How did bubble tea become so popular?
How did bubble tea become so popular? Social media played a large part in the increasing popularity of bubble tea. Bubble tea shops started a trend of creating pretty drinks and encouraging customers to post aesthetic pictures of their quirky beverage online, starting a craze.
Is bubble tea the same thing as Boba Tea?
Well, to your surprise, there is no difference between bubble tea vs boba. The difference between bubble tea vs boba has been a matter of discussion for a long time. But, they aren’t different! Both bubble tea and boba refer to the same thing, a tea-based drink with chewy tapioca balls at the bottom.
Is bubble tea the same as milk tea?
Milk tea is simply tea combined with milk, while bubble tea has small tapioca balls and ice included. Bubble tea also has milk, but the main draw here is the chewy, artificially sweetened balls made from tapioca or jelly. Based on how you make it, bubble tea and milk tea can taste nothing alike.
How to make bubble tea with real tea?
- Black tea A strong black tea like Assam (which is what I used) or English breakfast tea is best to make a classic bubble tea. ...
- Filtered water Better water will make a better tasting tea.
- Tapioca pearls The package says it’s ready in 5 minutes but that’s a LIE.
See more
Are the pearls in bubble tea healthy?
They're made from starch extracted from cassava root, a nutty-flavored vegetable that grows in South America. And as it turns out, those little balls contain starchy carbs—and not the nutritious, fiber-rich kinds found in whole grains, either. Cooking tapioca pearls only makes it worse.
What is pearl in bubble tea?
tapioca ballsBubble tea has many varieties and flavors, but the two most popular varieties are black pearl milk tea and green pearl milk tea ("pearl" signifies the tapioca balls at the bottom).
What is the difference between boba and boba pearls?
0:000:25What's the difference between boba and tapioca pearls? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhat's the difference between Boba and tapioca pearls both are chewy little balls. You may be moreMoreWhat's the difference between Boba and tapioca pearls both are chewy little balls. You may be more familiar with Boba. Which is typically a darker color and tapioca is translucent.
Do bubble tea pearls digest?
Bubble tea balls are easily digestible for most people Since tapioca comes from the starch-based cassava root, it's mainly filled with carbohydrates, according to Healthline. Starches like cassava function similarly to fiber in the body, and healthy people can digest them with no problems, Dr. de Latour said.
Is boba a fish egg?
The "fish eggs" are, in fact, boba tea blueberry-flavoured pearls that release a sweet, tart explosion.
Is boba healthy or unhealthy?
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.
Does Starbucks have boba?
Starbucks does not have boba because they are a coffee shop, not a tea house (even though they have partnered with Teavana). Starbucks is mainly known for its specialty coffees, their popular iced coffee drinks, and other beverages such as iced teas, so having tapioca pearls on the Starbucks menu would be out of place.
Do boba balls dissolve?
Boba is made from tapioca. Due to the tapioca ingredient, it means the "pearls" or "bubbles" don't dissolve quickly when expanded to their fullest. Hence, if you eat them without chewing, it can be hazardous.
What does boba pearls taste like?
Boba pearls are soft, chewy, and have a jelly-like texture. They are widely used in milk-based tea or fruit-flavored drinks. However, boba pearls are flavorless and do not have their taste.
What are tapioca pearls?
Tapioca pearls (boba) are small chewy balls made from tapioca starch. Typically, these spheres are black in colour and are used for bubble tea. Although boba has a gelatinous texture, no gelatin is used in the process of creation. Therefore, this makes these small chewy spheres vegan friendly.
What is the taste of tapioca pearls?
These pearls come from the South American cassava root, which is processed to create tapioca starch, and then boiled for up to an hour. Tapioca pearls are usually quite tasteless, and mild in flavor! To enhance the flavor, they are often soaked in brown sugar syrup before being added to the bubble tea.
What's the difference between tapioca and boba?
Put simply, tapioca is a starch. It is used to make boba balls. Similar to boba balls are tapioca crystals. One thing that differentiates the two is that boba is sweetened with brown sugar syrup.
Health Conditions A-Z
The symptoms of anxiety can be hard to detect. Here are the ones you need to pay attention to, and how to know if you may have an anxiety disorder.
News
"I'm petrified," the actress said when she shared the news that her breast cancer came back. Here's why a stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis can be so frightening.
Diet & Nutrition
The U.S. News & World Report expert panel ranked the diets based on seven categories, including effectiveness for short- and long-term weight loss.
Lifestyle
Clean out expired products and clutter to make way for a healthier you.
Where Did Bubble Tea Come From?
Bubble tea has been consumed with much popularity since the 1980's in places such as China, however, it has only become a trendy choice of beverage in the West in recent years. Following the growing popularity of Bubble tea in the UK, as well as the US, new Bubble tea shops are literally "popping" up everywhere, pun intended!
What is Bubble Tea Like?
Bubble tea comes in many varieties and can be made with milk or fruit juices and several variations are tea-based too, such as black tea, green tea, or jasmine tea. Bubble tea can also be served ice-cold or piping-hot. Find out whether cold or hot bubble tea is for you here!
Types of Bubble Tea
In traditional East Asian bubble tea shops, the choices of toppings vary and in addition to standard black tapioca pearls, customers can choose coconut jelly (a.k.a nata de coco), grass jelly, almond jelly, egg pudding, or even red beans instead.
How to Make Classic Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea
The addictive chewiness of the black tapioca pearls, teamed with the creaminess of the milk tea, makes the classic pearl milk tea one of the most popular options amongst bubble tea drinkers.
What Is Bubble Tea?
Bubble tea (also known as boba tea, pearl tea, and tapioca tea) is a style of tea drink that was created in Taiwan in the 1980s. Extremely popular in its home country, it's now popular all over the world as well.
Types of Bubble Tea
Bubble tea, with its many permutations, can take on any flavor you like. Tea houses often offer hundreds of variations. Some classic types of bubble tea that can be found on every tea house menu include:
Types of Tea in Bubble Tea
When ordering bubble tea, the first thing to consider is the type of tea to include. Most bubble teas are made with black tea, green tea, or oolong tea.
Types of Milk in Bubble Tea
Milk and milk-like ingredients are often added to give bubble tea a creamy texture and flavor. Different flavors and styles of dairy and dairy-like ingredients may be used.
Flavors of Bubble Tea
While all of the other ingredients form the base for bubble tea (tea, milk, and boba), the true flavor comes from the flavoring ingredient such as a syrup or powder. Just as coffee houses will have a line up of syrup bottles to flavor lattes, bubble tea shops are stocked with a great variety of syrups and powders.
Types of Bubbles and Other Additions
Originally, the "bubble" in the name "bubble tea" referred to the air bubbles formed by shaking up the tea and milk mixtures. However, it is now used to refer to the "pearls" or "boba" and other ingredients found in similar drinks. These drinks typically have what is called "QQ" in Taiwan and China.
What's Up With Bubble Tea?
Things get immediately confusing whenever anyone starts discussing bubble tea — beginning with what to call it. In China, the drink's name is ‘Zhen zhu nai cha,' meaning ‘pearl ball milk tea' to distinguish it from the more popular way of drinking tea without any milk or sweeteners.
The Art of Making Boba Pearls
While each bubble tea shop tends to put its own spin on the drinks they serve, there's one thing that remains constant, the use of the boba pearls themselves. However, not all boba pearls are the same.
How To Order Bubble Tea
Start by choosing the type of liquid base you want for your drink. The choice is typically between black or green tea, but there are many other possible options, including fresh fruit teas such as peach, apple, orange, watermelon, and kiwi. If you are ordering a milk tea, some shops allow you to select non-dairy milk such as soy or oat milk.
How To Drink Bubble Tea
Most traditional bubble tea shops will use a machine to seal the top of their cups with plastic wrap. Don't try to peel off the plastic. Instead, punch through it using the pointed end of an extra-wide straw.
Final Word on What is Boba Made Of?
The perfectly made boba pearl will make or break your bubble tea experience, so choose the best quality you can find. Talk to the manager of your local bubble tea shop to encourage them to offer traditional boba pearls. Or, you can try making them on your own using this recipe from The Washington Post.
FAQ About What is Boba Made Of?
There isn't anything inherently dangerous about eating boba pearls. However, just like any other starch, tapioca starch contains a high level of carbs. In addition, they have sugar. If you are on a carb or sugar-restricted diet, you probably shouldn't be drinking bubble tea.
Author
Jared Bernstein worked in the food industry for decades, starting as a barista in high school. He graduated from the Institute of Culinary Education in NYC and worked in some of the city's top-end restaurants. When he isn't writing about cooking or historical recipes, he's probably hanging out at a classic diner or cafe.
