Teh Tarik – a simple beverage that is many Malaysians’ guilty pleasures, and the best part about it is you can have it anytime. The worst part? Like many sweet beverages, it’s 1 of the most notorious silent “killers” in Malaysia.
Just recently, a business page @kedidi_kakipalsu shared the story of a Malaysian man who has been a diabetic patient for 30 years now, and how he had to amputate his right leg after the wounds and scars did not get better. What actually contributed to his diabetes? Sadly, it’s the tasty Teh Tarik.
“Teh Tarik all-day”
The 55-year-old man, known as Lan admitted that Teh Tarik was among his favourite drinks of all time. He loved it so much that he had it every day for every meal. He admitted his mistake where he would pair every meal with a good hot glass of Teh Tarik, or sometimes, Teh Ais.
Not only that but Lan also said that he had a habit of having late-night supper at 3 in the morning.
“Sometimes I’d go to the Mamak restaurant for supper, and I would have Roti Canai with Teh Tarik at 3 or 4 am.”
For illustration purposes only
That sounds delicious but given the frequency and the timing, as much as we love the food pairing, we cannot deny that it’s unhealthy.
Is Teh Tarik the only cause of all this? According to Lan, there is another sugary drink that led him to where he is today.
“Sometimes, after a glass of Teh Tarik, I would get myself a can of Coca-cola. I rarely drank plain water.”
It’s definitely a case of sugar overload that has unfortunately caused Lan his right leg. Despite his current condition, Lan admitted that he is practising a healthy lifestyle by having a balanced meal, and only eating healthy food.
You can listen to his experience in the clip below.
@kedidi_kakipalsu Abang Azlan share tabiat dia masa muda.Umur 45 dia kata dah start nampak kesan.Perlu kaki palsu tapi tak mampu? boleh hubungi kami.Moga bermanfaat #diabetes #kencingmanis #kedidikakipalsu #amputeeinfo
According to a post by the Ministry of Health, a glass of Teh Tarik alone contains 5 teaspoons of sugar. It’s not wrong to kickstart your day with a glass of frothy Teh Tarik, but the frequency of having the drink is important to prevent yourself from contracting an illness nobody wants.
