Business actors are continuously required to, innovate their products in order to compete in the market. Now, along the way we can see a variety of food and beverage outlets, from large places to small kiosks. One of them is a variety of milk tea drinks with additional toppings in it.
Dr. Ir. Sedarnawati Yasni, M.Agr, lecturer in Food Science and Technology, Bogor Agricultural University as well as a halal auditor of the Assessment Institute for Foods, Drugs and Cosmetics Indonesia Council of Ulama (LPPOM MUI), explained that tea and milk are basically healthful and nutritious drinks for the body because the ingredients are natural.
(Also read: Boba, Examine The Halalness)
“Tea has health benefits, namely preventing cancer, inhibiting the formation of blood cholesterol, controlling high blood pressure, lowering blood sugar levels, slowing down aging, and refreshing the body,” he explained.
It was further explained that tea contains compounds that are beneficial for health and fitness, including: polyphenols, theofolin, flavonoids / metixantin, tannins, vitamins C and E, catechins, and a number of minerals (Zn, Se, Mn, Mg). The content of these compounds acts as an antimutagenic, anticancer, treat gastrointestinal disorders, neutralize fat in food, prevent oxidation of low density fat, lower blood cholesterol, refresh breathing, stimulate the brain stem, prevent free radicals, inhibit viral development, and inhibit high blood pressure.
While milk, known as perfect food, contains proteins and vitamins that babies need and is generally useful for human health (all ages). Certainly it would be very good if boba drinks use pure cow’s milk because it has a high nutritional content, such as protein, vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, immunoglobin, vitamin A, Zinc, essential fatty acids, lactose, and essential amino acids. In addition, pure cow’s milk is included in the list of uncritical ingredients.
However, it will be a different story if this tea and milk is consumed with a mixture of other ingredients. The mixture can be in the form of sugar, flavorings, cream cheese, pudding, boba, and so on. In addition to its effects on body health, the halalness of these drinks also needs to be highlighted.
“Drinks like these generally have a fairly concentrated sweet taste, especially coupled with toppings that also have quite high calories,” said Sedarnawati.
Suppose, he continued, one serving of boba drinks (standard 475 mL) contains about 38 grams of sugar or equal to 350-500 calories. This amount has exceeded the sugar intake limit recommended by the American Heart Association, which is 150 calories per day for adult men and 100 calories per day for adult women.
Therefore, the consumption of current drinks needs to be taken seriously enough. Excessive consumption can cause weight gain or risk of certain diseases. High sugar levels, for example, can cause insulin resistance. In the long run, this will cause type 2 diabetes. In addition, it causes stomach problems, such as bloating, pain, and cramps. (YN)
