How the Afternoon Bubble Tea Habit Is Slowly Harming HCMC Office Workers

Every day at 2:30 p.m., Minh Anh, a 26-year-old graphic designer in HCMC, orders a cup of brown sugar bubble tea.

She says it fuels her creativity. But after six months, the side effects have become apparent: duller skin, cystic acne around her chin and a waistline that has expanded by 5 cm, leaving her clothes noticeably tighter.

Quoc Trung, 28, a software developer in HCMC, also relies on bubble tea to get through long coding sessions. His craving for sweetness is so intense that he becomes restless, experiences mild tremors in his hands and feet, and struggles to concentrate if he cannot get his fix.

Despite playing football weekly, a recent health check showed his blood sugar had reached prediabetic levels.

Anh and Trung represent a generation of office workers who have fallen prey to bubble tea — a drink that appears harmless but is quietly undermining public health.

Dr. Phan Thai Tan, a physician and health coach in HCMC, says afternoon cravings are driven by biological responses reinforced by unhealthy habits and poor dietary choices.

He explains that the problem often begins with lunch. Many office meals are high in rapidly absorbed carbohydrates such as white rice, vermicelli and pho. These foods cause blood sugar levels to spike quickly after eating and then drop sharply around 2–3 p.m. This decline, combined with circadian rhythms and workplace stress, triggers the brain’s demand for a quick dopamine boost from sugar.

Resorting to bubble tea in response to that craving, however, comes at a cost, he warns.

A single cup with assorted toppings can contain up to 1,000 kcal — equivalent to two main meals — yet offers little nutritional value. It typically consists of refined sugar, trans fat–laden creamer, artificial coloring and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is considered more metabolically harmful than cane sugar.

A 2019 study by Harvard University found that people who consumed more than 355 ml of sugary beverages daily faced a 21% higher risk of premature death compared with those who drank less than one cup per month.

Large amounts of liquid sugar cause a sharp spike in blood glucose, followed by a rapid drop as insulin works to compensate. Over time, the body may develop insulin resistance, increasing the risk of abdominal obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, according to the American Diabetes Association.

A 2015 study published in the Dutch medical journal Metabolism found that HFCS raises blood lipid levels and accelerates fatty liver development more quickly than cane sugar.

Drinking bubble tea in the afternoon can also disrupt sleep, Tan says.

Consuming caffeine and sugar after 2 p.m. can impair nighttime rest, leading to fatigue and stronger sugar cravings the following day. Over time, taste preferences may shift toward richer and sweeter flavors, making whole, natural foods less appealing and lifestyle changes more difficult to sustain.

Tan says breaking the cycle does not require complete abstinence, which can intensify cravings. Instead, he recommends choosing slow-digesting carbohydrates such as brown rice, sweet potatoes and beans, along with protein and vegetables, at lunch to stabilize blood sugar and reduce afternoon energy crashes.

He also advises maintaining regular physical activity, standing and moving throughout the day, and taking short mental breaks to sustain focus without relying on sugar-driven stimulation.

When afternoon cravings arise, he suggests drinking warm herbal teas such as ginger, cinnamon or chamomile, or lightly brewed, unsweetened green tea.

He further recommends snacks rich in protein or healthy fats, including boiled eggs, roasted nuts, unsweetened yogurt, or low-sugar fruits such as apples and guava.

Unsweetened yogurt mixed with a small amount of honey or naturally ripe fruit can also help curb stronger sweet cravings if consumed in moderation, Tan says.