Boba tea, or bubble tea, is a delicacy that began in Taiwan. The drink takes green tea and combines it with tapioca pearls to provide a "chewy" consistency. Calories will vary based on the recipe.
History
In 1983 Taiwan entrepreneur Liu Han-Chieh brought tapioca pearls to his country. Han-Chieh added the pearls to flavored tea to create the "bubble" effect. Pearls sit on the top and the bottom of the drink and move into the mouth through a thick straw.
Calories
Calories vary by ingredients. There are two primary variables -- plain tea or with milk. A 12.7 oz. plain boba green tea has 207 calories. American company Lollipop lists calories for their Boba tea with milk, as 440 per 16 oz. This may vary depending on the recipe.
Breakdown
The most notable ingredient in boba tea is sugar. According to Myfitnesspal.com, without milk there is roughly 22 g of sugar. With milk the sugar content rises to 52 g. Other significant totals for tea without milk include 10 g cholesterol, 45 g carbohydrates and 1 g protein. For tea with milk there are 78 g of carbs and 2 g sugar.
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