Boba tea is a sweetened milk tea containing chewy tapioca balls. Alternate names are bubble tea or pearl tea because mixing the ingredients produces frothy bubbles on the top of the tea, while the tapioca looks like bubbles or pearls at the bottom of the tea. Hot or cold boba tea comes in a variety of flavors. The tapioca, milk, sweeteners and flavors can make boba tea high in calories and fat. It also contains some protein from the milk and tapioca.
Boba Tea History and Ingredients
Taiwan introduced the world to tapioca pearls in drinks in 1983. Vendors at tea stands shake milk together with flavored tea, typically serving the foamy drink cold over tapioca pearls. Tapioca pearls are marble-sized balls of starch made from the cassava root. Tapioca for boba tea has a chewy consistency, similar to gelatin. Boba tea normally uses black tapioca pearls, made from cassava starch, sweet potato and brown sugar. White tapioca pearls may be used, which have a different flavor and may be made from cassava starch, caramel and chamomile root. There are many recipes for the tea. A common recipe mixes powdered flavoring or fresh fruit, creamer, tea and crushed ice.
Nutritional Facts
The exact nutritional content of boba tea depends on the recipe that is used. A typical 16-oz. serving of boba tea contains 440 calories with 216 calories from fat. There are 24 g of total fat or 37 percent of the recommended daily value. Boba tea does not contain any saturated fat or trans fat. Per 16-oz serving, boba tea offers 78 g of carbohydrates or 26 percent of the recommended daily value for this nutrient. Sugars account for 51.7 g of the carbohydrates. A serving of boba tea contains 2.4 g of protein or 5 percent of the daily value for this nutrient. A 16-oz. serving of boba tea contains 153 mg of sodium or 6 percent of the recommended daily value.
Make Boba Tea
Make boba tea yourself to have complete control over the ingredients and nutrition. For iced boba tea, cook large tapioca pearls until they are chewy, not hard or gummy. Place 1/2 cup chilled tapioca pearls in a glass. In a shaker, mix together 1 cup crushed ice, 1 cup strong tea, 1 cup milk, sweetener to taste and any additional flavors you might enjoy. Pour the foamy tea mixture over the tapioca. Serve boba tea with an extra-large straw so you can draw up the tapioca pearls.
Boba Tea with Coconut
Boba tea is a high-calorie, high-fat treat, much like a dessert. Newer versions of boba tea appeal to a health-conscious market. A Chinese company introduced nata de coco as a healthier alternative to tapioca. Nata de coco is a jellied product made from coconuts and water. While tapioca pearls are round, nata de coco is cut into strips, making the boba tea easier to drink through a straw. The product is lower in cholesterol and fat than tapioca, while high in dietary fiber.
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