Drinks

How Many Calories in Teh Halia?

Teh halia is the pulled ginger milk tea you see at mamak stalls, made with condensed milk, evaporated milk, and fresh ginger for that warm, spicy kick.

160kcal / 1 glass
A standard glass of teh halia has about 160 calories. That's for a typical mamak serving of 250ml made with condensed milk, evaporated milk, strong black tea, and fresh ginger. The tea and ginger contribute almost nothing on their own; it's the condensed milk doing most of the work at around 112 calories from just 35g of the stuff.

Nutrition facts

Per 1 glass (250g)AmountPer 100g
Calories160 kcal64 kcal
Protein4 g2 g
Carbs24 g10 g
Fat5 g2 g

Where the calories come from

Sweetened condensed milk (~35g / 2.5 tbsp)35g
112 kcal
Evaporated milk (~20g / 1.5 tbsp)20g
28 kcal
Strong black tea (~190ml brewed)190g
5 kcal
Fresh ginger (~8g grated/sliced)8g
6 kcal
Sugar (added to taste, ~5g)5g
19 kcal

The real talk

Teh halia is basically teh tarik with ginger added, which means it tastes warm and slightly spicy and feels like it should be good for you, but the calories are all coming from the same place: condensed milk. Think about it, 35g of condensed milk is barely two and a half tablespoons and it already clocks in at 112 calories. The evaporated milk adds another 28, a bit of extra sugar tips you past 160. For a drink, that is not nothing. To be upfront, these are ballpark estimates because detailed nutritional data on hawker-style teh halia is thin. The actual number at any given mamak depends on how heavy-handed the uncle is with the tin.

The biggest lever you have is how much condensed milk goes in. Ordering kurang manis drops you to roughly 120 calories because you are cutting the condensed milk roughly in half and skipping or reducing the added sugar. That is a 40 calorie saving without giving up the drink. The ginger itself (about 8g fresh) adds almost no calories, so loading up on ginger flavour does not change the maths at all. If you are drinking two or three of these a day at the mamak, you are looking at 320 to 480 calories just from drinks before you even touch your roti canai. Order kurang manis by default and save those calories for actual food.

Teh Halia variants, ranked by calories

VariantCaloriesNotes
Kurang Manis (less sweet)120 kcalHalf the condensed milk, less or no added sugar. Common request at mamak stalls.
Standard / Regular160 kcalDefault hawker preparation with condensed milk, evaporated milk, and ginger.
Teh Halia Pekat (extra thick)200 kcalExtra condensed milk and stronger tea pull. Rich, very sweet version.

How to eat it lighter

Common questions

How many calories in Teh Halia?
About 160 calories per 250ml glass at standard mamak preparation. This is an estimate based on typical condensed milk, evaporated milk, and ginger quantities. Ordering kurang manis brings it down to around 120 calories.
What actually is teh halia?
It is the ginger version of teh tarik. Strong black tea is brewed with fresh ginger, then pulled with condensed milk and evaporated milk to get that frothy, slightly spicy, warming cup. Very common at mamak stalls all over Malaysia.
Is teh halia healthier than regular teh tarik?
Not really in terms of calories, they are very similar since both use the same condensed and evaporated milk base. Teh halia has ginger, which people swear helps digestion and inflammation, but the calorie count is basically the same. If health is your goal, ordering both kurang manis is the move.

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See all Drinks calories, ranked →

Calorie and macro figures are estimates for a typical hawker or kopitiam serving. Actual numbers vary by stall, recipe and portion size. Use them as a guide, not gospel.

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