Give me a moment since I have you here to break down why Tonga’s famous drink is considered healthy.
You’re probably wondering how is otai healthy? Or duh - I already knew otai is healthy. I want to be the one to tell you, it is indeed healthy. It is all about perception my family. Let me tell you something - anything can be healthy, it’s all about how and what you make of it. You know what I’m saying?
Okay - so here is the reason why Otai can be unhealthy: SUGAR.
My family, we are so heavy handed when it comes to sugar content! Fruit, although it is healthy, it still has a very high sugar content. So for all of you who use pineapple or mango in your otai…you better look at the back of the can to see how much sugar is in there. Fruit is nature’s candy. Our amazing God, the Creator of this amazing universe, did not make fruit just so we can ADD more processed sugar. Like Hello?!
And now you’re probably wondering - sugar is just sugar. NO. Not all sugar is created equal. There are some sugars who are refined and processed, where it is indeed not actually pure sugar. Let me give you some examples of some real sugar. Using pure sugar cane - yes, really good. Sugar cane is minimally processed and can be refined, raw, or unrefined. It is usually between off-white to a tan in color.
Another recommendation is coconut sugar. It is brown in color which may not be aesthetically pleasing, but it tastes just about the same as regular sugar but it has more of a caramel-ish flavor. Coconut sugar is a good substitute for regular sugar because it contains small amounts of nutrients such as iron, zinc, calcium, and potassium, while cane sugar is primarily composed of sucrose. In addition it is lower in glycemic index, meaning it can reduce a dramatic rise in blood sugar spikes compared to cane sugar.
The Creamer Portion
Now that we have tackled the sweetener portion, we can go over the creamer portion. See, now this is where it gets tricky because everyone has their own way of making their otai. Some use coconut milk, condensed milk, coffee creamer, or their own secret ingredient. These are all amazing options and what makes otai - otai, BUT mind you, we have to be mindful of the intake because the outtake is what is being affected.
So truthfully it does not matter what you use, what matters is PORTION CONTROL! So, I don’t want to condone toxic behaviors, but if you do want to control the sugar intake, maybe just turn the bottle around to see the nutritional facts to account for the total sugars you are consuming per serving. Like I said, use whatever you want, but I’m just here to give you a healthier (still yummy) substitution to make your favorite poly drink a little bit more healthy.
Take what I’m saying with a grain of sugar *wink wink.*
Let’s be real, when we are consuming otai with the family, we are not paying attention to how many cups or servings we are drinking, so if we were to take something from what you spent the last few minutes reading is “anything can be healthy, it’s all about how and what you make it.”
Quote from Keilani Mayo, your wellness sistah ;)
Images provided by the featured individuals or sourced from their public social media profiles and online platforms. All rights remain with the original creators. Originally published in PMN+ Magazine, February 2025 (Vol. 2 No. 2).
February 2025 · Digital Magazine
