What Are The Bubbles in Bubble Tea?

There are a few different types of bubble tea - one type will typically use a flavoured milk tea base with tapioca pearls, and the other will be fruit or jasmine tea with popping bubbles.

What Are the Bubbles Called in Bubble Tea?

The bubbles used in bubble tea are known by a few different names - bubbles, boba, pearls, boba pearls, and boba balls. Boba made specifically with tapioca may also be known as tapioca pearls or simply as tapioca.

What Are Tapioca Pearls?

A classic bubble tea will use tapioca pearls, which are chewy balls made from tapioca starch that are usually soaked in syrup. Tapioca balls are typically used in iced milk-based teas, matcha, or taro milk tea.

The bubbles have a distinctive texture, providing a chewy contrast to the smoothness of the tea and other ingredients. They are typically about the size of marbles, but this can vary. The bubbles are often consumed through a wide straw that allows both the tea and the tapioca balls to be enjoyed together.

How Are Bubble Tea Bubbles Made?

Tapioca starch is extracted from the cassava root. The tapioca starch is mixed with water to form a dough, which is then rolled into small balls. The balls are cooked in boiling water until they become soft and chewy. After cooking, the tapioca balls are usually soaked in a sweet syrup to enhance their flavour.

What is Popping Boba?

Popping boba or popping bubbles are small balls with fruit juice in them that pop when you bite them. They have a thin, gel-like skin, which is usually coloured in a way that corresponds with the flavour of the juice inside. For example, a mango flavour boba might be yellow, while a blueberry flavour might be blue!

There are so many flavours of popping boba, with fruity classics like apple, strawberry, lychee, mango, watermelon and passion fruit being popular options.

As popping bubbles release a fruity juice flavour, it is usually best to use these in a fruit or jasmine tea, rather than in a milk tea, as the flavour will be more complementary.

What Do The Bubbles in Bubble Tea Taste Like?

The taste of your boba will depend on the type of bubble tea you are getting. Tapioca pearls themselves are fairly mild and neutral in flavour, although they are often soaked in brown sugar syrup before being added to the bubble tea for a sweet caramel hint. Tapioca boba is best enjoyed because of its texture, bringing a chewy, jelly feel to your drink.

Popping boba will taste like whatever flavour you have chosen once you bite into them and burst out the juice. Here at Oriental Mart, we have lots of different flavours of popping boba on offer for you to make your own bubble tea drinks at home, including peach, grape, strawberry and lychee.

Other Toppings for Bubble Tea

In addition to tapioca bubbles and popping boba, bubble tea can include other toppings such as fruit jellies, aloe vera cubes, or milk foam. These toppings add extra texture and flavour to the drink, making it a fun and customisable beverage.

If you want to make your own bubble tea at home - whether that’s a classic milk tea with tapioca pearls and ice or a refreshing and juicy fruit tea with popping boba - we have a wide variety of popping boba and tapioca pearls here at Oriental Mart. Or, if you like bubble tea on the go, check out our pre-made, ready-to-drink bubble tea cans and instant drink cups.