How Did Thai Iced Tea Get Its Color?

Thai iced tea is a popular menu item across America, from amazing Thai restaurants to adorable bubble tea shops. The perfectly spiced drink has become well-loved for its not-too-sweet taste and iconic orange coloring. However, not many know what exactly causes the drink to be so orange in the first place. The answer is a little bit of a letdown, but don't let that dissuade you from continuing to enjoy this iconic beverage. 

Thai iced tea gets its iconic hue from food coloring. In fact, it's supposedly the same food coloring used by Kraft and other boxed macaroni and cheese brands. Before the use of modern food coloring, spices were added to Thai tea to give it a different color. The exact reason and time in which food coloring got added to Thai iced tea is a little less straightforward. Several theories have been posited as truth throughout the years on the origins of its striking orange hue.

One theory suggests that Thai iced tea's iconic color got its start in an effort to differentiate the tea from coffee. Supposedly, Thai tea was brewed from Ceylon tea, which produced a beige color that resembled coffee. Therefore, tea shops began adding food coloring in addition to spices like star anise and tamarind to make the tea easy to distinguish. 

Some theories suggest that the orange color is actually from the added spices like star anise and was always part of Thai iced tea's appearance. When added to certain teas like Ceylon or Assam, which already have a naturally reddish-brown color, a more orange-like appearance was produced. Ingredients like safflower, saffron, or turmeric were also said to give Thai iced tea a more colorful appearance. 

However, for modern convenience, food coloring is now used to make Thai iced tea its signature orange. The use of food coloring in a modern setting is attributed to an attempt to appeal to American tastes. The bright color, along with the additional spices and heavier sweetness, would distinguish the drink from iced lattes.