List of Indian drinks facts for kids

Sugarcane juice

Jal-jeera

Rooh Afza sharbat

Jigarthanda

Shikanjvi

Aam panna

India has a very diverse climate, from super hot summers to chilly winters. Because of this, people need many different kinds of drinks to stay refreshed or warm. You can find these drinks everywhere, from busy street stalls to fancy restaurants. They add so much flavor to India's amazing cuisine.

India's Favorite Drinks: A Quick Look

Have you ever wondered how much people drink in India? In 2021, people in India drank about 134 liters of non-water drinks per person each year. This includes all sorts of yummy options!

Cool & Refreshing Drinks

India has many unique drinks perfect for hot weather. They use local fruits, spices, and herbs.

• Aam panna – A tangy and sweet drink made from raw green mangoes. It helps you stay cool in summer.
• Bael sharbat – Made from the bael fruit, which is known for being good for digestion.
• Banta soda – A fizzy lemonade sold in a special bottle with a marble stopper.
• Buransh – A sweet, jelly-like drink made from rhododendron flowers, popular in Uttarakhand.
• Coconut water – A natural, refreshing drink found inside young coconuts.
• Sugarcane juice – A sweet juice pressed from sugarcane stalks. It's very popular on the streets.
• Jal-jeera – A spicy and tangy drink often served before meals to help with digestion.
• Jigarthanda – A rich, cold drink from Madurai, often made with milk, almond gum, and ice cream.
• Kala Khatta – A sweet and sour drink made from the jamun fruit.
• Khus sharbat – Made from vetiver grass syrup, it has a unique earthy flavor.
• Kokum sharbat – A refreshing, reddish-purple drink from the kokum fruit, common in coastal areas.
• Lemonade – A classic lemon drink, often called nimbu paani in India.
• Panakam – A traditional drink made from jaggery (unrefined sugar) and lemon juice.
• Rooh Afza – A concentrated syrup mixed with water or milk to make a sweet, rose-flavored drink.
• Sattu paani – A healthy drink made from roasted gram flour, popular in North India.
• Sharbat – A general term for many sweet, non-alcoholic drinks, often made from fruits or flower petals.
• Shikanjvi – A traditional Indian lemonade, often spiced with cumin and black salt.
• Solkadhi – A pink, savory drink made from kokum and coconut milk, popular in Maharashtra and Goa.

Delicious Dairy Drinks

Many Indian drinks are made with milk or yogurt. They are often sweet and creamy.

Flavored Milk

These are milk drinks with added flavors.

Badam milk

Rosemilk

• Badam milk – Milk flavored with almonds and often saffron.
• Kesar milk – Milk flavored with saffron, giving it a lovely yellow color and aroma.
• Rose milk – Milk flavored with rose syrup, making it sweet and fragrant.

Milk-Based Beverages

These drinks use milk or yogurt as their main ingredient.

• Buttermilk – Known by many names like Lassi, Chaas, or Mor. It's a thin, tangy drink made from yogurt, often spiced.
• Haldi doodh – Also known as hot turmeric milk. It's a warm, comforting drink, especially good when you're feeling unwell.
• Lassi – A thick, creamy yogurt-based drink from North India.
  • Salted lassi is savory, sometimes flavored with roasted cumin.
  • Sweet lassi is made with sugar or fruits like mango.
  • Banarasi Lassi from Varanasi is extra creamy. It's made with thick yogurt and topped with a dollop of Rabdi (sweetened condensed milk). It's often served in clay cups called Kulhads.

Traditional Banarasi Lassi in a Kulhad

• Sharjah Shake – A sweet, cold milkshake often made with milk, malt powder, and a special banana called njalipoovan. Sometimes it has ice cream or nuts.
• Thandai – A cold drink made with milk, nuts, seeds, and spices like fennel and cardamom. It's often enjoyed during festivals.

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  Lassi

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  Thandai

Warm & Cozy Hot Drinks

When it's cold, Indians love a warm cup of tea or coffee. Both contain caffeine (which gives you energy) and tannin (which can make drinks taste a bit bitter). Coffee usually has more caffeine, while tea has more tannin.

Coffee

• Indian filter coffee – A strong, sweet, and milky coffee. It's made by brewing coffee powder with chicory.
• Instant coffee – Quick and easy coffee made from powder.

Tea

Tea is a huge part of Indian culture. There are many different types and ways to enjoy it!

• Assam tea – A strong, malty tea from the Assam region.
• Ayurvedic teas – Herbal teas made with traditional Indian herbs and spices.
• Darjeeling tea – A light, fragrant tea often called the "Champagne of Teas."
• Black tea – Fully oxidized tea leaves, giving a strong flavor.
• Green tea – Minimally processed tea leaves, known for its fresh taste.
• Masala chai – India's most popular tea! It's black tea brewed with milk, sugar, and a mix of spices like ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon.
• Noon chai – A salty, pink tea from Kashmir, often made with baking soda.
• Nilgiri tea – A fragrant tea from the Nilgiri hills in South India.
• Tulsi tea – Tea made with holy basil leaves, known for its health benefits.
• Milk tea – Simple black tea brewed with milk and sugar.

Flavored Tea

Tea can be flavored in many ways to create unique tastes.

• Butter tea – A salty tea made with yak butter, popular in the Himalayan regions like Ladakh.
• Elaichi tea – Tea flavored with cardamom.
• Ginger tea – Tea with a spicy kick from fresh ginger.
• Lemon tea – Tea served with a slice of lemon, often without milk.

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  Masala chai served with tea biscuits. India's most popular way to drink tea.

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  A cup of Darjeeling tea.

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  Butter tea or gur gur in the Ladakhi language, in a bowl; popular in Himalayan regions of India, particularly in Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.