19 Things You Need To Know About Bubble Tea (2024)

FAQs

What do you know about bubble tea? ›

Bubble tea is a Taiwanese recipe made by blending tea with milk, fruit and fruit juices, then adding tasty tapioca pearls and shaking vigorously. Bubble tea is suddenly all the rage over here in the UK, but it's actually been a hot (or cold!) favourite in countries like China since the 1980s.

The short answer to this question is yes. The pearls in bubble tea are entirely edible and safe to eat, and are what make drinking bubble tea a totally unique experience. In fact, it's important to remember that you should always chew the pearls in bubble tea before swallowing them.

Choose the Unsweetened or Low Sugar Option

According to the national institute of health, every boba tea contains at least 38 grams of sugar. Instead of sugar, we can choose a natural sweetener like honey or agave syrup in our boba tea.

Mass produced boba, whether it's made in Taiwan or the US, is typically made from tapioca flour and water with a filler that acts as a binding agent such as xanthan gum, guar gum, or agar. Additionally, they're made with preservatives, artificial colors, and flavors.

Tapioca pearls are not to be mistaken for popping boba. Tapioca pearls have a chewy texture and always come in a deep black color. Meanwhile, popping boba are colored, non-chewy balls that burst when consumed, thus its name.

The tea became known as "boba" because the term is Taiwanese slang for breasts (a reference to the spherical shape of the tapioca balls), and is believed to have originated from Chinese characters.

The original, and for many people still the favourite, tapioca pearls pair well with any bubble tea and are generally flavoured with honey or brown sugar syrup to get that distinctive black pearl look. These pearls should absolutely be chewed and you should take 2-3 chews to really savour the taste.

A Quick Review. Boba tea is generally safe to drink, but you'll want to enjoy it in moderation. The beverage is usually high in sugar and calories and contains an additive that might lead to constipation. Drinking too much boba tea may increase your risk of diabetes and obesity.

Bubble tea is safe for consumption if enjoyed in moderation, so an occasional cup is fine for kids and teens. To make it even healthier, parents can make bubble tea at home (and control what goes in it) with decaffeinated tea, homemade or store-bought tapioca pearls, their choice of milk, and their choice of sweetener.

Regular or excessive consumption of bubble tea without adjusting daily calorie intake can lead to weight gain. The combination of fruit syrup, milk, and tapioca can increase the number of calories by 350-400. As explained above, bubble tea contains very little fiber. This can cause constipation if consumed regularly.

Is soda healthier than boba? ›

Brown sugar milk tea with boba has been found as the unhealthiest option with 18.5 teaspoons of sugar. For an easy reference, a can of regular co*ke contains 7 teaspoons of sugar; a cup of brown sugar milk tea with pearl is equivalent to 2.6 cans of co*ke.

Micronutrients in Boba

There is a very small amount of folate in boba (1.1 mcg). You'll benefit from a small amount of calcium in a single serving of boba (5.6 mg). You'll also gain a small amount of iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, and potassium.

The greatest health benefit it has is that it is common-allergy free (gluten, nut, and grain-free), making bubble tea a great dessert option. The large amount of fiber in bubble tea also makes it easily digestible for people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis.

There are 4 main types of tea that are used to make bubble tea: black tea, green tea, oolong tea and fruit tea.

Bubble tea is a cold drink typically made with black tea, milk, some type of sweetener like sugar, ice and the famous "bubbles", which are tapioca pearls. These pearls, which are also known as boba, are small, chewy and made from a starchy substance called tapioca which comes from the cassava plant.

With its unique blend of traditional tea flavors, brown sugar-sweetness, an occasional caffeine kick, and chewy tapioca pearls- its claim to fame-, bubble tea's journey from small teahouse delicacy to international stardom is a testament to innovation, cultural exchange, and the beverage's irresistible charm.

Unfortunately, boba itself provides very few health benefits, though its calories and carbohydrates can provide you with a boost in energy. In most cases, boba tea contains high levels of sugar, which is linked to long-term health conditions like diabetes and obesity.