Milk tea may be a favourite pick-me-up for many people, but drinking it frequently could have consequences that go beyond weight gain.
High levels of sugar, fat and caffeine found in some milk tea drinks may contribute to a range of health concerns, including obesity, high uric acid, cardiovascular problems and poor sleep.
Some research has also found that young people may display behaviours resembling addiction towards milk tea, including persistent cravings, difficulty cutting down and withdrawal-like symptoms after reducing their intake.
A diet consistently high in sugar, salt and fat can also place additional strain on the kidneys.
A 500ml cup of full-sugar milk tea can contain between 50g and 100g of sugar, depending on the product and preparation, potentially exceeding recommended daily limits for added sugar in a single drink.
Excessive fructose intake may also contribute to increased uric acid levels, while certain fats and additives found in some milk tea products may pose additional health concerns when consumed excessively over the long term.
For this reason, drinks such as milk tea, fruit juice and carbonated beverages should not routinely replace water as the main source of hydration.
Chronic kidney disease is also increasingly being seen among younger people, with obesity, high uric acid, high blood pressure and unhealthy dietary habits among factors associated with increased risk.
One challenge is that early kidney damage often causes few noticeable symptoms. By the time someone develops fatigue, swelling or nausea, the condition may already have progressed significantly.
So, can milk tea really be addictive?
A research team from Tsinghua University and the Central University of Finance and Economics surveyed 5,281 university students in Beijing to examine milk tea consumption and potential addictive behaviour.
The study found that some young people displayed behaviours resembling addiction, while milk tea consumption was also associated with psychological issues such as depression and anxiety.
Almost half of those surveyed said they drank milk tea at least once a week. Among them, 2.6% reported drinking four to six cups a week, while 20.6% drank two to three cups weekly.
According to China Science Communication, the researchers referred to addiction-related criteria from the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) when assessing participants.
The researchers identified six possible signs of problematic milk tea consumption: drinking more or for longer than intended, repeatedly trying and failing to cut down, turning to milk tea when feeling low, continuing to drink despite knowing about potential negative consequences, developing tolerance and needing more to achieve the same pleasurable effect, and experiencing withdrawal-like symptoms after reducing or stopping consumption.
However, the study explored potential addictive patterns associated with milk tea consumption and its relationship with mental health. It does not mean that milk tea itself has been officially classified as an addictive substance.
Frequent consumption may also have other health implications.
High sugar intake can contribute to the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which can affect collagen and elastin and potentially accelerate skin ageing.
High-sugar diets may also contribute to acne. Even when customers choose drinks with no additional sugar, the beverage itself may still contain significant amounts of sugar.
Milk tea can also be high in calories, making frequent consumption harder to fit into a balanced diet and potentially contributing to weight gain.
Some milk tea products also contain non-dairy creamers or other ingredients that may contain fats. Excessive consumption of trans fats, where present, is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
For people with high uric acid levels or gout, the fructose content of sugary drinks is another concern. Excessive fructose intake can promote uric acid production, while consistently high sugar intake may also contribute to metabolic problems that affect uric acid levels.
Then there is caffeine.
Many milk tea drinks contain caffeine, which can improve alertness but may also interfere with sleep when consumed in large amounts, particularly at night or among people who are sensitive to caffeine.
Having milk tea occasionally does not automatically mean it will cause these health problems. The bigger concern is when it becomes a daily habit — particularly when someone is consuming multiple sugary drinks a day.
Instead of treating milk tea as an everyday source of hydration, it is better viewed as an occasional drink, with water remaining the main choice for daily hydration.
