer long.

CHAI-SICLES

(Yes, we just made it a thing!)

Chai popsicles are a tasty, low-calorie, healthy, fun pick-me-up treat when the days are long and hot. I prefer my chai-sicles creamy, so I indulge by making it with milk and no water and adding maple syrup to sweeten.

The recipe is easy:

Add 3 scoops of Heirloom Chai or Love Chai to just enough boiled water to stir and dissolve.

Sweeten as you wish.  I prefer maple syrup or honey but use what you prefer.

Add 16 ounces of the milk of your choice and stir. My go-to is oat milk and for a more decadent treat, coconut milk.  (But any non-dairy or dairy milk works.)

Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for a few hours.

Voila, summer on a stick!

CHAI ICE CUBES

Alternatively, using the recipe above, pop the chai into an ice cube tray and use the frozen chai cubes to make an iced chai. Pouring chai over the chai ice cubes prevents the dilution of the flavor.  Sip and savor summer.

Try our Chai-sicles and Iced Chai with either Heirloom Chai or Love Chai and chill.

Cheers,

Kamini