Butter tea, also known as Po Cha, is a traditional and staple drink in the Himalayan regions of Tibet, Bhutan, and Nepal. For centuries it has been a valuable source of nutrition and hydration for those living at high altitudes. Apart from its cultural value, butter tea has many health benefits. From providing a source of energy, aiding digestion to soothe the throat, and reducing cold symptoms, butter tea helps us. In this article, I will give you a detailed look at the health benefits of butter tea.
List of butter tea benefits
Hydrates the body
Dehydration can cause you to experience symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, and dizziness. Hydration of your body is a key point in this situation. Hydration is the process of refilling the body’s water content.
Hydration is essential, especially for people living with thin and dry air at high altitudes. Otherwise, their skin will dry out very quickly. Also, chapped lips can occur. Here, butter tea made with tea leaves and hot water comes to support as a perfect source of hydration.
Butter tea’s warming nature helps increase blood flow and prevent dehydration caused by cold weather. In addition, the tea leaves used in making butter tea contain electrolytes that help regulate the body’s fluid balance and prevent dehydration.
Boosts energy
People living in cold climates need additional energy to keep warm. That’s why butter tea is more prevalent in the Himalayan region. Tibetans traditionally drink it to improve their ability to work long hours under difficult conditions.
Butter contains high levels of saturated fat. It is a slow-burning fuel that can provide sustained energy to your body. Also, tea leaves contain caffeine. As you know, it can boost your energy in the short term. So drinking butter tea can help you to boost your energy. Remember to drink it as part of a balanced diet for better results.
Rich in antioxidants
Butter tea contains antioxidants. Antioxidants are compounds that help protect the body from the harmful effects of free radicals that contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
The tea leaves used in making butter tea contain antioxidants such as catechins and polyphenols. Studies have shown that they provide many health benefits, including reducing inflammation, improving heart health, and protecting against cellular damage.
Aids digestion
Aiding in digestion is another benefit you get from drinking butter tea. It has an excellent effect on the consumption of excess carbohydrates by the people of the Himalayan region.
Excess carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels, and drinking butter tea slows down the digestion of carbohydrates. Due to that effect, blood sugar levels are prevented from rising.
Additionally, the oily nature of butter tea helps stimulate the digestive system, promotes the flow of digestive juices, and helps break down food.
Furthermore, the tea leaves used to make butter tea contain antioxidants and other compounds that help improve digestive health.
Soothes the throat
Soothing the throat is another benefit you get from butter tea. Butter tea’s warm, oily nature helps soothe the throat and reduce cold or flu symptoms.
The heat and oil in the tea help relieve the pain. Antioxidants in tea leaves help boost the immune system. Butter tea increases the flow of saliva, which helps keep the throat moist and reduces symptoms of a dry throat or sore throat.
Boosts metabolism
Some studies have shown that the caffeine in butter tea increases thermogenesis, the process by which the body burns calories. The researchers found that butter tea helps to boost metabolism.
In addition, traditional medicine believes that butter in tea helps increase metabolism by providing a source of energy and healthy fats.
Increasing metabolism can have many health benefits, such as improving weight management and supporting healthy body composition.
Relives altitude sickness
Butter tea is a special drink in Tibet. It relieves cold, refreshes the mind, promotes fluidity in the body, and has a thirst-quenching effect.
It can dissipate your extreme cold. If you eat meat, you can remove the oil with butter tea. It can also satisfy hunger when hungry and relieve fatigue when sleepy.
Vitamins and alkaloids in butter tea can cause the smooth muscles of blood vessels to relax. So it can effectively reduce the damage caused by altitude sickness.
Although butter tea has many health benefits, it can also lead to some side effects. Read about the side effects of butter tea here.
FAQ
Is butter tea high in calories?
Butter tea is generally high in calories. Ghee and butter are rich in saturated fatty acids, and 100 grams can provide 717 calories. Therefore, drinking butter tea properly can provide abundant energy to the human body and positively relieve fatigue and restore physical strength.
Does drinking butter tea often make you fat?
Moderate consumption of butter tea will not make you fat, but regular consumption of butter tea will cause the body to gain weight.
Is butter tea good for weight loss?
Yes, butter tea is good for weight loss. You can generally eat butter to lose weight, but try to avoid overeating so as not to affect the effect of weight loss.
What happens if you drink too much butter?
Butter is generally not good to eat too much. Butter contains a lot of fat. If you drink too much butter, it may lead to obesity, so you must eat it in moderation.
