Boba, or bubble tea, is a popular beverage served in cafés throughout the world. The tea is often fun to drink, as you slurp up the chewy tapioca balls floating at the bottom of the cup through a wide straw. If you're a boba enthusiast, here's a brief guide to how the tea is made and why you should try it. 

What Is Boba?

Although there are variations, boba commonly consists of black tea, milk, and cane sugar, or simple syrup. Tapioca pearls are then added as the featured ingredient. Made of tapioca starch from the cassava plant, the tasteless, white pearls are boiled and then soaked in caramelized syrup for several hours to give them their distinct, subtly sweet flavor and dark color. All the ingredients are then mixed together and served over ice. 

This form of milk tea originated in Taiwan in the 1980s. It was first created at Chun Shui Tang tea shop in Taichung when a member of the staff added tapioca pearls to their iced tea. Until that point, the pearls were typically used as toppings on desserts.

Why Should You Drink More Boba?

For people who don't typically drink tea, boba is a great introduction to the beverage. The addition of milk and sweetener adds a silky texture to the brew and helps tone down the bitter notes often found in black tea. 

Variations of the main ingredients can also change the flavor profile to suit your preferences. For example, green, oolong, fruit, or white tea can be substituted for black tea. Instead of cow's milk, the beverage can also be made with soy and coconut milk, too. Popular sweetening ingredients added to the tea include lychee simple syrup, taro, and strawberry. 

In addition to its impressive variety of ingredient combinations, boba has nutritional benefits. Black tea, for instance, contains polyphenols. These antioxidants can help reduce high cholesterol and keep blood sugar at healthy levels. Milk contains calcium, potassium, and phosphorus to keep bones strong, while tapioca is a source of iron, which helps your body deliver oxygen to its major systems.

To choose from a wide variety of different types of boba, visit Xpresso Cafe in Waipahu, HI. The popular shop also serves iced coffee, espresso drinks, specialty smoothies, deli sandwiches, and additional options for lunch. Browse the complete menu online, and call (808) 744-8091 to place an order or ask questions about the options. View images of their food and beverages on Facebook.