We didn’t grow up hearing the term “functional drink”. In our house, it was just “haldi wala doodh” or the green tea you’d sip because ‘it’s good for the stomach”. But now, you walk into a gym or scroll TikTok, and suddenly those same ingredients are wrapped in sleek bottles and trending hashtags. It’s wild and kind of beautiful. British South Asians are quietly becoming the blueprint for wellness culture, even when we don’t realise it.
Lately, we’ve noticed functional drinks turning into everyday choices, not just health kicks. Rose-infused water at brunch, saffron milk before bed, even ginger and tulsi shots after a workout. These aren’t new, but they feel refreshed. We’re sipping turmeric blends while revising for finals, passing around masala-infused tea at late-night desi hangouts, and yes, even casually mixing things up post-yoga.
So, we asked a few friends from the gym, a cousin who works nights, and someone I bumped into at the park. What they were drinking lately, and why.
One guy told us. “ Honestly? I started drinking haldi tea every morning after my aunt recommended it. I didn’t expect to feel different, but my energy’s better. And it reminds me of my grandparents.”
Another said: “ I do this rose and chia water after workouts. It’s not super scientific, but it makes me feel reset. Feels like my own mini ritual.”
There’s something tender about that, the way Desi ingredients are quietly woven into routines without needing buzzwords. It’s more than hydration. It’s habit, heritage, and home.
Even elders in our communities have started joining the conversation, though they’ve been doing it long before wellness was trendy. A family friend recently smiled when she saw her granddaughter making a saffron milk drink she saw online. “We’ve always made that, “she said. “ Now it’s just….fashionable.”
And she’s right. These drinks have existed in South Asian kitchens for generations. Now they’re showing up on brunch menus and lifestyle reels. The crossover is real: tradition meets wellness, and everyone’s invited to sip.
There’s also pride in watching these drinks make their way into UK life in new ways. It’s no longer niche, it’s a community. It’s the quiet joy of seeing something familiar become something celebrated.
For us, Desi wellness has never been flashy. It’s been wrapped in everyday gestures. The way someone hands you ginger tea when your throat hurts, or the haldi milk placed on the table when you’re feeling low. Now, it’s simply being seen. Shared and respected.
These functional drinks, from simple blends to infused waters, carry culture in every sip. And for British South Asians, they’re not just another trend.
