Winter Melon Tea with Chia Seeds (Refreshing, Low-Sugar)

Winter melon tea (trà bí đao) is a beloved Vietnamese cooler, sweet, cooling and easy to drink. The catch is that the traditional version, and almost every bottled one, is very high in sugar, which turns a refreshing drink into a sugar delivery system. This version keeps the character and cuts the sugar hard, then adds chia for a little texture and fibre. Here is how.

The sugar problem, named

Traditional winter melon tea is simmered with a lot of rock sugar, and bottled versions often carry as much sugar as a soft drink. The drink itself, winter melon steeped in water, is naturally very low in calories; it is the added sugar that changes everything. So the single most useful move is simply to use far less sugar than the traditional recipe, and let the mild, grassy sweetness of the melon carry it. Your palate adjusts quickly, as we cover in sugar substitutes.

Ingredients

Serves 4.

• 500g winter melon (bí đao), with skin, washed and chopped (the skin adds flavour)
• 1.5 litres water
• A few pandan leaves (optional, for aroma)
• A small piece of dried longan or a little rock sugar, far less than traditional, to taste
• 3 tablespoons chia seeds, soaked separately
• Ice, to serve

Method

1. Soak the chia. Stir 3 tablespoons of chia into a cup of water and leave it to gel while the tea cooks. Soaking first matters; never add dry chia to a drink you then gulp, as covered in our chia guide.
2. Simmer the melon. Put the chopped winter melon (skin on), water and pandan in a pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for about 40 minutes until the melon is soft and the water is fragrant and lightly golden.
3. Sweeten lightly. Add only a little rock sugar or dried longan, tasting as you go. Aim for barely sweet, not syrupy.
4. Strain and cool. Strain out the solids, let it cool, then chill.
5. Serve. Pour over ice, then stir in a spoon of the gelled chia per glass.

Keeping it genuinely refreshing

The whole point is a cooler that does not spike your blood sugar. Two habits keep it that way: taste before adding more sweetener (you need less than you think), and add the chia for body so the drink feels substantial without more sugar. The chia brings soluble fibre, and the winter melon base is essentially calorie-free, so a lightly-sweetened glass is a genuinely light drink, unlike the bottled versions.

It is caffeine-free, so it suits any time of day, and sits alongside our other cooling, caffeine-free drinks like the iced Gut Love tea cooler.

Storage

Keep the tea and the gelled chia separately in the fridge, both for 3 to 4 days. Combine when serving so the chia stays pleasant and the tea stays clear.

FAQ

Is winter melon tea healthy?

The tea itself, winter melon steeped in water, is very low in calories. The problem is added sugar. Made with little sugar, it is a genuinely light, refreshing drink.

Does winter melon tea have caffeine?

No. It is made from winter melon, not tea leaf, so it is caffeine-free and fine any time of day.

Why add chia?

For a little texture and soluble fibre, which makes the drink feel more substantial without adding sugar. Soak the chia first; never add it dry.

How much sugar should I add?

Far less than the traditional recipe. Add a little, taste, and stop while it is barely sweet. The melon has its own mild sweetness.

How long does it keep?

Three to four days in the fridge. Store the tea and the gelled chia separately and combine when serving.

Recipe values are approximate and vary with your ingredients.