Say bubble tea, and people would be all ears. This Taiwanese speciality has taken the world by storm owing to its sweetness, exclusive ingredients and an extensive range of flavours.
Bubble tea is considered to be a guilt-free drink to indulge in. Just because the word contains tea, does not mean that it has to be healthy, right?
Thanks to those artificial sweeteners and high sugar contents, that have made this beverage an unhealthy one owing to an alarming calorie count and sugar content.
What is bubble tea?
Bubble tea chiefly consists of a scoop of tapioca pearls at the bottom of a glass mixed with black tea or green tea or tea-based milk. What adds to the flavour is the addition of fruits, fruit puree, flavoured syrups and loads and loads of sugar into it. The mixture is shaken hammer and tongs until everything is well blended. What you get, as a result, is a nationwide favourite, bubble tea. Drink the tea, and then sit back chewing on the tapioca pearls. Bubbles or tapioca pearls, which are found at the bottom of the glass of bubble tea, are from the starch extracted from cassava roots, a vegetable found in South America. They are boiled in hot water mixed with loads of sugar.
Why the concern?
This trend of bubble tea, going like wildfire is a total fad. This guilt-free Taiwanese special drink is quite a helper in gaining weight, but not in a good way. Containing around 400 calories, bubble tea is something that shouldn’t be consumed frequently. The alarming sugar content can pose a great risk for diabetes, tooth decay and lower the immunity of the body. They are high in carbohydrates and lack all the essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fibres etc.
Is bubble tea good for you?
Lowering the amount of sugar or replacing the artificial sweeteners with brown sugar, can somewhat be good, but not totally harm-free. Choosing the right ingredients and a lowering the sugar content, teamed with other healthy substitutes of flavoured syrups can prove to be beneficial for you. Remember, it is always better to consume bubble tea in moderation, even if it is a healthier version of the regular bubble tea.
