It is colourful, sweet and almost impossible to scroll past on social media without craving one. For many young people, it has become part of everyday life.
But health experts are increasingly questioning whether this trendy favourite deserves its innocent reputation.
Hidden health concerns
Bubble tea, created in Taiwan in the 1980s, typically blends tea, milk, sugar and tapioca pearls made from cassava starch. Recent investigations have raised concerns about what may be hiding in the cup.
Consumer Reports detected elevated lead levels in some bubble tea products in the United States. Cassava plants can absorb heavy metals from soil, which may end up in tapioca ingredients.
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Doctors also warn that the chewy pearls can create digestive issues. Because they are dense and slow to break down, they have been linked to delayed stomach emptying and, in rare cases, intestinal blockages. Pediatricians further caution that the pearls pose a choking risk, even for adults.
Sugar and long term impact
A single serving can contain 20 to 50 grams of sugar, rivaling or exceeding many soft drinks. Studies in Taiwan have associated frequent consumption among children with higher rates of tooth decay.
High sugar intake increases the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease.
In 2023, doctors in Taiwan treated a young woman who developed hundreds of kidney stones after regularly replacing water with bubble tea, an extreme but cautionary case.
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Emerging research in China has also suggested links between frequent consumption and symptoms of anxiety and low wellbeing.
Experts stress that bubble tea is best treated as an occasional indulgence rather than a daily habit.
Sources: Tech WP
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