Hold the sweet: Most mamak outlets use condensed milk instead of sugar to make numerous popular drinks. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
PETALING JAYA: The government has launched the “Jom Kosong” campaign to reduce the use of sugar in drinks, but there is a slip between the cup and the lip – condensed milk.
It is said to be milk, but it has sugar and is higher in calories and carbohydrates. And what is teh tarik without condensed milk in it?
Malaysians on average consume about three teaspoons of condensed milk a day, which equals to 15-25g of sugar. Teh tarik, Nescafe tarik, kopi kaw and sirap bandung are just some of the beverages made with condensed milk.
Most mamak outlets in Malaysia use condensed milk instead of sugar when making these drinks, and questions have been asked over whether they are covered by the Jom Kosong campaign – where eateries will provide the option of sugar-free drinks at lower prices.
Original Penang Kayu Nasi Kandar managing director Burhan Mohamed said his nasi kandar chain will be offering fresh milk as an option instead of condensed milk, but it would be more expensive.
“We don’t use sugar for tea. We only use condensed milk. We are planning to use fresh milk but with no sugar. (But) it is more expensive,” he said.
“Sometimes we don’t use condensed milk for Teh C or Kopi C. We use evaporated milk with no sugar,” he explained.
The manager of a mamak restaurant in Cheras also said that besides condensed milk, evaporated milk was used in beverages as well.
“We also have fresh cow’s milk, but it’s up to the customers. If they are more health conscious, they can go with evaporated or fresh milk. Of course, the price cannot be reduced,” he said.
“The best option would still be ‘O’, which is both sugar and milk free. These drinks are generally cheaper,” he added.
Based on the Malaysian Food Composition Database, sweetened condensed milk contains approximately 300kcal per 100g.
“It comprises 8.5g of protein, 11.9g of fat and 50.4g of carbohydrates, with around 40% of its content being sugar,” said Dr Siti Raihanah Shafie, a senior lecturer at Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Department of Nutrition.
Consuming more than two to three cups of teh tarik, kopi susu or sirap bandung a day can easily exceed the World Health Organization’s recommendation for a maximum of 50g of sugar per day for a diet of 2000kcal, she added.
She said it could lead to weight gain, fat accumulation as well as disruption of carbohydrate and fat metabolism – which ultimately increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
“If we consider the intent behind the sugar tax, it is to raise awareness among manufacturers and consumers about the global trend of reducing sugar consumption.
“Taxing condensed milk could be one of the strategies to support this effort. This also aligns with the tagline, ‘One teaspoon is enough, less is better, none is best’,” she added.
Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh, a health economics and public health specialist with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Faculty of Medicine, said condensed milk tends to be higher in calories, sugar and carbohydrates due to the added sugar.
“On the other hand, evaporated milk has fewer calories, carbohydrates and saturated fat,” she said.
“Evaporated milk does not have any added sugar. Just don’t add sugar. Stalls and food vendors should not increase drink prices if using evaporated milk.
“Another alternative would be powdered milk. Where powdered milk is mildly sweet due to lactose, evaporated milk has a sweeter, caramel-like flavor because its lactose has been heated and it slowly caramelised,” she added.
“Powdered milk is fresh milk that has been pasteurised and the risk of microorganism (contamination) is small.”
Evaporated milk, she said, was the cheaper option but powdered milk was better health-wise.
