Can't stop, won't stop

Hu Dianhan, a college student in Changsha, said she knows drinking milk tea is not healthy, but it has become a habit for many young people.

Students tend to avoid research on the negative impacts of milk tea, Hu said, adding she does not believe such studies deter most students from drinking it.

"Just as we know that it's not healthy to stay up late, eat junk food and sit for too long, we still keep doing it," she said. "It is a cheap and very accessible pursuit, and it's not like it's as dangerous as drinking alcohol or smoking."

Hu drinks milk tea about three to four times a week. She says she uses it to unwind after a bad day or as a reward at the end of a good day.

Milk tea has also become a "cheap currency" for social interactions among young people. It is also the go-to beverage to serve at some wedding ceremonies and banquets, replacing the once ubiquitous baijiu.

On the social media platform Xiaohongshu, there are more than 120,000 posts under the hashtag "milk tea wedding", that highlight young couples choosing to serve it to their guests.

"Who said people need to make a toast with alcohol at a wedding, I choose to make a toast with milk tea and it is super cool," said one post, which received more than 26,000 likes on the platform.

To cash in on the demand, tea brand Heytea launched a group discount in 2022 for weddings. Newlyweds get a five percent discount when they buy 99 cups and 10 percent if they buy 299 cups. Tea brand ChaPanda launched similar discounts, and Chagee, also this year.

Luo Jiali, a college student in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, said milk tea and fruit tea have become an important part of social life for college students.

When they have gatherings, most of them will have a tea beverage. Teachers also reward students by buying them the drink when they perform well.

Although Luo knows milk tea has lots of sugar, he seldom pays attention to the possible negative health impacts. He believes his fast metabolism ensures he does not gain weight from drinking the beverage in excess.

He drinks milk tea every day, and has tried almost all the brands. "Whenever I am under a lot of pressure, I tend to buy myself a tea beverage to relax and have a rest," he said.

Contrary to the researchers' findings that excessive milk tea consumption is linked to negative emotions, Luo said he likes imbibing the drink, which makes him happier.

When he is too busy to have a proper meal, he says he orders a heavy milk tea with lots of cream and sugar as a substitute.

He also buys merchandise from milk tea brands when they collaborate with popular movie or game franchises. He collects the merchandise bags and sometimes uses the more sturdy ones as backpacks, which is a common practice and considered cool among students.

His love for milk tea is shared by 22-year-old Zou Xihao, a postgraduate student at a Changsha university.

He drinks the beverage about three to four times a week because it tastes good and his parents used to forbid him from drinking it when he was little.

Whenever he sees there are not many people lining up to buy milk tea, he buys one for himself.

He also does not pay much attention to news of the negative impacts of excessive drinking of milk tea.

"Perhaps I am healthy enough for the time being and cannot feel the side effects," he said. "I do not think too much about it. I drink the beverage because it enriches my life."