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Is Drinking Green Tea with Milk Bad For You? - Green Tea Quiz
Is Drinking Green Tea with Milk a Bad Idea?
More and more people are drinking Japanese green tea in a non-traditional manner, such as by adding milk. Some famous examples are the matcha latte you found at your local Starbucks and a green tea smoothie you may try at home with your blender.
But you may also have heard that drinking tea with milk is a bad idea.
Is this the case with green tea or Matcha?
Green Tea and Milk Health Benefits
Milk is a good source of calcium and protein. It lessens the bitterness of green tea, and the combination of milk and green tea tastes good.
If you want the maximum health benefit from drinking green tea, having milk with it will decrease the benefits but not eliminate them all.
One of the main health benefits of green tea is catechin, which is good for your heart, blood flow, and much more. (Read my full article about catechin here.)
A protein found in milk called caseins makes a chemical reaction with catechin, reducing its health benefits.
Drinking tea with milk reduces the benefit of catechin, which relaxes blood vessels, compared to drinking with water.
It is NOT BAD for you; just the Benefit from the Tea is REDUCED
But please note that tea combined with milk does not produce chemicals that are bad for your body; this is an often-heard myth. It does not. It reduces the benefit but does not generate a harmful chemical.
What Can You do to Get as Many Green Tea Benefits as Possible?
One idea is to choose soy milk rather than cow's milk. Soy milk contains lecithin, which has a different molecular structure than casein. If you like soy milk, you will get the full catechin benefits.
Since it is not "bad" for you, you may as well enjoy the tea. Many other components in tea, such as tannin, gallic acid, and even caffeine (for losing weight), will still act well on your body when you drink green tea with milk.
Another option is to choose Matcha rather than Sencha for tea used with milk. People often use Matcha rather than sencha when adding to milk. Since Matcha is powdered and contains the whole leaf rather than the steeped leaf-like sencha, you get more health benefits by drinking the same amount of tea.
Remember that Matcha tends to have more caffeine than Sencha, so if you drink at night or limit your caffeine intake, it may not be a good idea to drink Matcha.
Weight Loss in Green Tea with Milk
A cup of green tea has almost zero calories, and a tablespoon of whole milk contains 9 calories. The weight loss benefit of green tea will still work. However, when consuming boba milk or green tea with many additives, you might gain a few pounds in many days if your healthy diet is not maintained.
Green Tea with Milk Substitutes
How about green tea with, say, oat milk, almond milk, coconut milk, or other kinds of non-dairy milk? Some people were lactose-intolerant, allergic, or experience inflammation to animal milk. Green tea mixed with non-dairy milk is not bad for you. Green tea, especially Matcha, tastes great with any milk.
For a creamier matcha latte, go for oat or coconut milk. If you want a hot matcha latte, there are barista versions of non-dairy milk, especially the green tea cappuccino or flat white. Warm almond milk will also produce foam when whisked using a hand frother. Steamed milk can also be used in green tea lattes for a creamy texture.
Dolce Gusto and Nespresso green tea pods are available for convenience at home. Just place a glass of milk under the coffee machine and let it extract and release the green tea flavors. Some green tea pod packages already include milk pods.
If you like to reduce Matcha’s grassy taste, almond milk is a perfect milk to pair. The nutty flavor of almond milk will overpower the grassy taste. Green tea with coconut milk is refreshing, like drinking green tea yogurt.
When Did People Start Adding Milk to Tea?
There are many stories about who first added milk to tea. Some say Tibetans were the first. Europeans, especially the British, also started adding milk to tea. Actually, cold milk was first put into the cup, then the tea. The reason is that many cups were easy to crack unless they were expensive bone china teaware. These durable ones were too expensive. They put a bit of cold milk to lessen the tea temperature, thus preventing the cup from cracking.
Black tea with milk is a classic pairing, and historically, milk was used to cover up the bitterness of low-quality black teas.
Whoever added milk to tea first, many countries worldwide have followed suit, creating tea-to-milk or milk-to-tea beverages such as Matcha Latte, sencha with evaporated milk, Chai Tea, Teh Tarik, Boba Milk Tea, and many more.
Which is Better: Milk First or Green Tea First?
Before, putting milk first and then tea is recommended, as the teacup will crack if newly boiled tea is poured. Others pour tea first to taste the quality of the tea, then milk so they can boast about how high-quality their teaware is.
Now, everyone prefers to pour tea first before milk.
Meanwhile, according to Dr. Andrew Stapley, a chemist from Loughborough University, and also from an announcement from the Royal Society of Chemistry, milk after tea will cause the milk to lose its protein when in contact with hot water. If the opposite is done, this will be less likely to happen when milk is served before tea. Also, milk last will cause the milk to heat unevenly, and milk first will taste better and creamier.
Others still want tea first, as the whole drink will cool too quickly. It is more convenient to brew tea first in a cup or mug and add the milk later. They suggest leaving a teaspoon for a few seconds before adding milk or drinking plain tea.
If your green tea is of decent or premium quality, try doing the milk first and tea last, and see if the taste difference is really that significant to your taste. What matters is to brew the tea properly.
Can We Drink Green Tea with Milk and Sugar?
Yes, but the sugar might overpower the taste of green tea and milk. Green tea itself, along with milk, is already good enough. Adding a bit of sugar has no specific effect on green tea's health benefits. If in excess, the drink will be too sweet and can cause tooth decay and other health problems.
Recipes to Enjoy Green Tea with Milk
Iced Green Tea Latte
- Sencha, Hojicha, and Matcha are the popular teas in iced lattes. Matcha is in powder form and is easy to mix. Whisk Matcha with a 1/4 cup of hot water. Add milk, natural sweetener, or agave syrup to the glass. Mix. Put ice and add the Matcha mixture. If using Sencha or Hojicha, brew the tea before adding it to the latte. You can read about making a layered Hojicha and Matcha Latte if you want a unique latte.
Green Tea Latte
- Same with iced green tea latte except no ice but with hot water. Add the brewed green tea first into the cup and put a frothed milk or swirl of milk on top.
Matcha Banana Smoothie
- Peel and put the banana and ice cubes in the blender. Add Matcha powder and milk. Blend and pour into the glass. Enjoy!
Green Tea Lassi
- Lassi, an Indian drink, is popular worldwide and tastes good with green tea. Just blend all the ingredients: 1 to 2 teaspoons of Matcha powder or any green tea powder, 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/2 cup of milk, and 1 teaspoon of agave nectar. After that, put in the glass and add a teaspoon of lemon juice if you want a bit of citrusy taste.
Boba / Bubble Green Tea
- Boba milk tea is trendy, especially for younger adults. It is sometimes called Bubble Tea. First, cook the Black Tapioca pearls according to the package instructions. Use 1/4 cup of Tapioca pearls for one serving of bubble green tea.
If you are almost done cooking, mix 1 cup of milk with 1/4 cup brewed green tea or 1 teaspoon of Matcha, and 2 tablespoons of honey or any sweetener. Use a cocktail shaker to mix the ingredients. If you don't have one, use a stainless steel tumbler to create a cold, refreshing drink. Pour the drink into the glass and add the Tapioca pearls.
In Summary
Milk does decrease the health benefits of green tea, but there are still good elements of tea you get even when adding milk to your green tea. Choose soy milk over cow's milk and Matcha over loose-leaf sencha for maximum benefit. But overall, it is not "BAD" for you if you drink green tea with milk. Aside from that, tea with milk is also very delicious.
There is no correct way to drink green tea with condiments as long as you are happy and caring for your health.
Frequently Asked Questions About Drinking Green Tea with Milk
1. Does adding milk to green tea completely eliminate its health benefits?
No, adding milk to green tea does not completely eliminate its health benefits. While milk can reduce the effectiveness of catechins—antioxidants found in green tea that contribute to heart health and other benefits—milk does not make green tea harmful. You’ll still gain some benefits from the tea, such as its caffeine and other compounds. To maximize the health benefits, consider using soy milk or drinking Matcha instead, as they may preserve more of the beneficial catechins.
2. Is it better to use soy milk or cow’s milk when mixing with green tea?
Soy milk is often a better choice than cow’s milk when mixing with green tea, primarily because it contains lecithin instead of casein. Casein in cow’s milk can bind with catechins, reducing their health benefits. Soy milk, with its different molecular structure, does not interfere as much with catechins, allowing you to retain more of the tea's health benefits. Additionally, soy milk can be a good option for those who are lactose intolerant or prefer plant-based alternatives.
3. How can I enjoy green tea with milk without compromising its health benefits?
To enjoy green tea with milk while still maximizing its health benefits, consider the following tips:
- Opt for Soy Milk: As mentioned, soy milk is a better choice for preserving catechin benefits compared to cow’s milk.
- Use Matcha: Matcha, being a powdered form of green tea, contains the whole leaf and provides more nutrients compared to steeped green tea.
- Drink It Moderately: If you prefer cow’s milk, enjoy green tea with milk in moderation, and balance it with other healthful practices.
By choosing the right type of milk and understanding how to make the best out of your green tea, you can still enjoy this beverage with its delightful flavors and benefits.
This post was first published in 2023, but it was updated 30.7. 2024 just for you.
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About the author
Kei Nishida
Author, CEO Dream of Japan
Certification: PMP, BS in Computer Science
Education: Western Washington University
Kei Nishida is a Japanese green tea enthusiast, a writer, and the founder and CEO of Japanese Green Tea Co., a Dream of Japan Company. His passion for introducing America to the tea of his homeland was the catalyst for creating the only company that brings high-quality tea from Arahataen Green Tea Farms to the rest of the world. Learn more about Kei
