What are the benefits of drinking mattha milk?
Mattha is not milk. It is chaas, a thin spiced yogurt drink (Indian buttermilk), usually served with meals. It is light, with few calories and some protein and calcium. There are no official health claims for it, so enjoy it as a cooling drink and watch the salt if you limit sodium.
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In this article
What is mattha?
Mattha (also called chaas, and mohi in Nepal) is a drink made by thinning plain yogurt with water and adding salt and spices such as cumin. It is sometimes called Indian buttermilk. It is not a type of milk.
What are the benefits?
Be wary of big claims. What can be said fairly:
- Light and hydrating: it is mostly water and is thinner than lassi. One recipe’s nutrition panel lists about 61 kcal.
- Protein and calcium: from the yogurt. The same panel lists about 8 g protein and 115 mg calcium, but this varies with the recipe and yogurt.
- No added sugar: traditional chaas is savory.
- Pairs with meals: it is a common cooling drink in summer.
What is not proven
Claims about gut health, curing acidity or detoxing are common online. No official body says chaas does these things, so do not rely on it for any medical purpose. Yogurt based drinks may contain live cultures, but this depends on the product.
Watch the salt
The same panel lists about 697 mg of sodium. If you limit salt, make it with less or skip black salt.
Who should be careful
- People with a milk allergy.
- People on low-sodium diets.
- Anyone lactose intolerant should test a small amount, though yogurt is often better tolerated than milk.
For health conditions, ask a doctor or dietitian.
How to enjoy it sensibly
Drink it with meals rather than as a replacement for water. Use plain, unsweetened yogurt, keep it cold and make it fresh. If you are managing a health condition with diet, a dietitian can tell you how it fits.
People also ask
Is mattha the same as milk?
No. It is a yogurt-based drink, thinned with water and seasoned.
Is mattha good for digestion?
It is commonly served with meals, but no official body claims it improves digestion. Ask a professional for medical issues.
Is mattha high in salt?
It can be. One recipe's nutrition panel lists about 697 mg of sodium, so use less salt if you limit sodium.
Sources
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