What Is The Healthiest Boba Drink
Low-Calorie High Protein Oolong Milk Tea with Boba! Anabolic Bubble Tea Recipe
There is such a thing as zero-calorie bubble tea, but the matcha bubble tea is considered to be the healthiest type of bubble tea.Here we can also construct a drink that is close to having no calories at all: pure ice tea with zero sugar and chia seeds. A matcha bubble tea is my recommendation if you are looking for a beverage that is high in nutrients rather than one that has no calories.
How To Make Thai Boba Milk Tea
So, first things first, you should gather all of the ingredients needed for this recipe. And the good thing is that there are only five of those ingredients. They can be bought at any grocery store or online.
Once youve prepared everything, here is what you should do to make the Thai boba tea:
- Step 1. Brew the black tea. Its a pretty straightforward process, just like with any other kind of tea. You can either get this tea kind in a tea bag or use the loose-leaf type. If you go with the latter option, use a teapot or a special loose tea holder.
- Step 2. Cook tapioca pearls. I usually always use store-bought tapioca pearls for my milk teas since its much easier and quicker than making them by yourself from scratch. And to cook them, all that you need to do is place them in a pot, cover with some water, and cook until ready, which is about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Step 3. Add the flavor. Once the tapioca pearls are fully cooked, you should drain them and then add the brown sugar and cook everything over low heat for about a minute for the sugar to dissolve.
- Step 4. Mix it up. Now the last step would be to prepare two glasses and equally divide the tapioca balls. Then add ice if desired. If not, simply pour in the brewed tea and milk or heavy cream.
Tapioca Balls Or Jelly
Similar to the competition among tea shops upon the invention of bubble tea, tea shops are still trying ways to differentiate themselves from other establishments by offering a wide assortment of toppings. Boba isn’t the only thing added to bubble teas now. You can also get popping boba, jelly, and pudding. For pudding teas, the barista can blend the entire pudding into the drink instead of adding a flavoring. Be careful about your combinations, though. The tartness of the fruit jelly and popping boba may not always pair well with the creaminess of the milk.
You May Like: High Carb Low Calorie Diet
General Boba Nutrition Facts
Tapioca pearls are made from tapioca starch from the cassava plant, which originally made its way to Taiwan from Brazil during Japanese occupation in the early 20th century . You may have already heard about this root from its other name: yuca!
Cassava by itself is fat free, cholesterol free, and a source of fiber . But, does that make bubble tea healthy? Not necessarily. It is carb-rich, so dont have a bowl of boba for breakfast if youre trying to watch your carb intake. Its also important to note that a large amount of the cassava roots nutrients are lost after processing .
As far as diets go, boba tapioca pearls are gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, making it an accessible treat to many with dietary restrictions . The drinks themselves are typically made with non-dairy creamers or no creamers at all, so theyre also largely lactose-intolerant friendly.
Finally, tea is a known fantastic source of antioxidants and flavonols, which have cancer preventing properties and are beneficial for health, among other health benefits.
Bubble Tea Health Facts: Is Boba Bad For You
This post contains affiliate links, which means Steeped Dreams earns a small commission if you purchase with these links or discount codes . Please know all opinions in reviews on Steeped Dreams are genuine and not influenced by affiliate partnerships.
No matter if you call your drink boba or bubble tea, this delicious drink craze has gathered a cult following around the world. Yet while tea itself boasts an extensive list of health benefits ranging from antioxidants to heart health, bobas nutrition is often deeply scrutinized.
Are trend haters gonna hate or is boba really bad for you? Lets pick apart the nutrition facts of this beautiful squishy tapioca ball drink concoction.
- How can you make boba healthier?
Don’t Miss: Low Sodium Low Carb Recipes
What Is Boba Milk Teal
When you take a wonderful taste of boba milk tea, the milk that is utilized in the tea gives it a velvety and smooth consistency, much like drinking on silk. Look for the boba tea establishment that has a reputation for making delectable boba milk tea and holds itself to a high standard. We guarantee that today will be the most enjoyable day of your whole life!
Bubble Tea Health Risks
Having said all this, not all consumption of bubble tea calories add to our health. We also need to recognise the health risks that come with uncontrolled boba obsession.
As mentioned, many boba fans out there think of the drink as an after-meal sweet treat. If we do not control consumption, this could possibly be dangerous due to the high calories and high sugar content.
There is research that shows the correlation between frequent bubble tea-drinking with the risk of weight gain, increased probability of type-2 diabetes as well as heart disease. Because of this, we should be mindful of the bubble tea calories and sugar content whenever we are craving it.
In contrast to the gut regulation benefit, overconsumption of tapioca pearls could lead to constipation. And we surely do not wish for anyone to have to experience that! Due to the starchy nature of the boba pearls, constipation is likely to happen to those who frequently consume tapioca pearls in large amounts.
We also recommend ordering the beverage at a lower sugar level as it could reduce the risk of damaging your teeth and skin.
When drinking the sugary drink over a period of time, the soaking of teeth in sugar could cause erosion, increased sensitivity and the development of cavities. When this is repeated many times, the risk of damage increases.
It is also important to keep in mind the bubble tea calories for the sake of your skin. This is because a high sugar diet has been shown to lead to acne development.
Recommended Reading: How Many Carbs In Cauliflower Pizza
Boba Milk Tea Calories And Nutrition
Because of the different flavors, the calories in boba milk tea will vary depending on what’s actually in your drink. It’s estimated that plain boba milk tea has around 300 calories per 16-ounce beverage and a rather high 38 grams of sugar, according to the âFood Science and Nutritionâ report.
As for other variations of bubble tea, the researchers found that a 16-ounce serving of boba milk tea can have anywhere between 200 and 400 calories and 38 to 58 grams of sugar. Most of the calories in boba milk tea come from added sugar and carbohydrates.
All that being said, the nutrients and calories in your boba milk tea will vary depending on where you buy it or how you make it. If you visit a bubble tea chain like Tapioca Express, for example, a 16-ounce boba milk tea will give you:
- âCalories:â 187 calories
- âTotal fat:â 5 grams
- âSaturated fat:â 5 grams
- âTrans fat:â 0 grams
This version of boba milk tea does not have additional fruit flavors in it as many bubble tea varieties do. Flavored bubble teas, such as strawberry milk tea and mango milk tea typically have more calories and added sugar.
Nutrition and Calories in Boba
According to the USDA, a 1-ounce serving of boba, aka tapioca pearls, has:
- âCalories:â 95
- âCarbohydrates:â 24 grams
- âSugar:â 0 grams
Brown Sugar Milk Tea Tapioca Pearls Vs Regular Boba Pearls
Low Calorie, High Protein, Thai Milk Tea with Boba Pearls Recipe! Changing the diet game!
Tapioca pearls in this drink are tapioca balls that have been infused with brown sugar syrup.
This can either be achieved through making the pearls with brown sugar, boiling the pearls in sugar or slow simmering the pearls in the sweet brown syrup.
Out of the three methods, we found that the pearls made with sugar and later slow-simmered were the most flavorful. However, the method of slow simmering gave us very similar results. It is also easier and quicker than making the boba from scratch.
For this recipe, you can either make your tapioca pearls at home or use ready-made ones. The key to this recipe is the level at which the sugar caramelises and how long the boba pearls are infused for.
If you want to use ready-made boba pearls, we recommend using the brand Wu Fu Yuan. Their black sugar-flavoured tapioca pearls are quick to soften and have a very similar texture to store-bought bubble tea. To learn more about the tips and tricks on how to make the perfect boba balls from scratch see our Easy Tapioca Pearls Recipe.
You May Like: Low Carb 1200 Calorie Diet
What Is The Nutritional Value Of Boba
If you havent yet discovered boba tea, expect to do so soon at a teashop near you.
A typical boba drink combines sweetened tea, natural or artificial flavors, and a layer of tapioca pearls that bob around at the bottom of the cup. The tapioca look like bubbles as they come up through the straw, thus the derivation boba.
This wildly popular beverage was first offered in 1980s Taiwan. It became popular across Asia in the 1990s, and in recent years teashops have popped up all over Europe and the United States.
Other names for boba include bubble tea, pearl milk tea, tapioca tea, ball drink, and pearl shake. The drink is usually served cold, with an extra-wide straw for sucking up the chewy boba along with your drink. Boba tea is usually available in teashops offering extensive menus of flavors and preparations.
The term boba tea covers a broad range of sweet, noncarbonated, nonalcoholic drinks. Most varieties include:
- brewed tea or tea made from concentrate
- milk or a nondairy additive to make the drink creamy
- sweeteners, such as flavored syrups
Black, jasmine, and green teas are commonly used as a base. Many fruit flavors are popular, including mango, kiwi, strawberry, honeydew, and passion fruit.
While theres really no traditional boba tea recipe, the simplest variety is a sweetened green or black tea with tapioca balls but you can even get boba tea without the actual boba!
What Is Mudflip Tea
Mudflip Tea is another fun twist on the original drink which was invented by YiFang. Instead of drizzling the syrup on the cup-like tiger patterns, it is simply poured in and carefully topped with fresh milk.
Customers are encouraged to flip their drink around and watch the layers mix together slowly. The hands-on action and lava lamp effect makes this drink popular.
You May Like: 1500 Calorie Keto Meal Plan
Determination Of Calorific Values By Bomb Calorimetry
A measured volume of liquid samples was transferred to an aluminum evaporating dish and dried to constant mass at 80°C . Solid and semisolid samples were macerated with an equal mass of water to a homogeneous suspension in a blender . Slurries were transferred to aluminum evaporating dishes and dried to constant mass at 80°C . Weighed portions of the dried samples were ground with an equal mass of benzoic acid, and ~1g portions were pressed into 13mmdiameter pellets for bomb calorimetric analysis.
Bomb calorimetry was performed with a Parr Plain Jacket Oxygen Bomb Calorimeter equipped with a digital thermometer . Two liters of deionized water was placed in the static jacket for every measurement and allowed to thermally equilibrate. Constant initial temperature was assumed when the temperature was stable for longer than 30 sec. Temperatures were measured to a precision of ±0.001°C. The calorimeter was calibrated with benzoic acid. Standard and sample masses were nominally 1 g. The oxygen bomb was purged and charged to 30 bar with oxygen. Three replicates of standards and every sample were performed.
How Can You Make Boba Healthier
So what happens if youve got an unshakable boba habit but a drive to be healthier? There are easy ways to modify your boba to be a bit more guilt-free.
Make boba at home: Buying your own tapioca pearls to make at home is not only heaps cheaper but gives you more control over how to prepare it. A pack I use at home is only 80 calories per ¼ cup . Instead of sugar syrups, I use a drizzle of honey to coat the boba. For the tea itself, you can steep a strong brew of your favorite loose leaf tea and add a splash of milk. Thats it! No artificial sweeteners or creamers needed.
Modify sugar levels: This one is a no-brainer, but its not easy to make the plunge into 0% sweet land! If you find that unsweetened bubble tea is much too bitter, try gradually cutting down on the sugar until you get used to the tea taste . I love tea without any add-ins already, so this is always my go-to order.
Order without the creamer: Non-dairy creamers used in milk teas are high-fat and calorie-rich, often filled with glucose and vegetable fat. There are tons of deliciously wonderful boba tea flavors you can try that dont use a creamer at all! You may even discover a new favorite menu option.
Try a different topping: Boba and cheese foam tops tend to have the highest calorie count on the topping menu. Instead, skip the topping altogether or spice things up with a lower calorie grass jelly or pudding.
Also Check: How Many Carbs In Heavy Whipping Cream
How Many Calories Does Boba Have
Are you a fan of bubble tea? If so, you should read this post. How many calories does bubble tea or boba tea contain? That actually depends. Regarding bubble tea, the options are practically unlimited. Between flavors and boba shops, there are differences in the calories in your bubble tea.
Many of its enthusiasts are increasingly adopting bubble tea as a staple food. However, it is important to be informed of the sweet treats nutritional content.
As healthy consumers, we must make sure the calories fit within our regular diet. Additionally, knowing how many calories are in the bubble tea we consume would be beneficial if we want to keep enjoying the sweet boba tea or milk tea.
If you are interested to know how many calories per boba tea drink you consume, scroll down and continue reading.
Posts you might like
Is Boba Good For Weight Loss
Is drinking Boba or Bubble Tea regularly a suitable choice for those who are trying to reduce their body fat? No, is the short and unpleasant answer to that question. The addition of extra calories as well as a significant quantity of carbs and fats is the primary obstacle that stands in the way of most attempts to lose weight.
Read Also: How Many Carbs In Hamburger
S To Follow To Order The Best Bubble Tea
6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
You can customize bubble tea however you’d like.
Bubble tea shop menus can be pretty complex, but they’re typically laid out with grids and sub-sections to help guide your ordering process. All you have to remember is the classic formula: tea, milk, boba, and flavor. Don’t want to choose your own? Go with a premade one. A lot of tea shops have their own combos to take the stress out of choosing between the hundreds of options.
Why Is Boba Unhealthy
I Made A Giant 100-Pound Boba Milk Tea Tasty
Boba not only contributes additional calories to a drink, but it also does not bring anything in the form of nutrients to the beverage. Boba are almost entirely composed of carbohydrates in addition, they do not have any minerals or vitamins and do not have any fiber. It is possible for a single serving of bubble tea to include as much as 50 grams of sugar and about 500 calories.
Also Check: Best Low Carb Alcohol Drinks
Problems With Tapioca Pearls
Tapioca pearls often have added sugar in the form of high-fructose corn syrup. You can buy tapioca pearls without it, but if you’re buying bubble tea from a chain restaurant, there’s no way to know for sure what the pearls are made with .
Tapioca pearls also don’t have the fiber that regular tapioca has, making them far less nutritious.
Does Boba Milk Tea Have Added Sugar
A significant amount of sugar can be added to boba milk tea, which is also known as bubble tea. When considering whether or not to include boba milk tea in your healthy eating plan, it is important to keep in mind that this beverage often has a significant amount of added sugar, in addition to the milk and tea, both of which are known to have positive health effects.
Read Also: Low Calorie High Alcohol Beer
What Are The Calories Of Milk In Bubble Tea
Since a normal 8oz cup of bubble tea typically has a small portion of milk, the calories wont add up too fast.
In any cup of bubble tea, youre looking to have about 50 80 calories from dairy or milk. Now depending on what milk is used will determine whether your boba calories fall into the higher range or lower range. Some kinds of milk commonly used are regular milk, non-dairy milk, almond milk, or soy milk.
How To Reduce Calories
Considering the major factors that contribute to milk tea calories, we recommend the following steps to those who want to reduce their bubble tea calories.
When ordering any flavoured boba drink, choose a lower level of sugar for the drink. Just this step would already notably lower the number of calories.
Next, we recommend you request fresh milk to be used instead of creamers. By reducing the fat content that comes from creamers, we can further lessen the calorie count.
When possible, choose non-dairy milk options. This is because they generally have lower calories and may actually add a twist to the taste of your sweet drink.
Not having any toppings would be best if you are just aiming for low calories. However, if that is too much to ask for, we propose that you go for white pearls instead of brown pearls.
Otherwise, you could also select alternative toppings like sago, jelly or pudding that can replace the higher calorie boba pearls.
Don’t Miss: How Do I Count Carbs