There are different types of boba, ranging from fruit flavors, brown sugar, ice tea, jasmine green tea, milk tea, and many others.
We will be discussing some types of boba in this article. Before we look at them, let us first examine what boba is.
Boba is any tea drink that has tapioca balls. These balls are also referred to as pearls. They are slight, chewy, and made from tapioca. It is worthy to note here that tapioca is a starch gotten from cassava root.
Boba tea is also called pearl tea, tapioca tea, bubble tea, or pearl milk tea. These pearls in a boba drink are made of three ingredients; sugar, water, and tapioca starch.
The dough is made from these ingredients, and then it is partitioned and spun into little balls. They are basically common five different types of boba, and we will be examining each of them. Come on, let’s go for a boba walk.
1. Flavored Tapioca Boba
These are your typical conventional pearls coated with flavored syrup. The desired flavor is incorporated when preparing the tapioca here; these flavors range from fruity flavors, such as watermelon, mango, honey, and peach, to less fruity flavors like almond, coffee, ginger, and taro.
These flavored tapioca pearls are also called jelly pearls at some cafes. They are incorporated in smoothies and some classic brewed teas like black or green tea. This is one of the different types of boba.
2. Popping Tapioca Boba Balls
This is also one of the different types of boba, but it is not made of tapioca starch. Surprising right? These balls here are actually made when there’s a chemical and physical reaction of flavored fruit juice to sodium alginate.
This reaction occurs when they are mixed. The mixture here is then placed in a bowl of calcium chloride, and water is added gradually.
When this is done, bubbles erupt on the surface and it is these bubbles that become boba balls. These types of boba balls are filled with artificial chemicals, so be careful about the quantity you consume.
Popping tapioca balls is pretty popular because they have flavored fruit juice that produces a delicious sensation in the mouth when they are chewed. The popping tapioca balls are mostly used in smoothies and shaken iced teas.
3. Crystal Boba
Crystal boba is one of the different types of boba tea trending currently in the world of boba. The crystal boba is transparent and not as chewy as the other types of boba.
It is made from the Konjac plant, and its texture is like gelatin or jelly. The balls of crystal boba can be incorporated with flavors, too, so there are different varieties of this type of boba.
Another fantastic property of crystal boba is that it contains fewer calories, making it an ideal choice for individuals that want to watch their body weight.
So, you get all the goodness of boba while avoiding the calories responsible for fat when you go with crystal boba.
4. Black Boba
This type of boba is made from cassava root. The black hue here is achieved from brown sugar or caramel incorporated during the production process.
Also called bubbles or pearls, black boba is found primarily in milk-based bubble tea. Black boba is tapioca with added coloring that makes it sweeter. This boba is chewy and bouncy and has an almost licorice flavor.
The black boba is so popular today that many people look at it as the signature picture of what bubble tea is.
This is one of the different types of boba that is common and can be seen in most boba shops. Black boba is not just popular because of its color; its popularity lies heavily in the fact that it tastes delicious too.
5. Clear Boba
These boba pearls are made of tapioca starch and water. The balls here are clear because no additional flavor or color is added during preparation. Sometimes though, white sugar syrup is added to give it a sweeter taste.
Unlike the black boba, which gives a hint of extra sweetness because of the presence of brown sugar, clear boba is one of the different types of boba made from tapioca starch without any additive.
The absence of additive here makes the clear boba tasteless and it only becomes tasty when it absorbs the flavor of the tea or milk it is placed in.
When you order a clear boba tea, it will assimilate whatever you order and taste just like it. Isn’t that amazing? Go ahead and place your order and get a complete feel of what you order while enjoying the taste of tapioca ball.
Conclusion
Boba is an amazing tea with tapioca balls that comes in different varieties. With so many different types of boba out there, you have the opportunity to go with one that suits your taste palate. So, go ahead and enjoy your choice of boba.
