Produced by: Manoj Kumar
When your chai breaks start outnumbering your emails, experts say it’s time to pause. Beyond three cups a day, tea turns from comfort ritual to caffeine trap—messing with your sleep, gut, and even nutrient absorption.
Think your day starts with chai? Nutritionists disagree. Sipping tea on an empty stomach can spike acidity, dull appetite, and send your energy crashing before noon. Your gut deserves fruit first, not tannins.
An 85-year-old woman in the Himalayas once claimed to drink 50 cups of tea daily—without a hint of acidity. But unless you’re built like a mountain mystic, experts say maybe don’t try this at home.
After 4 p.m., your cup of chai might be your sleep’s worst enemy. Late caffeine delays melatonin release, leaving you awake, wired, and wondering why your dreams have gone missing.
Every sip of chai might be stealing something precious—your iron. Studies show tea’s tannins interfere with mineral absorption, leaving even balanced diets nutritionally lopsided over time.
That “alert” feeling after morning chai? A mirage. Without real food to back it, caffeine gives you a fleeting high, then drops you into fatigue. It’s the breakfast trap many fall into—daily.
Can’t quit chai? Try replacing one cup with herbal infusions or lemon water. Small swaps, big calm. It’s caffeine detox—disguised as self-care.
We drink chai for warmth and comfort, but overdoing it can quietly fray our nerves, disturb digestion, and hijack our evenings. When habit turns to dependence, the ‘comfort’ begins costing us calm.
Tea isn’t the villain—it’s the imbalance. When paired with small, wholesome snacks and moderation, chai can still be the ritual that nourishes instead of drains. The trick? Timing and mindfulness.