All that glitters is not gold and all that is milky and sugary is not good and healthy. We know you love bubble tea but it’s the very thing breaking you out and wreaking havoc on your skin if you’re acne prone.
What is bubble tea? What is so special about this tea? Is this tea good for our health? While many have jumped on the bubble tea bandwagon, how many have actually stopped and considered the health implications of drinking bubble tea on a regular basis?
Let’s get into it.
What Is Bubble Tea?
Bubble tea is an East Asian drink that was invented in the 1980s in Taiwan. Boba tea or Bubble tea contains grains of tapioca extract and is blended with flavorings and sweeteners from a tea base mixed with milk. Boba (those tiny, chewy black balls at the bottom of the drink) is made from tapioca, which is a gluten-free starch extracted from the root of a cassava plant.
In recent years, Boba tea has gained popularity across the globe. You can now find bubble tea on every street corner in New York City. Now the tea chains are springing up in every nook and cranny of the world.
Why Bubble Tea Is Bad For Acne Prone Skin
However, Boba is not a healthy and harmless drink. The tapioca fun balls are boiled and saturated with processed sugar. This makes the health value of the tea worse. The tea offers all carbs and lacks any beneficial vitamins, minerals, or fiber.
Sugar has a high glycemic index. Apart from resulting in insulin spikes, sugar also increases androgen secretion, inflammation, and oil production. All of which play a massively significant role in acne development.
The “tapioca pearls” in bubble tea are as bad for your health as actual candy. These bouncy tapioca balls are high in carbs and low in well-being-promoting nutrients like vitamins or minerals.
Bubble Tea Breaks Down Collagen and Elastin
Excessive sugar consumption results in an increase in insulin levels that triggers chronic inflammation and oxidative stress.
Refined sugar becomes attached to collagen proteins and fats in our skin. This is a process known as glycation.
During the process of glycation, a new category of substance is formed – AGEs (advanced glycation end-products). AGEs are extremely destructive. These are enzymes that break down and weaken elastin fibers and collagen (collagen is responsible for skin strength and elastin enables the skin to stretch, and is responsible for giving youthful skin its plump and bouncy texture) leaving skin rough, dull, and discolored, leading to wrinkles and sagging.
The process of glycation is responsible for increasing the skin aging process and worsening skin conditions like rosacea and acne. Skin is more susceptible to breakdown and damage from the sun. These are enzymes that weaken the elastin fibers and collagen, turning your skin dull, wrinkled, and saggy.
How To Make Your Bubble Tea Healthier
Some healthy tips that you can consider for making your bubble tea a healthier drink for your skin include:
1. Add low-fat dairy-free milk to your bubble tea as a substitute for creamers.
2. Add less sugar or no sugar to your tea (this includes less sweetened fruit purees and flavored syrup)
3. Choose your dairy-free milk wisely
There is hope if you love Boba! Ask for a milk alternative like almond or coconut milk, and go light on the sweetener.
All Dairy-Free Milk Is Not Equal
Don’t assume that all organic kinds of milk are healthy. Some milk has unnecessary ingredients that cause acne. Choose brands without added sugar, natural flavors, or carrageenan.
Some better brands are MALK Organic Almond and Cashew Milks, Oatly (low-fat version), Three Trees Organic Almond Milk, New Barn Organic Almond Milk, Whole Foods 365 Organic Unsweetened Almond Milk, Thrive Market Organic Almond Milk and Organic Oat Milk, Simple Truth Organic Unsweetened Almond Milk, Califia Organic Almond Homestyle Nut Milk, and Native Forest or Natural Value Coconut Milk (canned).
Be careful, because these brands may have some other versions with added sugar and flavors.
Takeaway
Bubble tea without processed sugar, artificial flavors, sweeteners, and milk, is a zero-calorie beverage. Bubble tea is refreshing, satisfying, and hydrating. Especially when served over ice, on a muggy and hot day.
Without sugar and milk, antioxidants present in the tea help fight off systemic bacterial inflammation for toned and smoother skin. Schedule your initial consultation today for a more in-depth look at what is causing your acne.
The bottom line: Like anything else, enjoy your bubble tea in moderation. If you really enjoy bubble tea, don’t eliminate it completely, but try to customize it to reduce your sugar intake and only have it occasionally.
Cheers to clear!
Rene