Calories in Chai, Coffee, Lassi and Other Indian Drinks
Updated 11 November 2026 ยท By the Thali Lens team
Drinks are the calories people forget to count. They do not fill the stomach the way food does, and many of us have them four or five times a day.
| Drink | Serving | Calories (kcal) |
|---|---|---|
| Black tea, no sugar | 1 cup, 150 ml | 2 |
| Milk chai, no sugar | 1 cup, 150 ml | 50 |
| Milk chai, 2 tsp sugar | 1 cup, 150 ml | 90 |
| Filter coffee with sugar | 1 cup, 150 ml | 90 |
| Sweet lassi | 1 glass, 250 ml | 240 |
| Chaas (buttermilk) | 1 glass, 250 ml | 50 |
| Nimbu pani, 2 tsp sugar | 1 glass, 250 ml | 45 |
| Coconut water | 1 glass, 250 ml | 50 |
| Sugarcane juice | 1 glass, 250 ml | 180 |
| Cola | 1 glass, 250 ml | 105 |
Sugar by the teaspoon
One teaspoon of sugar is about 20 kcal. Four cups of chai with two teaspoons each means eight teaspoons, or 160 kcal from sugar alone. Cutting to one teaspoon per cup halves that without giving up tea.
Milk matters too
The 50 kcal in an unsweetened cup come from milk. Chai made with more milk than water, or with full-cream milk, is higher. Milk also brings protein and calcium, so it is the sugar, not the milk, that is worth reducing first.
Lassi and chaas
Both start from curd. Sweet lassi adds sugar and often malai, which takes a glass to about 240 kcal. Chaas is curd thinned with water and salt, about 50 kcal a glass, and works well with lunch.
Juice and soft drinks
Sugarcane juice, packaged juice and cola are mostly sugar in water. Whole fruit gives the same sweetness with fibre and is more filling.
Quick tips
- Reduce sugar in tea slowly, half a teaspoon at a time. Taste adjusts in a couple of weeks.
- Drink water first when you feel thirsty.
- Choose chaas, plain nimbu pani or coconut water over soft drinks.
Related guides
- High-Protein Vegetarian Indian Foods (With a Sample Day)
- How to Build a Balanced Indian Thali of About 500 Calories
- Calories in Indian Breakfasts: Poha, Upma, Paratha, Idli and More
- Indian food calorie chart
Values are typical estimates for home-style cooking and common serving sizes. Recipes and portions differ, so real values can be higher or lower. This page is general information, not medical advice.