Consumers' Foundation warns bubble tea enthusiasts

Consumers who regularly enjoy "bubble tea" or "pearl milk tea" should be aware of the popular beverage's high calorie count, the Consumers' Foundation said after a survey found that some people drink the tea up to three times a day.

Bubble tea, which mixes tea, cream powder and tapioca pearls, has attracted a following of enthusiasts who may be harming their health by drinking it too often, the foundation said.

In a survey conducted by the foundation, 2.7 percent of respondents said they drank three cups of the beverage per day.

A foundation spokesman said that such heavy consumption was unhealthy. Three cups contain around 1,200 calories, which is more than half the daily recommended calorie count for adults.

The spokesman cited a 2006 study by Taipei Medical University Hospital, which found that a 70 centiliter cup of the tea contained 393 calories. Three cups a day could lead to significant weight gain, diabetes and heart diseases.

The survey, conducted from Feb. 22 to March 12 with 6,962 valid responses, found that 16 percent drank one cup of pearl milk tea per day.

Those who drink one cup a day for 20 days would gain a kilogram, the spokesman said.