If TikTok or Instagram ever created a drink it would surely be beautiful boba tea.
Bright, exciting and charming to look at, we cannot get enough of this deliciously sweet tea dotted with tapioca balls. And it seems we aren’t alone!
Recently, you may have noticed more and more boba cafés popping up across your neighbourhood.
@olwethumsomi0 Too sweet for me but drinkable 🙂 #bobatea #boba #fyp #satiktok🇿🇦 #fypシ゚viral #review ♬ original sound - Olwethu Msomi
The drink has continued to gain popularity not only in the US but in many other parts of the world, including South Africa.
And it is not just because of the big, colourful straws you get to pop into the drink’s plastic-sealed top but because it’s supremely yummy. It comes in all different colours, tea flavours and endless toppings.
But what exactly is boba tea? And is it good for you?
Well, boba tea is tapioca balls topped tea. It can be served with or without shaved ice. Without the ice, it’s typically served in a disposable cup sealed tight with plastic, which is pierced with a big straw.
Today, people drink boba tea all over the world. It started in Taiwan in the 1980s, and that’s still where it’s most popular. However, shops in the US started making boba tea in the 1990s, where it also gained a strong following.
The popular drink originated with a food stall owner who combined two popular ingredients in East Asia – milk tea and tapioca balls – into a drink.
As it gained popularity in Taiwan, stall owners began to experiment, using different kinds of teas, adding flavoured syrups and substituting the tapioca balls for almond jelly and egg pudding.
Is it good for you? That depends. Because there are so many flavours, the sugar content of boba tea can vary. Sugary teas shouldn’t be consumed often.
However, boba teas made with green tea often have less sugar. The bobas themselves contain little nutritional value.
@yin_yang001 south african coloureds trying boba 🧋🇿🇦🇺🇸🫶🏼
♬ original sound - yin_yang001
In 2012, more health concerns about boba tea arose. A study by German researchers reportedly found a cancer-causing chemical in bobas. However, many people question the results. No other study has found such a chemical in boba pearls.
Taste and texture-wise what would you expect to find? The tapioca pearls, which sit at the bottom of the cup, have a chewy consistency somewhere between jelly and chewing gum.
You can get different flavoured pearls and they are usually black, but sometimes white or transparent, making the drink look rather similar to a passion fruit.
Mostly, it’s a sweet, cool, refreshing and delicious treat. It comes in as many flavours as there are teas and fruits, so you can pick and choose.