Tea has been regarded by people around the world as quintessentially English from time immemorial. But, we Bangladeshis have developed our own identity and culture when it comes to tea – speaking of enraged debates or hours of adda at tea stalls is almost a cliché. For the longest time, our tastes have been confined to tea served with milk and sugar. Though there is no debate among tea-lovers, a small portion still prefers their tea without milk and sugar. While it has hinged on personal preference, health benefits have yet to take a say when it comes to what to do add to a cuppa.
Research has shown that the health gains in tea are greatly reduced when milk is added to it. Black tea significantly improves the ability of arteries to relax and expand to keep blood pressure healthy and a paper by the European Heart Journal found proteins in milk, called caseins, block the effect. The increase of metabolism which has been associated with drinking black tea is also reduced when milk is added.
A lot of health conscious people nowadays avoid sugar with their tea. The added sugar, which in Bangladesh sometimes exceeds 2-3 spoons, can be bad for the health. Tea in Bangladesh is not really tea without sugar or milk, but with time, one comes to like the true flavour of tea. It boils down to taste in the end and majority prefer the good old milk tea. For those of us who are health conscious, it is better to skip the milk and sugar – the health benefits are numerous and the unique taste of a cup of home brewed tea are reasons enough.
