What Is the Nutritional Value of Boba?
Boba is one of the most popular drinks in Taiwan. A typical cup contains between 200-300 mL (8 oz) of tea with approximately 5 gm (2 tsp) sugar. The average price of a single cup is around NT$1 (~US$0.12).
The popularity of boba tea is mainly due to its low cost, high caffeine content and its pleasant taste.
Boba is a type of bubble tea that is flavored with taro, lotus seed, black jelly, or cornflakes.
The tea base for boba tea is different from that of traditional Taiwanese tea. It is very sweet and usually contains less tea than a traditional cup.
The process of making boba tea is similar to that of traditional iced tea. The tea base is first mixed with tapioca flour to form a slush, then the mixture is slowly heated to form a foam. Finally liquid glucose and flavorings are added and the mixture is chilled.
Although boba tea contains a lot of sugar, it does not contain any significant amount of vitamins or minerals.
This is in contrast to the milk tea that is generally consumed in Taiwan. Milk tea is often consumed as a “breakfast” beverage, where it can provide a significant amount of calcium and vitamin D.
The popularity of boba tea has led to a rise in obesity among children and adolescents in Taiwan.
Boba tea is generally high in fat and calories, but low in essential nutrients. It is believed that excessive consumption of boba tea can lead to severe nutrient deficiencies that can cause health problems in children.
There is some evidence that consumption of this beverage might cause dental caries, which is a common childhood disease.
Boba tea can also be a source of hyperactivity in children and adolescents. In addition, it might lead to problems with good sleep patterns.
Due to the lack of essential nutrients and high fat and sugar content, the consumption of this beverage should be avoided by children and adolescents.
The neuron contains glutamate as an excitatory neurotransmitter. Excessive glutamate is believed to cause hyperexcitability and neuronal damage.
Excessive glutamate in the brain is known to cause hyperactivity anddliver mental relaxation.
This suggests that excessive consumption of boba tea can lead to mental disturbances, which could be another possible side effect.
There are no studies on the relationship between boba tea and adult psych disturbances.
Boba tea contains a large amount of taurine, which can cause hypotension in susceptible individuals.
In addition, prolonged consumption of boba tea can lead to a condition in which the lining of the stomach becomes permanently inflamed.
This condition is generally treated with aggressive surgery.
Boba tea contains Bromide and Boric Acid, both of which can cause central nervous system depression.
When iced tea is consumed at room temperature, it can lead to an increase in the risk of kidney stones.
There is some evidence that regular consumption of boba tea can cause these problems, however, the evidence is not conclusive.
There are several concerns about this beverage.
Sources & references used in this article:
Calories and sugars in boba milk tea: implications for obesity risk in Asian Pacific Islanders by JE Min, DB Green, L Kim – Food science & nutrition, 2017 – Wiley Online Library
Flax engineering for biomedical application by M Czemplik, A Boba, K Kostyn, A Kulma, A Mituła… – 2011 – books.google.com
HYACINTH MACAW PROJECT by MB Christiansen – ee.parrots.org
Repurchase Behavior of College Students in Boba Tea Shops: A Review of Literature by S Lei, S Lei – College Student Journal, 2020 – ingentaconnect.com
What is Bubble Tea?| Insider Secrets on Bubble Tea by WIB Tea – foodunfolded.com
