Most commercially available milk tea is made with non-dairy creamer, which isn’t great for your health. That’s why many people choose to make their own fresh milk tea at home to stay healthy. However, tea leaves contain oxalic acid, and when combined with the calcium in fresh milk, many worry that it will form calcium oxalate and cause kidney stones, ultimately harming their health. In reality, this is a misconception—drinking fresh milk tea does not cause kidney stones.
There are many online rumors claiming that drinking milk tea leads to kidney stones, suggesting that the oxalic acid in tea mixes with the high calcium in fresh milk to form unabsorbable calcium oxalate, which accumulates into kidney stones if consumed too much. The theory goes that milk teas with higher calcium content pose the highest risk, making fresh milk tea and powdered milk tea the most dangerous. In truth, calcium oxalate in milk tea does not form kidney stones because it is eliminated through the digestive system and never passes through the kidneys, so there is no issue of stone formation.
Kidney stones are mostly caused by genetics and insufficient daily water intake. The best ways to prevent kidney stones are to drink plenty of water every day and get regular health check-ups. Fresh milk tea does not cause kidney stones.
▲ Fresh milk tea does not cause kidney stones and is much healthier than commercial creamer-based milk teas.
Most milk teas sold on the market are made with non-dairy creamer, which contains a large amount of trans fats that are not good for health. Additionally, commercial bubble teas usually contain a lot of sugar, putting an invisible burden on body weight and the kidneys. Therefore, store-bought milk teas are best consumed in moderation. Making fresh milk tea at home is undoubtedly a relatively healthy and safe choice.