Milk Tea Addiction Linked to Anxiety in Young People
Whether it's bubble — or "boba" — tea from Taiwan, with its fruity flavor and sweet "pearls," a south Asian chai, or Hong Kong tea with sweetened or condensed milk, milk teas have grown in popularity in recent years.
Bubble tea shops have opened in countries around the world, and the drink has become very popular in Asia.
It's made by blending tea with milk, fruit and fruit juices, and then adding the "bubbles," which are actually chewy balls made from tapioca.
Sweet, comforting and fashionable, it's easy to see why it has become a common choice among young people.
But researchers in China have warned that milk teas may have addictive properties, and their overconsumption could be linked to depression and anxiety among teenagers and young adults.
The study looked at more than 5,200 college students in Beijing. Researchers asked them about their consumption of milk tea, as well as self-reported feelings of things like depression and anxiety.
Participants were also asked about whether they feel cravings for milk tea, feel dependent on it, or have withdrawal symptoms when they don't drink it.
The researchers reported that milk tea consumption may lead to addiction, and they found that "a higher level of milk tea addiction was significantly associated with a higher risk of depression," as well as anxiety.
The research team recommended that policymakers take these findings into account.
There's nothing unusual in milk tea or bubble tea that may make it addictive — it's simply the caffeine and sugar, say experts.
Doctors advise those aged between 12 and 18 to limit the amount of caffeine they consume to 100 milligrams per day. The amount of caffeine in bubble tea varies, but one drink can contain as much as 150 milligrams, although others may have less than 50.
Consuming too much caffeine has also been linked to a number of physical health problems, including heart disease and poor bone density.
