Boba Milk Tea: Sweet but Deadly
Fun fact: Boba milk tea originated in Taiwan, and it was to revive the tea houses within the country. Their usual customers for the traditional tea came from the older generation. And there was a significant decline within the industry in the past few years.
They had to innovate and adapt for the younger ones in order to revive the tea business. Now, milk tea is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. Hence, the milk tea generation. Ironically, the survival of tea houses in Taiwan resulted in the death of a healthy lifestyle, especially amongst youngsters.
Why is it deadly
Similar to any delicious and satisfying food or beverage, boba milk tea is not exempted from the risk of being a source of addiction. Starting from Taiwan, the drink made its rotation around Asia, ultimately reaching the Philippines, and even crossed the seas to the West. Boba is very addictive- and with the addiction comes health problems.
Some of the most common illnesses that may arise from too much boba milk tea are obesity and diabetes. The beverage is infused with so much sugar that it has become so unhealthy. Aside from the fact that sweet things make us go crazy (and addicted), they also attack our body organs negatively. A single serving of boba, 12oz to be specific, may contain about 90g of sugar, 7g of fat, and 490cal. Whew. I am not a health expert, but I am pretty sure a daily intake of that much sugar and calories from a single drink can definitely cause serious problems.
The generational impact of boba milk tea
There have been multiple reports of children, as part of the milk tea generation, who were hospitalized and put in life-threatening situations because of too much boba.
A 16-yo boy from Hangzou, Zheijang contracted diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), later on, was diagnosed with Type II diabetes from his boba addiction. He developed a very unhealthy lifestyle wherein his meals mostly contained milk tea, fried food, and sugary snacks and drinks. He indulged himself with boba and soda daily resulting in an abnormally high blood sugar level. Fortunately, he survived but barely. Afterward, he acknowledged how dangerous his lifestyle had been and dedicated himself to a healthier diet.
Another milk tea hospitalization incident features a teenage girl dubbed “Bubble Tea Girl” after going into a diabetic coma because of her boba milk tea addiction. The 18-yo developed a habit of drinking boba twice a day for a month which resulted in a blood sugar level that was 25 times higher than normal. She went into a coma which was caused by hyperglycemia, or high levels of blood sugar. Same as with the 16-yo boy, this girl also developed signs of DKA. After the whole ordeal, she promised never to drink milk tea again. I hope she lives up to that.
Too much is always bad
As with everything else, too much intake of something can lead to danger. Boba milk tea is very addictive, that is why it is important to drink it only occasionally. And if you really want to drink it that bad then maybe consider getting it with a lower sugar level. I know the sweeter the better. However, when you are lying in the hospital room, barely conscious, with machines attached to your body, I bet by then you would wish you only took your boba with 25% sugar. Or maybe not at all.
Just be careful and make sure to always try and prioritize your health first before indulging in something. Sweet is good, but it has the potential to be deadly, remember that.
