3 min readNew DelhiMar 2, 2026 06:00 PM ISTKareena Kapoor Khan loves chai. (Source: Instagram/@kareenakapoorkhan)Indians have a never-ending love affair with chai. From starting the day with a hot cup of tea to hosting people over in the evening, the beverage finds itself at the centre of community and rituals. Kareena Kapoor Khan also indulges in this ritual, sharing on Instagram that she is a “shaam ki chai” kind of a person. “Shaam ki chai with Parle G, something else only, you know what I mean?” she wrote.But is consuming tea every evening healthy?Dr Smriti Jhunjhunwala, BHMS nutritionist and dietitian, said that while tea in itself is not bad, there has been a lot of confusion when it comes to the way one must drink the beverage — with milk or without it, with or without sugar, overbrewing it or less brewing it, along with the best time to drink it.According to her, normal black tea, enjoyed by the majority of the population, is rich in antioxidants and compounds which prevent cellular damage and help reduce inflammation of the body, due to the presence of polyphenols like catechins, theaflavins and thearubigins, all of which promote the overall health of the individual. “However, Indians consume their tea by adding milk and sugar to it, which alters its nutritional profile,” she told indianexpress.com.Who can have tea in the evening?According to Ayurvedic expert Dr Dixa Bhavsar Savaliya, certain people are fit to enjoy their evening cup of chai. “People who work night shifts, those who don’t have acidity or gastric issues, have a healthy digestion, aren’t addicted to tea (are fine if evening tea isn’t available), or don’t have sleep issues. People who eat on time daily and drink half or less than 1 cup of tea a day can also have a cup in the evening,” she shared.ALSO READ | Beyond the brew: The rise of the tea party Kareena’ Instagram story. (Source: Instagram/@kareenakapoorkhan)What can you do to follow a healthier lifestyle?Dr Jhunjhunwala suggests making following changes to your tea drinking habits for a healthier lifestyle. They are:Eat something like nuts, raisins, or a fruit and then opt for the milk tea.Do not over brew the tea after adding milk, it helps to retain at least some amount of antioxidants in the tea.Adding a spoonful of milk after brewing the tea makes it even better with its nutrition.If you are in the habit of drinking 3-4 cups a day, then you should initially switch to different varieties of tea like green tea or tea of different flavours and leaves such as chamomile, hibiscus, rose. Gradually cut it down to 1 cup per day. Avoid drinking tea in the evening hours as it might result in disturbance of sleep and also cause bloating.Tea taken on an empty stomach can result in loss of appetite with no nutritional value and therefore should always be taken in between meals.DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. For more lifestyle news, click here to join our WhatsApp Channel and also follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:black teaKareena Kapoor Khan