The Fat Straws guide
What Is Boba? A Guide to Bubble Tea
Boba usually means the chewy tapioca pearls added to bubble tea, but people also use the word for the whole drink. Bubble tea is a Taiwanese beverage that combines tea with milk or fruit flavors and often includes tapioca pearls.
What is boba made of?
Traditional boba pearls are made from tapioca starch derived from cassava root. Cooking turns the pearls soft and chewy; sweetening adds flavor. Dark pearls are often colored with caramel or brown sugar.
Bubble tea is the complete drink. Its ingredients can include black or green tea, milk, fruit flavors, ice, and toppings. The name “boba” alone does not tell you every ingredient in the finished drink.
Boba, bubble tea & popping boba
| Name | What it means | Texture or preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Tapioca boba | Pearls made from cassava-derived tapioca starch | Cooked until soft and chewy |
| Bubble tea | Tea combined with milk or fruit flavors; toppings may be added | A drink, rather than a particular topping |
| Popping boba | Juice or flavored liquid inside a thin edible gel membrane | Bursts when bitten; ready to serve without boiling |
Where did bubble tea originate?
Bubble tea originated in Taiwan in the 1980s. The name is associated with the bubbles and froth created by shaking tea. Over time, tapioca pearls became closely associated with the drink.
Today, boba can accompany milk teas, fruit teas, smoothies, and specialty drinks. A wide straw lets you sip the drink and pearls together.
What is popping boba?
Popping boba contains fruit juice or flavored liquid inside a thin, gel-like membrane. The process of forming that shell is called spherification; the shell commonly uses sodium alginate, a seaweed-derived ingredient.
Unlike tapioca pearls, popping boba does not need boiling. Strawberry and mango popping boba are customer favorites at Fat Straws; check your store’s ordering menu for available toppings.
How to choose your first boba drink
Start with a category you enjoy: milk tea for a creamy drink, fruit tea for a fruit-forward option, or matcha for an earthy green-tea flavor. Then choose your topping and the sweetness options available for that drink.
Fat Straws has served handcrafted bubble tea in North Texas since 2002 and prepares boba throughout the day to maintain its texture.
Questions & answers
What is the difference between boba and bubble tea?
Boba usually refers to tapioca pearls, while bubble tea is the beverage. In everyday use, “boba” can also mean the entire drink.
What are boba pearls made of?
Traditional boba pearls are made from tapioca starch, which comes from cassava root.
Is boba tea from Taiwan?
Yes. Bubble tea originated in Taiwan during the 1980s.
Is popping boba the same as tapioca boba?
No. Tapioca boba is chewy and cooked before serving. Popping boba has a liquid center that bursts when bitten and does not require boiling.
Does Fat Straws prepare boba fresh?
Yes. Fat Straws prepares boba throughout the day for texture and quality.