Does Tea Contain Calories? All You Need to Know

• Black tea: Made by fermenting the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. When consumed without any calorie-containing sweetener (including honey, sugar, or jaggery) or milk, 1 cup of black tea (about 240 mL) contains 2-3 calories.
• Green tea: Green tea also comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, but the leaves are not fermented. Similar to black tea, the calorie content of green tea is negligible at about 2-3 calories per cup.
• Oolong tea: Also derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, plain oolong tea contains 2-3 calories per cup.
• Earl grey: Earl grey is a tea blend made with black tea and oil of bergamot (derived from bergamot orange). Some blends may be made using oolong, white, or green tea. Similar to those other teas, 1 cup of earl grey tea has negligible calories.
• Herbal tea: Herbal tea can be made from peppermint, chamomile, jasmine, hibiscus, ginger, and more. When unsweetened and served without milk or creamer, herbal teas are considered calorie-free. 
• Milk tea: Milk tea contains milk and comes in various forms, such as masala chai, Thai milk tea, British milk tea, and tea latte. The proportions of sugar and milk may vary and so do the calories. Some may use zero-calorie sweeteners, such as stevia, whereas others may use sugar or jaggery. Similarly, whole fat or skimmed milk may be used to prepare the tea, which also changes the calorie content. The calories may range from 70-150 per cup (240 mL) depending on the type and quantity of milk and sweetener used.
• Bubble tea: Also called boba tea, this tea is made from tea leaves (green, black, or white) and contains milk and tapioca pearls. It is typically sweetened and may contain several syrups, flavors, and other ingredients, such as ice cream and jellies. One cup of bubble tea may contain about 120 calories, with the calorie count increasing with additional ingredients.

You can reduce the calorie content of your favorite tea with the following tips:

• Avoid adding sugar or sweeteners such as honey and maple syrup. Stevia, however, contains zero calories.
• Use low-fat or skim milk. You can either skip the milk or cream or choose low-fat varieties over whole milk or cream.
• Keep in mind that plant-based milk can contain calories as well, sometimes even more than whole milk. For example, 100 mL of coconut milk contains 230 calories. This is almost four times the calories of 100 mL of whole milk (63 calories).
• Make your own tea. Bottled or ready-to-drink teas often contain a lot of calories. Prepare your tea yourself so that you know what goes in it.