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Difference Between Boba and Pearl Tea
- Boba and pearl tea are often used interchangeably to describe bubble tea beverages. However, some consider pearl tea to be bubble tea made with smaller tapioca pearls.
Tapioca Pearls Origin and Usage
- Tapioca pearls, also called tapioca balls or boba, originate from the cassava root. Their cooked size is usually between a pea and a marble. The most popular boba tea flavors are milk tea and brown sugar milk tea.
White Pearls Description
- White pearls are made with the konjac plant and have a bouncy, gelatinous texture. In general, boba is typically larger than pearl.
Definition of Bubble Tea
- Bubble tea is a cold tea with tapioca boba that look like bubbles. Black milk tea flavor is the most popular boba tea.
Boba vs. Popping Boba
- At the heart of this delightful drink are two key ingredients that often spark curiosity: tapioca pearls and popping boba.
Flavored Boba and Flavour Pearls
- Flavored boba is traditional boba pearls cooked in or coated with a flavored syrup. Flavour pearls are created using a mixture of science and cooking.
Boba Pearl Size and Serving
- Boba pearls are typically five to ten millimetres (0.2 to 0.4 inches) in diameter. A 16-ounce cup of boba milk tea is equal to a single serving.
Health Considerations and Moderation
- Unfortunately, boba itself provides very few health benefits. Moderation is advised due to its calorie and carbohydrate content.
Additional Information
- Tapioca pearls are available in a wide variety of sizes ranging from 1 mm to 8 mm. Popping Boba is more versatile and won’t dissolve in hot beverages.
- Boba pearls can refer to the pearls alone or the milk tea drink as a whole. White Pearls, also known as Agar Boba, are made from konjac.
- Boba recipes may require some time-consuming processes. The term 波霸 (bōbà) in Chinese is slang for a woman with voluptuous breasts.