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Consumer advocates warn against bubble tea
In almost every city in Germany, so-called bubble tea shops open at every corner. Before the fashion drink currently warns the consumer center Bavaria. The supposed tea in most cases consists of color and artificial flavors, acidifiers and preservatives, according to the experts. Thus, a study in Munich revealed that the "list of ingredients is not always clearly marked," report the consumer advocates. The problem does not exist only in Bavaria, but could be observed frequently also in other federal states.
Allergenic substances and a lot of sugar
"I often buy my kids bubble tea, after all, tea is healthy," says Karin B., mother of two children from Hanover. But what many do not know: Bubble Tea hardly contains natural ingredients these days. When the cult drink first appeared on the market in Taiwan 26 years ago, the vendors then mixed the colorful balls with green, black or Olong tea. The balls themselves were made of cassava root and cooked with maple syrup. Today, however, hardly any tea is contained in the drinks and if then only in very small quantities. For this, a lot of artificial additives are added, which would actually have to be stated. Because many substances could be allergenic and lead to allergic reactions, as the consumer advocates emphasize. "For particularly sensitive people, labeling allergenic ingredients would be desirable." However, a corresponding law comes into force only in 2014, which is why the shops can not be warned in the matter.
In infants danger of pneumonia
The bubble tea is sweet and sweet and contains small peas the size of peas. These are absorbed into a thick straw from either a fruit drink or ice cream mix. Some of the balls are filled with fruity syrup and only burst when chewed in the mouth. Precisely that circumstance has already led to a warning from the professional association of paediatricians in Germany. Because infants are often distracted, they might inadvertently swallow the bullets as a whole. This results in a strong cough, which must be treated immediately, because the bullets could get stuck. If the globules enter the lungs via the trachea, the occurrence of pneumonia and even pulmonary collapse has been observed in some cases. In such cases there is absolute danger to life and emergency treatment of choice is a bronchoscopy. The paediatricians therefore demand from the legislator that warnings be placed on the cups so that parents and children are enlightened.
High sugar content in bubble tea
The bubble tea is not healthy at all, not only because of the additives, but also because of the high sugar content. A cup of just 0.2 liters of Bladder Tea contains between 300 and 500 calories. This corresponds to one third of the "total energy requirement per day," says nutrition expert Sven-David Müller. Frequent consumption increases the risk of overweight and obesity. This can in turn cause diseases such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
Nevertheless, the term "bubble tea" suggests that it is a natural product. "By nature, but no trace," says Müller. Instead, consumers should be misled with the brand name. Instead of healthy tea almost always only artificial substances are included. (Sb)
Read about:
Health Warning Bubble Tea
Bubble Tea: Modern fattening
Lung collapse due to bubble teas
Harmful Bladder Tea
Picture: A. Dreher