India's Masala Chai fails to bag world's best non-alcoholic beverage title - WION

The humble masala chai (not chai tea) is liked, loved, and obsessed about by people all across the Indian subcontinent. As a beverage, the reverence of Tea is spread all over the world. Some people love to let the tea simmer to get the depth of its signature flavour, while others like it quick and dicey.

But often, masala chai is an emotion like happiness, intrigue, anger, or fear. The flavours of tea often exude a stressbuster sense of delectability.

So, for the chai lovers, the flavours have been judged and the verdict is out. Sadly your chai has lost out on the pinnacle of the best non-alcoholic beverages in the world.

Masala chai has been named the second-best non-alcoholic beverage in the world for 2023 by TasteAtlas, a popular food and travel guide of traditional dishes, local ingredients, and authentic restaurants from around the world.

Which beverage Masala Chai lost out to?

Mexico’s Aguas Frescas, a drink "made with a combination of fruits, cucumbers, flowers, seeds, and cereals blended with sugar and water", was crowned the best non-alcoholic drink in the world.

What is Masala Chai?

Masala chai is a hot beverage made by boiling milk and tea with spices and sugar. It has the delectable ooze of cloves, black pepper, ginger, and cardamom. In India and the rest of the subcontinent in South Asia as well as among the people of diaspora, Masala Chai is an excellent drink for the cold winter months.

"Chai masala is an aromatic beverage originating from India. It is made with a combination of sweetened black tea and milk that is spiced with a masala mix-which typically includes cardamom, ground ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and black peppercorns," the food guide wrote on Instagram.

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"However, the choice and the exact proportion of spices often vary. Although there are several theories that claim otherwise, the origin of chai masala is mostly associated with the British tea trade."

"In the 19th century, the Chinese had a monopoly on the tea trade, and the British looked for other markets that would fulfill the high demand for black tea—which was a firm European favorite," TasteAtlas added.

It is believed that masala chai "first appeared during that period, but it only became a popular option in the 20th century when the Indian Tea Association promoted tea breaks as a much-needed refreshment for workers and when tea became more affordable."

(With inputs from agencies)

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