Black tea CTC (karak base)
Energy: ~1 kcal / 100 ml (as brewed, unsweetened) (planning figure - the product label is the final reference)
How this figure was derived
- Read from
- ~1 kcal / 100 ml (as brewed, unsweetened)
- Energy density
- 1 kcal / 100 ml
- Basis
- Per 100 ml — a volume. Applying it to a weight would be wrong.
- Example, at 30 ml
- 1 kcal / 100 ml × 30 ml ÷ 100 = ≈ 0 kcal
A planning figure, not a laboratory analysis. It is here so a recipe can be reasoned about, not so it can be declared on a menu.
Shelf life: Sealed: 1–2 years stored well; keeps its punch longer than delicate leaf grades.
Storage: Opaque, airtight, dry, away from light and strong odours.
- The karak base — CTC is built to survive boiling with milk, sugar and spices
- Hotel-style strong milk tea
- Bold iced-tea bases where brisk strength matters more than nuance
Boil hard with water and cardamom, then milk and sugar per the karak SOP — this is where CTC belongs; a delicate leaf tea would turn harsh and flat under the same boil.
About 20 mg caffeine per 100 ml brewed; tea tannins reduce iron absorption — worth knowing for guests who drink karak with every meal.