What a Dietitian Would Order at a Boba Shop

When you think of refreshing drinks for a midday pick-me-up, a few options may come to mind: smoothies, juice, and more recently—boba tea. Also called bubble tea, boba originated from Taiwan in the 1980s. Since then, it’s become a staple treat all over the world, especially in Asian American communities.

But while boba is beloved for its chewy tapioca pearls and endless flavor combinations, it’s not always considered the most nutritious choice. The good news? With a few smart swaps and a little know-how, you can build a healthier boba tea order that satisfies your cravings without compromising your wellness goals.

The Milk Tea vs. Fruit Tea Debate

When you enter a boba shop, the two main types of drink options are milk tea and fruit tea. Milk tea consists usually of brewed tea mixed with milk or milk powder. Fruit tea is a mixture of brewed tea and juice or flavored syrup.

MyFitnessPal registered dietitian Brookell White says fruit tea is often a healthier and lower calorie option. At the same time, fruit tea may still be high in sugar depending on the amount of sugar or syrups used (1).

Comparing Tea Bases

Milk teas and fruit teas use various tea bases, each including a unique flavor profile to cater to the type of boba you prefer. These base teas include:

• Black tea
• Green tea
• Oolong tea

Different varieties of these teas may have varying amounts of caffeine and other nutrients, but White says that in general, the base tea you select doesn’t matter too much. “All brewed tea is very low or void of calories and has many nutritional benefits including varying levels of antioxidants and polyphenols,” she says (2). 

About the Expert

Brookell White, MS, RD is a Food Data Curator at MyFitnessPal. She earned her bachelors and masters at San Diego State University and completed her dietetic internship at Sodexo. Her experience extends to facilitating nutrition courses at San Diego State University, attending to patients as a Diet Technician, and working as an Assistant Lead Investigator. Her areas of focus include metabolism, gut health, obesity and weight management.

What to Know About Drink Toppings

While typical black tapioca boba usually comes to mind when it comes to boba tea, there are so many different drink toppings to choose from. But what should you pick to make a healthy boba tea order?

Tapioca Boba

Tapioca boba is the chewy, sticky add-in that we all know and love. It’s generally made up of tapioca starch (from cassava root flour) and water, with a sugary syrup coating to ensure the pearls don’t stick (3, 4). According to the USDA food database, one serving contains 90 calories and 1 g of sugar when there is no syrup coating (5). Keep in mind that almost all boba shops do use syrup, though.

Agar Boba

Have you ever heard of panda milk tea? Well, agar boba is the white counterpart to black tapioca. Agar boba is the clear, more crunchy sibling of typical tapioca boba. Often called crystal boba, it’s made from agar, a jelly-like substance extracted from seaweed. Agar boba is sweetened and contains 57 calories and 9 g of sugar per serving (6). 

Popping Boba

According to White, popping boba is made by thickening a sugar-added beverage into a pearl by using a chemical reaction between sodium alginate and calcium chloride. The liquid that “pops” in your mouth usually contains a substantial amount of sugar. One serving of popping boba contains 85 calories and 18 g of sugar (7). 

Sago

Sago is a mini, clear type of boba that’s often found in thicker mango-flavored drinks. It’s extracted from certain tropical palm tree stems and made by mixing sago starch with water. Sago provides an abundance of resistant starch.

Jelly

The jelly boba comes in many flavors: herbal grass jelly, coconut jelly, lychee jelly, and coffee jelly, to name a few. Jelly contains almost no nutritional value—containing about 65 calories and 15 g of sugar per serving (9, 10). The calorie and sugar content of jellies can vary by type and brand, though, as one study notes nata de coco (coconut jelly) as having 212 calories and 12 g of sugar per serving (3).

Red Bean

White says that red bean is a better option because it’s made by boiling adzuki beans and adding sugar. It’s high in fiber, but may also be high in sugar. Two tablespoons of red bean contains 90 calories and 13 g of sugar (11). 

Taro Boba

Taro boba is made similarly to tapioca boba, with the addition of mashed taro root. “This is another option that introduces more nutritional value than others as taro root contains fiber and potassium,” White says. She says that taro  is relatively nutrient dense in general (12).  

Egg Pudding

Egg pudding tends to be lower in calories, but contains more sugar than other toppings. It contains 54 calories and 18 g of sugar per serving (3, 13).

Chia Seeds

White says chia seeds are a great way to add more nutrients to your boba tea—as they are rich in fiber, protein, omega-3 fats, and calcium (14). 

Salted Cream Cheese Foam

Salted cream cheese foam is a thick, creamy topping that floats atop a plain tea base. Think of it as a boba-fied version of cold foam, but with a salty-sweet flavor. Salted cream cheese foam is made by blending milk, a stabilizer, sugar, and salt. “This will likely increase the sodium and calories of the beverage,” White says.

How to Build Your Boba Order

So, we’ve looked at different drink varieties and topping types—but what should you actually order at a boba shop to build a healthier  boba tea?

The Simpler, the Better

When it comes to boba, White recommends keeping things simple.

Go for a basic milk or fruit tea. Topping options at boba shops tend to have added sugar, so try limiting yourself to one topping.

At most boba shops, you can customize the level of sugar syrup and ice in your drink. For a healthy boba tea, opt for less sugar and more ice. “Remember that sugar is incorporated in most or all components of bubble tea,” White says. Most toppings have added sugar, so it will probably sweeten a base tea with less sugar in it. Additionally, having a higher volume of ice will reduce the liquid and sugar in your cup.

Try These Toppings

For less sugar and more nutrients, consider whole foods toppings such as:

• Fresh fruit
• Chia seeds

Other good options include:

• Red bean
• Taro boba
• Tapioca boba

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, boba tea is a treat. Order what appeals most to you, but you can make slight tweaks to your order for a healthier option. 

By keeping things simple, picking more nutritious toppings, and opting for less sugar and more ice—you can build a healthy boba tea order that’s not only more health-conscious, but delicious. Oh, and make sure to really commit when poking a straw into your cup (a stronger jab means less mess).

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