Tan is a traditional Armenian savory beverage made from Matsun. Matsun (reminiscent of Yoghurt) - is a thick fermented milk product, which the Armenians have been making since time immemorial.

In the summer, Matsun is diluted with water and it turns out as a Tan - a popular refreshing drink, indispensable in the summer heat and thirst.

The homeland of Tan is the high-mountainous regions of Armenia, where it has been produced for many hundreds of years. The inhabitants of the highland villages carefully kept the secret of the recipe, passing it from generation to generation.

Usually, carbonated mineral water is added to Tan (at a ratio of 1:1). Salt is added and the drink is chilled, sometimes adding the ice cubes. Slightly sour, tart and carbonated thanks to mineral water, Tan perfectly quenches thirst in the heat, and thanks to salt it also helps to replenish salt losses by the body, which is far from superfluous on hot days. It is believed that Tan is able to quench thirst in the heat better than the Sprite or Cola.

And if you also add fresh greens ground in a blender, celery stalk, mint leaves, dill and cucumbers to Tan, you get an unusually healthy and tasty drink!

The benefits of such a drink are undoubtedly huge. Due to its valuable composition, Tan has a great influence on the human body. Tan has high nutritional properties because it is low in calories and hypoallergenic. The drink stimulates the activity of the muscular system, which will undoubtedly appeal to people who are actively involved in sports. Doctors recommend using Tan after heavy physical exercises, as it helps to quickly restore the body's water-salt balance.

Among other things, Tan has a pronounced tonic effect and helps to quickly get rid of a hangover: it enriches the body with the necessary salts, remarkably quenches thirst, and the lactic acid contained in it normalizes the stomach and intestines, populating them with useful trace elements.

Tan is also often used in the field of cosmetology, as a cleanser and moisturizer, as it has a beneficial effect on the skin, improving and rejuvenating it. The drink has a very positive effect on the condition of nails, hair and teeth. It also promotes weight loss.

The benefits of this drink include:

- improvement of digestive processes
- prevention of intestinal diseases and constipation
- choleretic and diuretic effect
- stabilization and improvement of the cardiovascular system
- normalization of blood pressure
- lowering bad cholesterol in the blood, preventing atherosclerosis
- normalization of water-salt balance in the body
- beneficial effect on kidney function
- improving immunity and strengthening the body's natural defenses against harmful environmental influences
- rich composition: potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, vitamins A, PP, D, and K in large quantities and other valuable components
- beneficial effect on the respiratory system

According to the consistency, Tan is liquidish, not thick. It has a pleasant, delicate salty-sour milk taste. Tan is easy to drink, you will have a comfortable feel in the stomach, for it seems that it helps digestion, relieves heaviness and other unpleasant sensations after fatty foods, such as Dolma.

To learn more about Armenia's food & drink, please visit our ARMENIAN CUISINE page