Boba Tea: Yay or Nay?

Recently, boba tea has become very big in pop culture. Boba tea usually consists of milk tea with tapioca pearls at the bottom. Some like it, but some really don’t. There are several reasons why the boba tea controversy is a thing: texture, taste, and variation.

Texture:
Boba tea includes tapioca pearls at the bottom. Tapioca pearls are made of starch, and they are chewy and squishy. This texture of chewy pearls mixed with the drink is what  bothers some, but endears others. Some think that the different textures compliment each other and give the drink some variation in each sip. Others believe that the almost solid texture of the pearls and the feel of the tea should not be combined because they are nowhere near compatible; the pearls require a lot of chewing, while the tea doesn’t require any.

Taste:
Most commonly paired with tapioca pearls is milk tea. Milk tea is a combination of milk, tea, sugar, and flavoring. Milk tea is enjoyed by many because of its distinct flavor: sweet, herbal, and just a bit creamy. On the other hand, some think that milk tea tastes like watered down milk with sugary flavoring, or milky juice.

Variation:
Boba tea can be in many different forms. There is the most common one, milk tea, but you can also add boba pearls to pretty much any drink you wish. Some say that this defeats the purpose of boba tea because adding the pearls into other drinks makes it less unique and special. Fans of boba tea believe that adding pearls to other drinks allows the drinker more freedom, and gives them more choice.

Boba tea can come in many different flavors, textures, and variations. One is not better than another, and favorites can only be determined by personal preferences. Go and check out your local boba tea shop, and answer this question: yay or nay?