We all have our guilty pleasures – perhaps it’s a chocolate coated ice-cream, or a juicy burger. There’s nothing wrong with indulging in comfort food once in a while, but like any wise person would tell you: moderation is key.
One Taiwanese woman has obviously missed the health (and beauty) memo. A CTS news report says the woman who’s in her 30s looks 20 years older than her actual age. Doctors attribute it to her diet; she has been consuming at least one cup of bubble tea per day for the last 20 years, since she was a secondary school student. The report also says that she usually goes for a 500ml cup and requests for extra sugar.
Bubble tea is a popular drink from Taiwan that has also made its way to Singapore. The drink is typically made with tea, other sweet flavourings, and “pearls” (bouncy tapioca balls that you can chew on) that are also ladened with sugar.
Doctors observe that her skin texture is rough, her skin tone is uneven, and that there are significant deep wrinkles seen on her face. A doctor who was interviewed explained that her poor skin condition is likely the result of her daily indulgence in bubble tea, which has subjected her skin to intense glycation, making her look much older than her actual age. She was reported to be in her 30s but look like she’s in her 50s.
Glycation is a natural reaction triggered when proteins in our skin are weakened after interaction with sugar. Proteins in our skin, such as collagen and elastin, are responsible for giving our complexion that youthful, plump, and bouncy texture. When glycation takes place, it weakens these important proteins and the results manifest on our skin as wrinkles, sagginess, and a general loss of radiance.
While glycation happens all the time and can accelerate as we age, it definitely puts itself on top gear when we are consume a high amount of sugar in diet. What this means is that other than bubble tea, we should also make sure that we only enjoy other sugary foods in moderation.
