Here’s the Best Time to Drink Boba and Avoid Weight Gain, According to a Dietitian

April 12, 2019

The irresistible bubble tea seems to be all the rage these days, so if you’re a self-diagnosed “bobaddict” with tendencies to consume the drink way more than most people would, it’s probably time to hear a word from health experts.

Meet Donna Chen, a popular dietitian from Taiwan whose expertise of more than 13 years include nutrition, food research and development, preventive healthcare and weight loss management, to name a few.

Not too long ago, Chen posted a four-minute video teaching people how to make their bubble tea habit relatively “healthier” — and we simply couldn’t miss it!

For starters, Chen recommends a gradual reduction in the amount and level of sweetness of your favorite boba recipe.

This means reducing the size of your cup from large to small, decreasing the sugar level from full to less, cutting down from daily consumption to every few days, choosing flavors with less sugar and having jelly — or herbal jelly — instead of pearls.

The main point of the video, however, is Chen’s glorious tip to prevent weight gain for those who can never sacrifice their love for boba.

That is: consume the drink within 30 minutes after a workout.

According to the dietitian, GLUT4 — the insulin-regulated glucose transporter found in cardiac and skeletal muscles — is most active during this period, using the sugar in your boba tea much more quickly.

This increases the chances of preventing weight gain from the drink, but it does not necessarily help in losing weight after the workout.

Finally, Chen highlights the importance of consuming the drink within the recommended time frame, as doing so beyond it will turn the sugar into fat instead.

Watch the full video below:

Featured Images via YouTube / Donna營養師-陳怡錞營養保健專家 (Left) and NextShark (Right)

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