Bubble Tea, Yeah or Nay?

CEBU, Philippines - Smoothies and frappes are out.

Bubble tea is in.Bubble tea shops are almost everywhere. While the usual thirst quenchers are still around, bubble tea has swiftly captured the taste buds of the youth.

But is it really

healthy to drink bubble tea?

Originally from Taiwan, bubble tea or pearl milk tea is made up of tea mixed with fruit or milk. And what gave it the name "bubble tea" are the chewy tapioca balls swimming at the bottom of the drink.

Yeah

Bubble tea, being basically tea, has antioxidants that lower the risk of cancer. Aside from various bioactive compounds that are good for the body, tea can also improve brain function. It contains amino acid, L-theanine and less caffeine than coffee which works altogether to improve the functioning of the brain.

In addition, tea can also help in losing weight. This is because tea has an antioxidant which increases the ability of the body to burn fat. Tea could also protects against cardiovascular diseases and lowers the risk of heart attack.

Meanwhile, a bubble tea also contains milk which has quite a number of nutrients that are good for the body. The most common nutrient found in milk is calcium, which is good for the bones, aside from proteins which are essential for the antibodies to function well. The tapioca pearls, for its part, contains iron which plays a significant role in making blood cells.

Nay

While milk and tea can work a miracle individually, put together they don't do as good. The sugar content of bubble tea is high, given that teas are naturally bitter and it needs so much sugar to compensate for its bitterness. While the sugar is high, the amount of calorie is also high, and taking in a lot of calories causes weight gain.

Aside from the two ingredients, the sphere shaped gello in the bubble tea also adds to the caloric content of the drink. Studies also show that some tapioca pearls might contain toxic chemicals that are harmful to the human body.

Anything that is too much is bad. Too much tea, milk, sugar, tapioca pearl - or to sum up everything: bubble tea - does no good to the health. On the other hand, while bubble tea may not be a very healthy drink, it is still a good thirst quencher for a hot sunny day. And if taken in moderation, it may not be that bad at all. (FREEMAN)