Boba milk tea, a variety of Taiwanese boba tea made with milk, is becoming more and more popular in the United States. According to a major boba retailer, a dessert vendor working near a school created the beverage when he added tapioca pearls -- a traditional Taiwanese dessert -- to iced tea, hoping to attract students. Whether you're a student or not, you can enjoy boba milk tea as part of your healthy lifestyle.
Ingredients
Though individual seller ingredients vary, the basic formula for boba milk tea is milk, tea -- green or black -- tapioca pearls and milk, according to Celebrations.com. Celebrations also reports that the chewy tapioca pearls used to make boba milk tea come in a variety of colors and flavors; try several different varieties and see which you like.
Calories
Calorie content of boba milk tea varies depending on how the tea is made. Teas made with whole milk or cream have more calories than teas made with reduced-fat milk, while teas made with honey or sugar will have more calories than teas made without sweeteners. One popular brand contains 317 calories in one 16 oz. serving.
Fat
Fat content, like calorie content, varies from one product to another. The popular brand previously mentioned lists 10.6 g of fat. Considering that the Mayo Clinic recommends keeping your fat intake between 44 and 76 g per day, 10 g is manageable, but if you don't want that much fat, you can make boba tea yourself. Milk and tea are available in major supermarkets and tapioca pearls, which come with cooking instructions, are available in Asian markets.
Benefits
Beverages which contain tea may help keep you healthy, especially if you choose green tea-based boba milk tea. Green tea helps lower cholesterol, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Also, reports the University, emerging science suggests that green tea may help burn fat and may even help prevent cancer.
Considerations
People with certain health conditions should not drink boba milk tea. Obviously, those who are allergic to milk or lactose intolerant should avoid milk-based teas. However, those with anxiety disorders, ulcers and kidney problems should also avoid tea, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
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