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Tea holds a special place in our hearts and lives, they are a craze. It wakes us in the morning and winds our evenings with delightful snacks. Our emotions are so intensely entwined with this beverage that it perfectly fits with every occasion and mood. Whether you are tired, bored, sad, or want to pass the time, tea is always there to provide much-needed comfort. A cuppa can very well play the role of a conversation starter and will never fail to cheer up your guests, friends, or relatives. I, at least, cannot imagine a day without my favorite tea. Do you know what sets apart a tea lover? It is their enthusiasm to try new varieties and flavors of tea around them. One tea that is making a buzz around is boba tea, also known as bubble tea or pearl milk tea. It has its own interesting story worth sharing with you all. Despite the fame it has earned so far, one question that keeps troubling its followers is: “Does boba tea have caffeine?”. Let us dive deep into the article to learn some interesting things related to boba tea and to see if boba tea contains caffeine or not.
Know Your Boba Tea
Michigan Journal of Economics has an interesting tale about boba tea – how it reached its country of origin, Taiwan.
And the story goes like this.
The Tibetans discovered milk tea, which was then introduced to India by the Mongolians through the Silk Route.
This milk tea found its fans in Western countries and when Dutch milk was brought to Taiwan, they turned this milk tea into what you today call boba tea.
Interesting story, no!
Image courtesy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_tea#/media/File:Tapioca,_aka_boba.jpg
What are Boba Balls Made of?
Most of the boba teas have black pearls in them. The black tapioca pearls are made from a blend of cassava starch, sweet potato, and brown sugar.
Sometimes, white tapioca pearls are also used in the boba tea. They are made using cassava starch, caramel, and chamomile root.
Popular Flavors to Try
With the rising popularity, many new and different flavors of boba tea have sprung into the market.
You can try strawberry milk tea, red bean, lychee, pumpkin spice, mango, coffee, Thai iced tea, black milk tea, avocado, brown sugar, and taro milk tea, to name a few.
Does Boba Tea have Caffeine?
Caffeine is mostly found in tea, coffee, chocolate, and energy drinks.
It keeps you awake and helps in easing pain as well.
However, one must refrain from consuming too much caffeine as it can cause headaches and make you feel low, sad, or depressed.
Boba tea mostly contains caffeine because it is made using tea which naturally contains caffeine.
Image Courtesy: https://vectorportal.com/vector/bubble-tea/36243
Is Boba Tea High in Caffeine?
As per a study in the Journal of Science Direct, a test on bubble tea in Taiwan found that it has between 10.1 and 457.6 mg of caffeine per liter.
This was lower than the prescribed 500 mg/liter limit in Taiwan.
The amount of caffeine in a boba tea will depend upon the tea used in making and how long it is brewed.
Let us look at each tea having the highest to lowest caffeine content:
1.1.) Black Tea
Black tea is said to have the highest level of caffeine in comparison to any other form of tea.
100 gms of black tea contains 20 mg of caffeine in it.
Hence, boba tea made using black tea has the highest amount of caffeine in it.
2.2.) Oolong Tea
Oolong tea has less caffeine than black tea but more than green or white tea.
An 8 oz serving of oolong tea has approx. 50-75 mg of caffeine.
Boba tea made using oolong tea will have caffeine but less than when made using black tea.
33.) Green Tea
An 8-ounce serving of green tea contains approx., 30-50 mg of caffeine – this is less than the amount in black or oolong tea.
Boba tea from green tea will have much less caffeine than black or oolong tea.
44.) White Tea
The tea with the lowest caffeine content is the white tea.
A cup of white tea normally contains 5-55 mg of caffeine.
If caffeine worries you, then you can use herbal tea as a base for making boba tea.
Herbal teas do not contain any caffeine as they are not brewed with tea leaves.
PS: As a point of comparison, boba tea can be a good alternative to coffee. Coffee contains 80-100 mg of caffeine in an 8-ounce cup.
Image Courtesy: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ice_bubble_milk_tea_with_tapioca_balls_of_Mister_Donut_in_Japan.jpg
Other Ingredients that may affect Caffeine in Boba Tea
Each boba tea is made differently using different tea bases making them unique.
The amount of caffeine in a boba tea depends upon what goes into making it.
Some of the ingredients, other than tea, which may lead to the presence of caffeine in boba tea can include:
· Coffee: Certain boba makers add coffee to it to make it tastier. This leads to caffeine in it.
· Energy Drinks: Mixing energy drinks with boba tea gives more caffeine to it.
· Caffeine Powder or Supplements: Certain boba tea recipes contain caffeine powder or supplements to give an extra caffeine kick to the beverage.
· Chocolate or Cocoa: Boba tea with chocolate or mocha flavor has more caffeine quantity.
· Matcha: This flavor is liked by many boba tea lovers. Boba tea made using matcha green tea has approx., 70 mg of caffeine per cup.
T Takeaway Message
A common confusion among people is that all boba teas have caffeine.
Most boba teas indeed have caffeine as they are made using tea.
If you want a caffeine-free boba tea, use herbal tea as a base.
Herbal tea doesn’t have caffeine.
Also, some places offer decaf boba tea or ones with very little caffeine.
Boba tea is a tasty and delightful beverage. You can keep your passion for this tea alive by making more informed and smart choices.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article should not be considered as a substitute for a physician’s advice. Please consult your treating physician for more details.
Suggested Readings & References
- · https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/mje/2023/12/04/bobas-boom-reshaping-the-u-s-beverage-landscape/#:~:text=Ren%2C%20a%20columnist%20for%20Bloomberg,%2C%20teens%2C%20and%20young%20adults.
- · https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5217910/#:~:text=The%20primary%20component%20in%20boba,different%20flavor%20(Weil%202012).
- · https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_tea
- · https://www.tastingtable.com/824052/boba-flavors-ranked-worst-to-best/#:~:text=If%20it’s%20something%20cool%20and,that%20looks%20can%20be%20deceiving.
- · https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X22098659
- · https://redrosetea.com/blogs/red-rose-blog/an-easy-guide-to-tea-caffeine-content-to-enjoy-at-home
- · https://vectorportal.com/vector/bubble-tea/36243
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