At the beginning of the project, our mentors guided us through a systematic study of the basics of sugar, helping us recognize its widespread presence in daily life and food. We also explored the multidimensional reasons behind human sugar addiction.

1. Brain Reward System

Dopamine Release: When we consume sugar, our brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. This activation of the brain’s reward center gives us a sense of happiness and satisfaction.

Habit Formation: Over time, sugar consumption can lead to dopamine dependence, encouraging people to seek sugar repeatedly for the same pleasurable feeling, thus forming a habit.

2. Physiological Responses

Blood Sugar Fluctuations: After consuming sugar, blood sugar levels rise rapidly and then drop sharply. This fluctuation may cause cravings for sugar to quickly restore energy.

Insulin Response: A high-sugar diet stimulates insulin secretion. Prolonged high sugar intake can lead to insulin resistance, further increasing sugar dependence.

3. Psychological Factors

Emotional Regulation: Many people consume sugar during times of stress, anxiety, or depression as a way to regulate emotions. Sugar intake can temporarily improve mood, creating emotional reliance.

Cultural and Social Influences: In many cultures, sugar is seen as a symbol of reward or celebration, which deepens people’s cravings through societal reinforcement.

The relationship between sugar consumption and the brain’s reward mechanisms, physiological responses, psychological factors, and genetic susceptibility highlights the complexity of sugar addiction. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for better control of sugar intake.

Following this, we organized a lively debate on the pros and cons of drinking milk tea. Project members were randomly assigned roles as either debaters or judges, resulting in two teams of five and a panel of judges. The debate was dynamic and thought-provoking, with participants delivering compelling arguments. The affirmative side argued from the perspective of milk and tea’s nutritional value, their social role for teenagers, and the emotional value and reward system activation provided by milk tea. The opposition countered with arguments about the health issues caused by sugar content, milk tea addiction and mental health, and the role of capitalism in manipulating consumers. When discussing the viral topic of “the first cup of milk tea in autumn,” students rationally pointed out that this is a strategy driven by capital forces.

“The First Cup of Milk Tea in Autumn” is a phenomenon on social media symbolizing care and affection during seasonal transitions. However, there are many ways to express love and care—milk tea is just one of them. What truly matters is the emotion and intent behind the gesture, not the material form itself. Furthermore, recent years have seen a trend toward gifting healthier products. According to the White Paper on Healthy Gift-Giving Trends, 72% of young people now prefer choosing health-related gifts over sugary drinks like milk tea, highlighting a shift in preferences.

From the opposition’s argument

Guided by project mentors, we carefully reviewed “The Sugar Intake Levels and Risk Assessment of Urban Residents in China”. This report revealed that the average daily sugar intake of Chinese urban residents aged three and above is 9.1g/person, far below the recommended upper limit of 50g (or 25g) per day set by the Chinese Dietary Guidelines and WHO’s recommended energy contribution of 10% of total dietary energy. However, we cannot be overly optimistic, as 4.1–4.8% of children and adolescents aged 3–17 already exceed the 10% limit, and their sugar consumption is growing annually. These findings highlight the need to focus on sugar intake among Chinese adolescents.

The second day involved a field visit to the Huzhou factory of Xiangpiaopiao, where we engaged in collaborative research with product development, marketing, and branding leaders. We toured the production line and transformed into brand managers to co-develop a project with Xiangpiaopiao’s team. This included designing integrated marketing plans for milk tea/juice tea products with IP collaborations, such as a Chinese New Year gift box with The Calabash Brothers. Through this workshop, we gained systematic knowledge of branding, product development, and marketing strategies, providing insights into the brand’s positioning in the teenage market.

In the final stage, we attended a lecture by a Zhongshan Hospital expert on “Scientific Sugar Control through Integrative Medicine.” This lecture deepened our understanding of sugar’s impact on human health and the importance of scientific sugar control. We also learned about Singapore’s graded beverage labeling system and Shanghai’s pilot program for labeling sugar levels in milk tea, which started in April, helping consumers make healthier choices.