by Hien Bui and Britney Tran, Staff Writers
Boba. Orange County loves it, health junkies don’t. The chewy black pearls that have recently monopolized our county aren’t as amazing as initially perceived. As delicious as they may be, overconsumption has its consequences. Unfortunately, it’s time to consider your milk tea without boba.
Boba is one of the most beloved complements to milk tea. Millions of milk tea chains operate with various forms, colors and sizes of boba available for your choice. But don’t be fooled, according to a nutritional site, one regular pearl can be as much as 14 calories. Boba drinks typically contain around 25 to 75 pearls. The amount of sugar that’s contained in your boba alone is potentially twice as much as the sugar contained in a can of Coca Cola and way over the recommended daily amount.
Tapioca pearls, more commonly referred to as boba, are made of tapioca, which is a starch extracted from cassava roots which gets its variation in shapes, colors and sizes when combined with other ingredients, such as sweet potato and brown sugar. Raw boba is assumably healthy but with all of the modifications and sweeteners boba stores throw into it and the sugary nature of the drinks it usually accompanies, is boba really healthy?
In a 2012 German study, results suggested that boba may even cause cancer. Researchers found traces of the chemicals, styrene and acetophenone, two known compounds associated with liver cancer and malignant melanoma. The chemicals are legally permitted to be added to foods and are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so the study’s meant to be taken with a grain of salt.
With or without carcinogens in the mix, boba contains large amounts of carbohydrates because of its starch ingredient and do very little for you nutritionally. Combined with milk tea, this creates a drink that can lead to health consequences when there isn’t a good balance established.
Like everything we eat, moderation is key with boba. Having it multiple times a day or week isn’t the best choice for your health. There are also alternatives to the classic boba milk tea. Many boba vendors now provide the option to adjust the sweetness levels of your milk tea. Boba can be substituted with better alternatives such as puddings, jellies, or, arguably the most ideal option, going without any toppings.
Truth be told, the next time you set out for some milk tea, you may want to cut out the boba.
