Scholars: 85% of Hand-Shaken Drinks Contain More Sugar Than Labeled; Over Half of "No Added Sugar" Drinks Test Positive
A study by National Taiwan University reveals that 85.6% of commercial hand-shaken drinks contain more sugar than their labels state. Furthermore, 55.6% of drinks labeled "no added sugar" actually contain sugar, and a single "half-sugar" cup nearly hits the WHO's daily limit.
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- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 14:51
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Central News Agency
(CNA Reporter Tseng I-ning, Taipei, 23rd) Many people love hand-shaken drinks, but recent research from public health scholars at National Taiwan University reveals that 85.6% of commercial hand-shaken drinks contain more sugar than stated on their labels. Even among drinks claiming "no added sugar," 55.6% were found to contain sugar, while a single cup of a "half-sugar" drink almost reaches the recommended daily limit for sugar intake.
Hand-shaken drinks are highly representative of Taiwan, but drinking one daily means potentially consuming a lot of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Lo Yu-hsuan, an associate professor at the Institute of Food Safety and Health and the Master of Public Health Degree Program at National Taiwan University, held a press conference today to present these findings, systematically exposing the reality of hand-shaken drink ingredients and the public health issues they may cause.
Lo Yu-hsuan pointed out that the overweight and obesity rate among adults over 18 in Taiwan has reached 50%, with metabolic fatty liver disease affecting up to 36.1%. To clarify the impact of hand-shaken drink culture on public health, the research team collected 126 samples of pure tea, milk tea, and fruit tea—labeled as sugar-free or half-sugar—from major chain stores in Taipei and Changhua to test their sugar content.
The results showed that 85.6% of the drinks had an actual total sugar content higher than labeled. Additionally, 55.6% of the drinks labeled "no added sugar" still tested positive for sugar. The team analyzed that this is likely because raw ingredients like fruit juices, dairy, or toppings inherently contain sugar, which easily misleads consumers. Furthermore, a 700ml "half-sugar" drink contains an average of 46.5g of sugar, closely approaching the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended daily limit of 50g for free sugars.
Regarding artificial sweeteners—which can alter gut microbiota, trigger insulin resistance and inflammation, and promote fatty liver formation—the team sampled 189 cups of tea, milk tea, fruit tea, and other drinks. They detected artificial sweeteners in 26 samples, mostly in fruit juices, fruit teas, and drinks with toppings.
To understand how often Taiwanese people consume hand-shaken drinks, the team conducted an online survey from July to September 2024, collecting 1,073 valid responses. The results showed that the surveyed individuals consumed an average of 329ml of hand-shaken drinks per day, with men drinking more than women, primarily among the 31 to 40 age group.
By combining the tested amounts of sugar and artificial sweeteners with the surveyed drinking habits, the team found that males aged 18 to 39 with university degrees had the highest sugar intake.
Lo Yu-hsuan emphasized that behind these seemingly everyday beverages lie complex issues involving ingredient exposure, health risks, and information transparency. He hopes these research findings will serve as a reference for future improvements in sugar labeling, transparency of freshly made drink ingredients, consumer risk communication, and health policy design.
(CNA Reporter Tseng I-ning, Taipei, 23rd) Many people love hand-shaken drinks, but recent research from public health scholars at National Taiwan University reveals that 85.6% of commercial hand-shaken drinks contain more sugar than stated on their labels. Even among drinks claiming "no added sugar," 55.6% were found to contain sugar, while a single cup of a "half-sugar" drink almost reaches the recommended daily limit for sugar intake.
Hand-shaken drinks are highly representative of Taiwan, but drinking one daily means potentially consuming a lot of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Lo Yu-hsuan, an associate professor at the Institute of Food Safety and Health and the Master of Public Health Degree Program at National Taiwan University, held a press conference today to present these findings, systematically exposing the reality of hand-shaken drink ingredients and the public health issues they may cause.
Lo Yu-hsuan pointed out that the overweight and obesity rate among adults over 18 in Taiwan has reached 50%, with metabolic fatty liver disease affecting up to 36.1%. To clarify the impact of hand-shaken drink culture on public health, the research team collected 126 samples of pure tea, milk tea, and fruit tea—labeled as sugar-free or half-sugar—from major chain stores in Taipei and Changhua to test their sugar content.
The results showed that 85.6% of the drinks had an actual total sugar content higher than labeled. Additionally, 55.6% of the drinks labeled "no added sugar" still tested positive for sugar. The team analyzed that this is likely because raw ingredients like fruit juices, dairy, or toppings inherently contain sugar, which easily misleads consumers. Furthermore, a 700ml "half-sugar" drink contains an average of 46.5g of sugar, closely approaching the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended daily limit of 50g for free sugars.
Regarding artificial sweeteners—which can alter gut microbiota, trigger insulin resistance and inflammation, and promote fatty liver formation—the team sampled 189 cups of tea, milk tea, fruit tea, and other drinks. They detected artificial sweeteners in 26 samples, mostly in fruit juices, fruit teas, and drinks with toppings.
To understand how often Taiwanese people consume hand-shaken drinks, the team conducted an online survey from July to September 2024, collecting 1,073 valid responses. The results showed that the surveyed individuals consumed an average of 329ml of hand-shaken drinks per day, with men drinking more than women, primarily among the 31 to 40 age group.
By combining the tested amounts of sugar and artificial sweeteners with the surveyed drinking habits, the team found that males aged 18 to 39 with university degrees had the highest sugar intake.
Lo Yu-hsuan emphasized that behind these seemingly everyday beverages lie complex issues involving ingredient exposure, health risks, and information transparency. He hopes these research findings will serve as a reference for future improvements in sugar labeling, transparency of freshly made drink ingredients, consumer risk communication, and health policy design.