Unless stated otherwise, all the Thai tea recipes on this site have been made with unsweetened loose Thai tea as shown in the picture. Oftentimes, you’ll see the kind that comes with sugar and whitener already mixed in. Thai tea mix is great for making drinking tea, but not suitable for infusion.

Each manufacturer has its own blend and, as you can see at the bottom of the picture, no efforts seem to have been put into informing the public what exactly is in it. I mean, herbal leaves — thanks for clearing it up!

The tea blend contains that anything from black tea to crushed tamarind seeds or anise to cassia bark can be used in Thai tea. One thing which all brands seem to have in common is the addition of food coloring. This is potentially a turn-off for those who are cautious about food additives, so consume Thai tea at your own risk. That beautiful orange color doesn’t come from natural sources, and it stains your fingers and clothes pretty badly.

To make sure you get the right kind of Thai tea to use in my recipes, read the ingredient list. As long as it doesn’t contain sugar or spray-dried nonfat milk or anything like that, it’s fine.