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Boba tea’s popularity is growing worldwide, per a market research report by Skyquest, its market is expected to grow from $2.75 bn in 2023 to $5.42 bn by 2031. Boba tea, also known as bubble tea has a huge fan following in the US, Canada, and Germany. The tea has started making its footprints in developing nations such as India, China, and Brazil. The changed mindset among people to opt for healthier food options is one of the many reasons for the growing demand for boba tea. People are now considering such beverages a good alternative to carbonated drinks. More and more people are fitting such beverages into their hectic lifestyles. The boba tea enthusiasts are the majorly younger generation. This is not just an intelligent age group but also very alert regarding their health needs. Hence, it is very sane of them to ask, “Is boba tea healthy?”. We will find the detailed, research & science-backed answer to this obvious query, also simultaneously looking at the nutritional profile, ingredients, benefits, and adverse impacts of the boba tea.
What else can prove the popularity, Google celebrated Bubble Tea with a doodle on 29 January 2023.
What Is Boba Tea Made Of?
Boba tea is also popularly known as bubble tea, pearl milk tea, or tapioca milk tea.
The country of origin of this tea-based drink is Taiwan.
Do you know why boba is so famous?
The reason lies in their “boba” or “pearl” balls which are its main center of attraction.
The pearl tapioca balls give a chewy flavor to the boba tea.
Most boba teas contain black boba pearls and are made using cassava starch, sweet potato, and brown sugar.
Sometimes, white tapioca pearls are also used in boba tea. These white pearls are made from cassava starch, caramel, and chamomile roots.
A basic boba tea is made of:
- · Brewed black, green, oolong, or white tea,
- · Milk or a non-dairy additive to make it creamy,
- · Sugar or other sweeteners, and
- · Tapioca balls.
The straws used in boba tea are usually larger than the normal straws. This makes it easier to slurp and chew the tapioca balls.
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Types of Boba Tea
Bubble tea is a tea-based beverage, made with or without using milk.
Both versions use black, oolong, green, or white tea as a base.
Apart from using tea and milk, other ingredients are also used in its preparation.
The most common ingredients in a boba tea are tapioca pearls or boba balls.
Other commonly used ingredients include jelly and egg pudding.
In an earlier article of mine on boba tea, I dealt with the confusion of whether boba tea has caffeine.
You can read the article here: Does Boba Tea Have Caffeine?
The popularity of boba tea has led many suppliers to come up with different varieties for its fans.
Some famous varieties include 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.
However, the two most trendy ones are pearl black milk tea and pearl green milk tea.
Nutritional Profile of Boba Tea
According to USDA, a 100 ml of boba tea contains:
- · Energy: 50 kcal
- · Total fat: 0.62 grams
- · Protein: 0 grams
- · Carbohydrates: 11.67 grams
- · Fiber: 0 grams
- · Sugar: 8.33 grams
- · Cholesterol: 0 mg
- · Calcium: 104 mg
- · Iron: 0 mg
- · Sodium: 8 mg
Many online data on boba tea nutrition suggest that it is high in sugar and fat.
As per the US Dietary Guidelines, boba tea falls under sugar-sweetened beverages because they are mostly sweetened using high-fructose corn syrup.
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Is Boba Tea Healthy? – Health Benefits
If you want to see the health benefits of boba tea, then go for a no-sugar or less-sugar version.
Let us see what health benefits can a boba tea give to you:
1.) Improves the Quality of Saliva
A study on the saliva of individuals aged 18-25 found that bubble tea can be good for the mouth.
Chewing the tapioca balls in boba tea improves the mastication process.
The combination of tapioca balls and tea in bubble tea helps in making the quality of your saliva better.
A good quality saliva has proteins that fight off bacteria and viruses.
Hence, drinking bubble tea may prevent bacteria and viruses from entering the body.
2.) Fruits or Herbal Extracts Make It Healthier
Using food or herbal extracts for making boba balls can make your boba tea tastier and healthier too!
The herbal extracts are good for your health as they contain phenolic compounds, antioxidants, and anthocyanins.
Some researchers made the balls using a special type of gel and the extracts of purple potatoes. This makes the balls stronger for the digestive system.
Using the leftovers of food such as peels or seeds makes the boba tea healthier and easier to assimilate into the body.
The fruity balls can be made healthier by adding flavones, active proteins, sterols, enzymes, probiotics, and vitamins.
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3.) Good for Vegan, Gluten-Free Diet
Boba balls are naturally gluten-free and are suitable for people with celiac disease.
Since they are made from cassava, a plant, it is a good choice for vegans.
4.) Easy on Your Stomach
Boba balls are a type of starch made from cassava roots.
Cassava contains fiber that acts as a prebiotic helping the good bacteria to grow in your gut.
Boba balls are also easy to digest making them a good option for people with irritable bowel syndrome or other digestion-related problems.
Boba pearls also contain very little cholesterol, fat, or sodium.
Consuming boba tea with tapioca pearls in moderation is, in fact, good for your gut health.
5.) Good Source of Nutrients
Choosing a healthy variety of bubble tea can give you some essential nutrients.
Fruit-based bubble teas can provide fiber, calcium, vitamin C, magnesium, and antioxidants.
Milk-based boba tea contains calcium and vitamin D.
6.) Power of Antioxidants
Boba tea is a tea-based beverage, so you get the benefits of antioxidants found in tea.
Tea contains polyphenols which act as antioxidants.
These polyphenols are found in research as great in fighting against harmful molecules known as free radicals.
Free radicals cause damage to our bodies and are responsible for causing many diseases.
By drinking a tea-based beverage in moderation, we can benefit ourselves.
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Is Boba Tea Healthy? – Possible Adverse Effects
Bubble tea is a special craze among the young generation.
As per the surveys, the growing demand for boba tea is mainly driven by the young in the age group of 18 – 30.
Probably, this is a matter of concern for researchers, scientists, and health professionals.
- · A typical boba tea is high in calories and loaded with sugar and has the potential to exacerbate childhood obesity.
- · Boba tea fits under the definition of a sugar-sweetened beverage by US Dietary Guidelines.
- · One 16‐ounce boba drink exceeds the upper limit of added sugar intake recommended by the 2015 US Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
- · A study found that a large 32 US oz (946 mL) serving of boba milk tea that includes jelly and egg pudding supplies more than 250% and 384% of the recommended maximum daily intake of sugar for men and women, respectively.
Indeed, black or green tea in a boba tea has advantages for your health.
However, excess consumption of boba tea can pose the following health risks:
1.) Metabolic Syndrome – A study has found that drinking 1 liter (roughly two 16-ounce bottles) of sugary drink daily for 6 months can cause the condition of metabolic syndrome and fatty liver.
Metabolic syndrome condition is a combination of health issues like high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and too much fat around the waist.
2.) Obesity – Drinking too many sugary drinks is linked with the risk of developing obesity.
Kids who develop obesity since childhood are prone to developing serious health conditions while growing up.
3.) Type 2 Diabetes – Excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages like boba tea can increase the risk of high blood sugar levels.
4.) Fatty Liver Disease – Drinking too many sugary drinks increases the accumulation of fat in the liver, leading to problems with fatty liver.
5) Other Obesity-related Problems – Consumption of high-sugar drinks is often linked to other obesity-related problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.
Another concern associated with boba tea is the presence of high-carbohydrate tapioca pearls, which lead to the high-calorie count in boba tea.
Takeaway Message
Conscious, smart, and informed decisions can make a huge difference.
This can be the case with the boba tea as well.
Your selection of boba tea ingredients can make it a healthy or unhealthy option.
Is boba tea healthy?
Follow the below-given tips to enjoy your favorite boba tea forever:
- · To reduce the overall calories and fat in boba tea, order boba tea without milk.
- · It is better to go for a sugar-free option of a boba tea to negate the side effects of sugar. You can also ask for a low-sugar variety of boba tea.
- · To reduce the sugar and extra calories, avoid additional ingredients such as pudding, jelly, or boba balls.
- · Some boba tea shops also offer dairy-free alternatives like oat milk. This can be a good alternative for those with lactose intolerance and is lower in saturated fat.
- · You can choose healthy alternatives such as agave nectar, honey, maple syrup, or stevia.
- · Use almond or fat-free milk for making boba tea, instead of cream milk.
- · To reap the benefits of boba tea, it is recommended to drink it in moderation and occasionally.
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.
Readings & References
- · https://www.skyquestt.com/report/bubble-tea-market#:~:text=Global%20Bubble%20Tea%20Market%20Insights,period%20(2024%2D2031).
- · https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_tea
- · https://www.webmd.com/diet/boba-tea-health-benefits
- · https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/431202/nutrients
- · https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5217910/
- · https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8938629/
- · https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/23/3785#:~:text=Considering%20the%20consumption%20and%20market,to%20increase%20gastrointestinal%20digestion%20stability.
- · https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/1/200
- · https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318411 #low-in-sodium
- · https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7283370/#:~:text=Tea%20polyphenols%20are%20found%20in,many%20chronic%20diseases%20in%20humans.
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