When you hear the word “tea,” what comes to mind?
For many, it leads to thinking about delicious hot tea like chamomile or earl grey. To some, you may think of the iced tea we can get in bottles from the supermarket. However, regardless of what tea comes to mind, at some point, your mind will eventually drift to bubble tea.
Although this drink is exceptionally “Instagrammable,” there’s one problem with it.
Bubble tea is full of sugary ingredients, so it’s far from healthy.
Bubble tea often contains tapioca pearls, also known as boba.
Tapioca is a type of starch that’s extracted from the cassava root. As “pearls” in tea, tapioca looks like bubbles, which explains the drink’s name.
Tapioca is mostly made of carbs and contains very little protein, fat, and fiber. Granted, carbs aren’t inherently evil. But since tapioca doesn’t have much fiber, its carbs are quickly digested and absorbed.
(Fiber slows down the digestion and absorption of carbs, which is why it’s so important for controlling blood sugar levels.) Tapioca pearls are also fried, which diminishes the nutritional value of any food.
Finally, bubble tea often includes ingredients like flavored syrup and added sugars.
Hence, the end result is a super sugary drink.
Apparently, a serving can easily contain at least 400 calories.
If you add milk and put in more add-ons, you further increase the calories.
Therefore, bubble tea can be a special treat drink rather than an everyday drink.
Best to enjoy it occasionally because it might have an impact on your health if consumed daily.
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