What is boba tea?

In brief, a drink that includes tapioca or fruit-flavored pearls. But, that just scratches the surface. When someone says ‘Boba tea’, they are referencing a traditionally cold-served beverage that has a tea base, a milk or fruit flavor, and edible pearls (the ‘boba’ in boba tea) inside a cup.

Boba tea has many aliases which tends to confuse the heck out of people. You may have heard one or many of these phrases used, but you should know they all mean the same thing: bubble tea, pearl tea, bubble milk tea, boba, boba fruit tea or tapioca tea.

Boba Tea has become increasingly popular over the past few years. This is in large part due to the new and unique consumption experience of having tasty edible pearls in a beverage!

Tapioca Boba

Traditional milk boba tea is served with tapioca balls, which are made of starch and are commonly referred to as ‘pearls’.

The drink is usually a combination of milk, water, tea and sugar, yet has a lot of variations. Boba tea is available in both hot and cold versions. It is typically served in a wide mouth plastic cup and sealed shut with a clear plastic wrap. 

Traditional boba pearls are found at the bottom of a cup, and are very chewy.

Their consistency is similar to a mix of chewing gum and jell-o (don’t worry, no gelatin included), and can be enjoyed at all times of the day. Most tapioca pearls are black, but there are also versions that are white and some transparent.

Popping Boba

Fruit-based boba can be paired with a variety of toppings but most commonly is ordered with popping boba.

Popping boba are edible, oftentimes fruit-filled spheres that have a gel-like skin. Hence the name, popping boba bursts with flavor when squeezed. Popping boba is traditionally made of seaweed extract, calcium compounds, fruit juice, water and a sweetener.

Jelly Topping

The other common toppings of choice are jellies. Jellies are chewy, jell-o-like, rectangular fruit-flavored bits that are actually not made with gelatin. These toppings are made from either Konjar (a veggie by-product), or coconut meat. Beyond their fun taste, Jellies are popular because they have zero cholesterol yet high fiber content.