Daily Bubble Tea Habit Linked to Fatty Liver Disease, Doctors Warn

The allure of sweet, refreshing bubble tea and other sugary drinks is particularly strong during Taiwan's hot summer months, leading many to consume them daily. However, doctors warn that this habit poses a significant risk to liver health.

Dr. Cho Wei-ju, a gastroenterologist at Yunlin Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, explains that the primary issue with these beverages isn't just their calorie count, but how easily liquid sugar is consumed. A drink finished in five minutes might not feel like a large meal, but the body registers the sugar intake. The liver bears the brunt of processing large amounts of fructose, and frequent, excessive consumption can lead to the conversion of excess energy into fat, directly contributing to fatty liver.

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You drink in the sweet, part of it may become oil in your liver.

This accumulation of fat in the liver is a key factor in the rising concern over Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MASLD). Dr. Cho emphasizes that MASLD is often linked with other metabolic issues such as increased waist circumference, high triglycerides, elevated blood sugar, and weight gain, rather than solely alcohol consumption.

Recognizing that completely eliminating these drinks can be challenging, Dr. Cho offers practical advice for those already facing risks like fatty liver or high blood lipids and sugar. He suggests a gradual reduction strategy: start by switching from full sugar to half sugar, then to less sweet options. Limiting high-sugar drinks like fruit teas, milk teas, and pearl milk tea to a few times a week, reducing consumption by two cups weekly, and avoiding pairing them with late-night snacks are recommended steps. "Fewer two cups sounds like not much, but for the liver, it means two fewer overtime shifts," he stated.

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Fewer two cups sounds like not much, but for the liver, it means two fewer overtime shifts.