Boba milk tea is a distinctly Eastern drink that holds an unexpected surprise: small pearls of chewy tapioca pieces. Boba milk tea is also known as "black pearl tea" or "bubble tea," because of the drink's unusual added ingredient. The tea's otherwise standard and healthy ingredients make it a good addition to most any diet.
Ingredients
There are a number of boba milk tea manufacturers, each with their own recipe, but the drink's key ingredients are milk, green or black tea and tapioca pearls. The tea, which originated in Taiwan and today is popular throughout China and parts of the western U.S., is often prepared with ready-made milk, mixed with tea and served either warm or cold, according to the Asian consumer research agency Five by Fifty. A variety of flavors are available, including chocolate, green tea, coffee and purple yam.
Calories
The tea's calorie-count can vary greatly and depends heavily on the type of milk that is used to prepare it. Boba milk teas prepared with low-fat or skim milk will naturally have a lower calorie-count than teas prepared with whole milk or cream. The boba milk tea of one American manufacturer contains 440 calories, of which 216 are from fat.
Fat
As with calories, the fat content greatly varies from product to product and is primarily determined by the type of milk that is used. The same boba milk tea from the American manufacturer mentioned earlier contains 24 g of fat, of which none come from saturated or trans fats. To put this number in perspective, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends 65 g of fat based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Carbohydrates
Most boba milk teas have a considerable amount of carbohydrates in them. The same boba milk tea product mentioned previously, contains 78 g of carbohydrates, of which 51.7 g are from sugars. Certain simple and complex carbs, like milk, provide essential vitamins, minerals and fiber for the body, according to MedlinePlus.
Health Benefits
Teas have long been known to offer a number of health benefits. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, a number of clinical studies indicate that both green and black teas protect against cancer. It is believed that the many polyphenols in tea are especially effective in warding off cancer by destroying cancerous cells. The green tea used in boba milk tea has also been linked to reducing inflammatory bowel disease, treating diabetes and may help you lose weight by boosting metabolism and burning fat cells.
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