Masala Chaas vs Buttermilk vs Lassi: kcal per Glass
What is in a 200 ml glass of chaas, masala chaas and sweet lassi?
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Join the NYUS waitlistA 200 g glass (about 200 ml): plain chaas 24 kcal, masala chaas 27 kcal, sweet lassi 138 kcal. Worked from USDA and IFCT 2017 rows with the amounts shown, which are our assumptions: no table has a record for chaas or lassi.
| Glass (what is in it) | kcal | Protein (g) | Fat (g) | Sodium (mg) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plain chaas, thin, no salt 40 g plain whole-milk yogurt + 160 g water (our 1 : 4 ratio) | 24 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 18 | USDA SR Legacy 171284, plain yogurt, whole milk |
| Plain chaas with 1 g salt the same glass + 1 g table salt | 24 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 406 | USDA 171284 and 173468 (table salt) |
| Masala chaas the salted glass + 0.5 g cumin seeds, 1 g curry leaves, 2 g coriander leaves (our amounts) | 27 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 406 | USDA 171284, 173468; IFCT 2017 G025 (p. 54), G010 (p. 54), G009 (p. 53) |
| Sweet lassi 100 g plain yogurt + 20 g sugar + 80 g water (our recipe) | 138 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 46 | USDA 171284 and 169655 (granulated sugar) |
| Cultured buttermilk, for reference USDA's own record, 200 g of a US lowfat product | 80 | 6.6 | 2.1 | 296 | USDA SR Legacy 170874, buttermilk, cultured, lowfat |
The spices add 2.8 kcal (masala 27 against 24 for the same salted glass), so the curd decides the number: each extra 10 g of curd in the glass adds 6.1 kcal. Salt decides the sodium: 1 g of table salt is 388 mg of sodium by USDA, against 18 mg from the curd. The sodium of the spices is not counted, hing has no row and is not counted, and a thicker glass or restaurant chaas with cream or sugar will be higher. Sweet lassi varies most: each 10 g of sugar adds 38.7 kcal, so the older table's 200 to 260 kcal for a 250 ml lassi is a thicker, sweeter recipe than our 200 g one (100 g of yogurt and 20 g of sugar).
Masala chaas gets sold as the upgrade — jeera, hing, curry leaves, coriander, sometimes a green chilli, tempered into churned curd and water. Plain buttermilk feels like the basic version by comparison. But when you actually add up what those spices weigh, the calorie gap between the two is close to nothing. Here's the honest number, glass for glass.
The one-line answer
No — masala chaas is not meaningfully higher in calories than plain buttermilk. A 200 ml glass of plain chaas runs about 25 kcal; the masala version, with its roasted jeera powder, a pinch of hing and a few leaves of coriander or curry leaf, adds maybe 2-5 kcal. The "fancier" drink is not the calorie-dense one — chaas stays one of the lightest traditional drinks in the Indian kitchen either way.
The numbers, glass by glass
Chaas is curd churned or blended with water, so the exact calories depend on the curd-to-water ratio and whether the milk was full-fat or toned (see calories and protein in cow vs buffalo milk). The table at the top is worked from USDA and IFCT rows; these older ranges are rougher home-style figures with no source, for a 200 ml glass (250 ml for lassi):
| Version | Typical serving | Calories (approx.) | Protein (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain chaas (thin, unsalted) | 1 glass (~200 ml) | 20–30 kcal | ~1.4 g |
| Plain chaas, salted | 1 glass (~200 ml) | 25–35 kcal | ~1.4 g |
| Masala chaas (jeera, hing, coriander, curry leaf tempering) | 1 glass (~200 ml) | 27–40 kcal | ~1.5 g |
| Thick chaas (less water, more curd) | 1 glass (~200 ml) | 50–70 kcal | ~2–3 g |
| Sweet lassi (for contrast) | 1 glass (~250 ml) | 200–260 kcal | ~6 g |
Notice what actually moves the number: it's not the spices, it's the water-to-curd ratio. A thin roadside-style chaas is closer to flavoured water than to a dairy drink calorically. The thicker, more curd-heavy version — sometimes served as "chaas" but really diluted curd — carries meaningfully more, regardless of whether it's spiced. For how this compares to dahi itself, see our is curd good for weight loss guide.
Why the spices barely register
A typical masala chaas tempering uses a pinch of roasted jeera powder, a pinch of hing, a few curry leaves and a tablespoon of chopped coriander — quantities measured in grams, not tablespoons of oil. None of it is fried in a meaningful amount of fat the way a tadka on dal or sabzi would be. Compare that to how a cooking-oil-heavy tempering can add real calories to a dal — masala chaas's "tempering" is dry-roasted spice, not oil, which is exactly why it stays light. If a recipe calls for a tempering fried in ghee or oil before going into the chaas, that's the one exception that can add a real 20-40 kcal — worth noticing on a restaurant menu, rare in a home glass.
How chaas compares to other curd-based drinks
Chaas sits at the light end of a spectrum that gets crowded with health claims. Curd itself is roughly 90-100 kcal per katori; a glass of curd rice can run from under 100 kcal to well over 300 depending on rice quantity and oil; sweet lassi jumps to 200-260 kcal a glass because of added sugar. Chaas — plain or masala — is the version that was diluted rather than sweetened, and that dilution is the entire reason it's light. There's no myth to bust here: unlike claims made about jeera water or green tea "burning fat," nobody is really claiming chaas melts fat either — it earns its spot honestly, as a low-calorie, high-water, decent-electrolyte drink that's genuinely easier on the day's calorie count than most alternatives in its category.
Where people get it wrong
- Restaurant/hotel chaas. Some restaurant versions add cream, extra malai, or sugar to make it more indulgent — check before assuming it matches the home-style number.
- Confusing chaas with lassi. Chaas is churned and diluted; lassi is usually thicker and often sweetened. They're not interchangeable in the calorie math even though both start from curd.
- Assuming "masala" means healthier or lighter. The spice doesn't add health benefits that change body weight, and it doesn't add meaningful calories either — it's a wash either way, so pick whichever you actually enjoy drinking.
Using chaas in a weight-loss day
- Swap it for a cold drink or fruit juice. A cola or sweetened juice can run 100-150 kcal per glass; chaas does the same "cold drink with lunch" job for a fraction of that.
- Pair it with a heavier meal. A glass of chaas alongside a rice-and-dal lunch adds negligible calories while helping with digestion and hydration — a low-cost addition to any plate.
- Don't rely on it as a protein source. At roughly 1.5 g protein a glass, chaas is not a meaningful contributor to your protein target the way a katori of dahi or hung curd is. Drink it for hydration and taste, get your protein elsewhere.
A note on health
This article is general educational content, not medical advice. Approximate nutrition values are for typical home preparations and vary with the curd-to-water ratio and milk fat used. If you have a dairy allergy, kidney disease, or have been advised to limit dairy or sodium, follow your doctor's or registered dietitian's guidance.
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Join the NYUS waitlistRelated reading: Chai and Biscuit Calories: How They Add Up Daily and Calories in a Cup of Masala Chai and Filter Coffee.
Frequently asked questions
Does masala chaas have more calories than plain chaas?
Barely. A tempering of roasted jeera powder, a pinch of hing, chopped coriander and curry leaves adds roughly 2-3 kcal to a glass — the spices are used in amounts too small to matter. Plain chaas runs about 25 kcal per 200 ml glass; masala chaas is about 27-30 kcal. The "fancier" version is not meaningfully heavier.
How many calories are in a glass of buttermilk (chaas)?
A 200 ml glass of thin, home-style chaas made from diluting curd with water is roughly 25-40 kcal with about 1.5-2 g protein, depending on how much water is added and whether the curd is full-fat or toned milk. It is one of the lowest-calorie traditional Indian drinks.
Is masala chaas good for weight loss?
Yes, in the same way plain chaas is: it is low-calorie, hydrating, and a genuinely light replacement for a sugary cold drink or a sweet lassi. Neither version burns fat or boosts metabolism — the spices are for taste, not for a metabolic effect — but as a swap for something calorie-dense, it is a solid choice.
How many calories, protein, fat and sodium are in a glass of masala chaas?
Worked from USDA and IFCT 2017 rows, a 200 g glass of masala chaas made from 40 g of plain whole-milk yogurt (USDA 171284), 160 g of water, 1 g of salt and 0.5 g of cumin seeds, 1 g of curry leaves and 2 g of coriander leaves (IFCT G025, G010, G009) is about 27 kcal, 1.6 g protein, 1.4 g fat and 406 mg sodium, almost all of the sodium from the salt (the spices' sodium is not counted). The amounts are our assumptions, not a measured glass.