When it comes to non-alcoholic and refreshing beverages, there is no doubt that tea and coffee are considered to be the best. Though there could be other beverages such as malt, cocoa or chocolate drinks, there is nothing perhaps more invigorating and refreshing than a cup of hot tea. While coffee also can be a refreshing drink, tea has more health benefits when compared to coffee.
Tea With Milk Or Without Milk
There always has been quite a bit of debate about the way in which tea should be drunk. While purists are of the view that it would be best to drink tea without milk or sugar, there are many who believe otherwise. They are of the view that adding a bit of milk and even sugar could make a world of difference to the taste of the day without losing the goodness associated with it. Hence, we will try and find out whether milk should be added to it. Since a majority of tea drinkers add milk to it, we will therefore also try and answer the question what kind of milk is a better choice for tea.
Stay Away From Skimmed Milk
To put it frankly any kind of milk should go well with tea. But if you ask are looking at the right taste, aroma and flavor, it would be better to avoid skimmed milk. This is because in many cases it could make the tea become too watery. If you are a non-vegetarian, then whole milk could be the best option. This is perhaps because it is creamy and comes with full fat. However, it would not be a good idea to use the full cream content because it will surely spoil the taste of your tea and will take away its original aroma, and flavor.
If you are a vegan and would still like to enjoy something that is close to full milk with tea, you should try out almond milk or cashew milk. These may not be as good as milk in terms of taste but are very close to milk when it comes to creaminess. While looking at various other options of milk and tea, we also will talk about a few things that should be avoided.
Do not put cream in your tea. There are a few people who believe that adding cream to tea could be a good idea. This is totally wrong and it applies to coffee also. Some people might consider adding a spoonful of cream to either tea or milk. This is best avoided because cream is just too high in fat contents. It will not mix well with tea and you will end up having a beverage of tea that is too heavy. Understand the difference between creamer and actual cream. 10% milk that is used for coffee is often mistakenly considered as cream. By cream we mean real cream. It is the fat-rich content that is added to sauce and for other cooking purposes. Some users have tried whipped cream with tea. This again is not a good idea to say the least. To sum it up, always stay away from cream, even if the pack says it contains low fat. Cream and tea are incompatible to say the least and cream is without any doubt too heavy as far as tea is concerned.
What About Whole Milk
If you love dairy products and as mentioned earlier, if you are non-vegan, then whole milk is perhaps the best option. If you are a bit adventurous and not very squeamish, you perhaps could enter into a milk supply arrangement with a farmer. He will be able to supply you with the best of cow milk that is fresh and whole. Please ensure that the animal is in good health and its udders are fresh, clean and well maintained.
Sterilized Milk Is A Good Choice
If you are not in favor of whole milk or if you are not able to get regular supplies of fresh milk, you have good reasons to go in for sterilized milk. This is basically fresh milk that is boiled thoroughly and has been left to cool. The creams, about which we have mentioned above, tend to float on the top and have a yellow color. You would do well to avoid the cream that floats atop the sterilized milk when adding it to tea.Sterilized milk has a lower fat percentage, but is higher than the 3.5% stipulated in many countries of the world.
UHT Could Be Another Option
There are many tea drinkers who do not like sterilized milk. For them, UHT having the highest percentage is the next best option. UHT stands for ultra high temperature. This process is boiling milk at very high temperatures or around 135 degree centigrade. This is what many connoisseurs of tea like. This is because when you use UHT you are putting actual milk into your tea. This milk comes in small packs and can be poured directly into the brewed tea and drunk.
A Few Other Alternatives
Apart from dairy, there are a few other options that are also considered good for those who believe that tea and milk should be had together.
Almond milk is the choice for all those who are vegan. It is a good source of vitamins, minerals and other beneficial antioxidants.You could also try vanilla, soy and rice milks. However, many who do not like dairy products in their tea are happier with almond milk. It does taste good and it goes well with tea. Almond is also a creamier option and it blends perfectly will with many types, flavors and aromas of tea. If you love a malty and salty taste with your tea, then rice milk could be another choice. It is not as creamy as dairy milk or almond milk. Many use this when dairy milk and almond milk are not available for some reason or other. Cashew milk is a great option because it is creamier, heavier and is considered to be a close substitute for cow milk.
The Final Word
The above would most certainly have given the readers a reasonably good idea about the various types of milk that could mate well with your morning cup of tea. The decision is best left to the end users and each drinker of tea might have different taste buds and requirements. There also could be many who believe that tea and milk do not go together. While some like to have tea with sugar others would like to avoid it altogether. There are others, who would like to add lemon to their tea.
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