What is Bubble Tea?

[KT27]

Do you like it?

 

[jonnyboyca]

It was popular here in California about 2 years ago and I didn't care for it at all! It's comes in many flavors of tea (a lot of fruit flavors or milk flavors) but the catch is that inside at the bottom are giant black chewy tapioca balls about the size of a marble each. You drink the tea and tapioca balls through a wide straw. Like I said, I didn't care for it much. Sounds gross doesn't it? It's like drinking tea with paintballs! LOL

~jon

 

[hiwaygal]

inside at the bottom are giant black chewy tapioca balls about the size of a marble each. You drink the tea and tapioca balls through a wide straw.

 

[jonnyboyca]

my thoughts exactly!

~jon

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

I had some at Epcot - I loved the tea (it was some kind of mixed berry) but didn't care to eat the tapioca things!!!! It is like a fruit flavored tea with milk, if I remember it correctly. I wasn't even sure if I was supposd to eat the tapioca or if it was just there for effect - because the tapioca was not that good.

 

[Christypl]

It is very popular in HI. I think it is yummy!

 

[pearlieq]

Oh ewwwww!

I saw a sign for this in Vegas last week. I didn't know what it was, but I assumed it was carbonated somehow. I was almost tempted to get out and try it, but now I'm glad I didn't!

They had something kinda similar when I was a kid. It was a soda and I think it was called Orbit. I begged and begged my mom for it, and when she finally got it for me it was the grossest thing ever! I don't need chewy chunks in my beverages!

 

[daannzzz]

Lots of people drink it here in Santa Clara (Silicon) Valley. It looks like a creamy mocha with black olives in it.
I ordered some fruity red drink at a Vietnamese restaurant once the flavor was good. It was like soda water cherry flavor and cream but it had long strands of gelatin (or similar) in the bottom of it that came up through the straw. While it was a nice looking drink and the flavor wasgood the gelatin was just too strange for me.

 

[Philadisney]

i love bubbletea! i like the chewy texture of the tapioca balls and how they sop up the flavor of whatever tea you are drinking. it's very filling, more like a snack than a drink. yum!

 

[Laurajean1014]

Isn't this caloric? Sounds like it has lots of sugar (fruit or refined)? Are they marketing this as "good for your health?"

Does anyone have the caloric intake of something like this?

 

[Laurajean1014]

http://http://www.bubbleteasupply.com/index.php?page=what.html

Here's a description of the history of bubble tea.

No caloric info yet.

 

[Laurajean1014]

According to Singapore Food Facts, Ministry of Health, 1999

Plain bubble tea has
160 calories
.4 grams protein
6 grams of fat
27 grams of carbohydrates
0 fiber or cholesterol
156 milligrams of calcium

Bubble tea with milk has
132 calories
14.4 grams of fat
24.4 grams of carbohydrates
no fiber or cholesterol
204 milligrams of calcium

Bubble tea with milk and tapioca pearls has
340 calories- OUCH. 13.6 grams of fat - OUCH
52.7 grams of carbohydrates
1.7 grams of dietary fiber
no cholesterol - The only saving grace
217 milligrams of calcium

From a dietary perspective - it's pure junk.

 

[grlpwrd]

Bubble or boba tea originated in Taiwan, I believe, and is very popular in Asia and yes, my home state of Hawaii.

It's very trendy and tasty. I don't agree that it's pure junk nutritionally since it has some nutritional value. Americans have more weight issues than their Asian counterparts, too, so I wouldn't say it's all that bad for us either - it sure beats fast food junk and just because it has a lot of carbs doesn't mean it's horrible.

Dare I say it, but it could be considered better than coffee because of the detrimental effects of caffeine.

 

[arminnie]

I don't need chewy chunks in my beverages!

If I were the tag fairy that would make my list.

Lots of people drink it here in Santa Clara (Silicon) Valley. It looks like a creamy mocha with black olives in it.

Yeah - that really entices me to try it. Never saw it in San Mateo County (your Northern neighbor).

 

[pearlieq]

If I were the tag fairy that would make my list.

The TF must have been listening!!!

 

[curiouser]

The bubble tea in Epcot isn't a very good sample of bubble tea. The flavor is pretty good, but the fact alone that they don't give you the fun big straws takes away a huge part of the enjoyment of it.

Good bubble tea shops will give you your choice of flavors, teas (green or red), with or without milk. There are few things more wonderful than sipping lychee milk tea and having a happy little boba ball pop into your mouth for some chewy goodness!

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

sorry wrong post

 

[UnderTheMistletoe]

Fancy finding you here, missy

 

[sajetto]

ITA...ewwwwww!

 

[arminnie]

The TF must have been listening!!!

Well it was too good for the tag fairy to pass up!