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List of Indian drinks facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

With a climate as varied and extreme as India, the people require a myriad of options to keep their thirst appropriately quenched according to the weather conditions, varying from steaming hot drinks during winters to frosty cold drinks in summers. Different regions in the country serve drinks made with an eclectic assortment of ingredients including local spices, flavors and herbs. Available on the streets, as well as on the menus of posh hotels, these drinks add to the flavorful cuisine of India.

Consumption statistics by drink type

This is the consumption of drinks per capita per year in India in 2021 by drink type excluding water and juices.

Drink type Per capita consumption (liter)
Hot drinks 70
Dairy drinks 34
Soft drinks 20
Bottled water 6
Alcoholic drink 4
Total 134

Assorted drinks

Dairy drinks

Flavoured milk

A cup of chilled Badam milk
Badam milk
Rosemilk
Rosemilk
  • Badam milk – almond-flavoured milk
  • Kesar milk – saffron-flavoured milk
  • Rose milk - Rose sharbat - flavoured milk
  • Sugandha milk

Milk-based beverages

  • Ambil or Ambli – prepared by using ragi flour and buttermilk, Maharashtra and Karnataka
  • ButtermilkLassi or Laasi in North India, chhachh or Chaas or Chaah in North India, mor in Tamil, majjiga in Telugu, majjige in Kannada, and taak in Marathi
  • Chai with cream – prepared using dry or fresh variants of tea, often has hints of cardamom (elaichi), cinnamon (dalchini) or a mixture of spices, which constitute the special masala chai, taken especially during the cold to keep the winter-related problems at bay
  • Haldi doodh or hot turmeric milk
  • Lassi – a popular, traditional, yogurt-based drink from Northern India. It is a blend of yogurt, water, spices and sometimes fruit.
    • Traditional lassi (a.k.a., "salted lassi", or simply "lassi") is a savoury drink, sometimes flavoured with ground and roasted cumin.
    • Sweet lassi, however, contains sugar or fruits, instead of spices. Banarasi Lassi: Varanasi, one of the prominent cities of Bhojpur region is known for special variation of Lassi, popularly known as Banarasi Lassi'. The Curd for Banarasi Lassi is made with reduced milk which gives it a creamy & thick texture. It is then sweetened, churned and served with generous blob of Rabdi in earthern pots called Kulhads.
Banarasi Lassi
Traditional Banarasi Lassi in a Kulhad

Hot drinks

Both tea and coffee contain caffeine and tannin. Comparatiely, coffee has more caffeine and less tannin than tea, whereas tea has more tannin and less caffeine than coffee.

Coffee

Tea

Further information: Indian tea culture

Flavoured tea

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List of Indian drinks Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.