Chaas: The Spiced Buttermilk Digestive Drink of Summer

Chaas is a digestive drink made from diluted yogurt, served chilled after lunch across much of India. Our article on digestive lassi already covers a related drink, but chaas differs in its much thinner texture, the absence of sugar, and a bolder spice profile — toasted cumin, fresh ginger, sometimes a touch of asafoetida. Long absent from this site's recipe hub, it deserves a place of its own.

How does chaas differ from lassi?

Lassi, sweet or savory, keeps a thick, smoothie-like texture. Chaas, by contrast, is always heavily diluted with water — often half yogurt, half water — to produce a fluid, almost thirst-quenching drink that is never sweetened. In Ayurveda, this dilution is considered essential: plain, thick yogurt is traditionally seen as harder to digest and slightly congesting for Kapha, while diluted, spiced chaas is presented as lighter and easier to digest, especially at the end of a meal.

The step-by-step recipe

This recipe makes two large glasses, best prepared just before serving to enjoy it well chilled.

What the research suggests about live cultures

Homemade chaas, made from live yogurt, contains lactic acid bacteria just like the yogurt it comes from. No clinical trial has specifically tested chaas itself, but a landmark Cochrane review by Goldenberg, Yap, Lytvyn and an international team, published in 2015 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, analyzed a set of randomized trials on the effect of probiotics on antibiotic-associated diarrhea (see the study on Google Scholar). The authors conclude there is a significant protective effect in that specific context. This data concerns probiotics broadly and a particular medical context — it does not prove that a homemade drink like chaas has the same effect, but it honestly situates the broader relevance of lactic ferments for digestive balance, a topic our article on digestion and bloating also covers.

A summer drink, especially for Pitta

Refreshing and lightly salted, chaas is particularly recommended by tradition in summer and for the Pitta temperament, which is sensitive to heat and digestive acidity. Kapha can drink it in moderation, favoring extra ginger and cumin, which stimulate agni, the digestive fire. Vata tolerates it well at room temperature rather than very cold, and never ice-cold.

Precautions

Chaas is made from fermented dairy: people who are lactose intolerant may sometimes tolerate it better than whole milk, since fermentation reduces some of the lactose, but individual tolerance varies — try a small amount first. People with a milk protein allergy should avoid it. Poor-quality or expired yogurt should never be used, especially in summer when the risk of bacterial contamination rises with heat: prepare chaas just before drinking it and keep the yogurt refrigerated. This drink never replaces a prescribed digestive treatment for a persistent condition. Cross-cutting guidance is in our safety guide.