Regularly drinking boba tea can cause unwanted weight gain. The combination of carbohydrates, calories, and high sugar content can add up to one-third of your daily calorie allowance. Diet or not, knowing how bubble tea affects your body and the small changes you can choose to make it healthier will make all the difference.
How Many Calories Are in Boba Tea?
The typical serving size of boba milk tea is 16 ounces. In these 16 ounces, you can rack up between 300 and 600 calories on average. Each ingredient adds numerous calories, but the sweetener and toppings account for most of them. Like almost every bubble tea ingredient, you can decide how much of each you’d like in your drink.
Does Bubble Tea Have a Lot of Carbohydrates?
A 16-ounce cup of boba contains approximately 70 carbs. Most bubble tea carbs come from tapioca pearls, but brown sugar syrup and milk also contribute to this number.
Because the body breaks down carbohydrates and turns them into sugar, the sugar rush your body experiences after drinking a typical bubble tea is intense. This rise in sugar levels forces your body to produce more insulin and glucose, which promotes fat storage.
How Often Can You Drink Boba Without Gaining Weight?
According to one source, drinking boba milk tea with tapioca pearls daily could cause you to gain up to 4.5 pounds a month. The trick with this drink is moderation. Excess weight gain can occur if you are drinking it regularly, especially if you don’t counteract the carbs and calories with exercise.
If weight loss is your goal, it would be beneficial to enjoy this drink sparingly. A typical bubble milk tea contains 33.5 grams of sugar (8 teaspoons!)
Can You Drink Boba Tea on a Diet?
Depending on the type of diet and the type of tea you order, it is possible to drink boba tea on a diet. Boba tea contains some nutritional value, but it typically has many empty calories and high sugar levels. These sugar-sweetened beverages can trigger obesity if not consumed in moderation.
Although it contains a high caloric value, bubble tea can be an excellent source of calcium and antioxidants. Black tea, green tea, and oolong have multiple health benefits— they have even been known to lower cancer risk.
Can You Order Bubble Tea Without Sugar?
Drinking bubble tea without added sugar almost takes the fun out of the drink, but it can be done. Keep in mind that many ingredients, like fruit and milk, naturally have sugar in them.
There are a few ways you can lessen your sugar intake when ordering boba drinks.
- Choose a different topping; chia seeds, for example. Aloe vera is sometimes made without added sugars also.
- Select 0% sugar, a sugar-free syrup, or Stevia.
- For milk tea, ask for skim or low-fat milk instead of non-dairy creamer.
- If you order a fruit tea, ask for no added fruit purees.
- Order sugar-free tapioca pearls. These chewy cassava tapioca balls will be white in color and naturally flavorless. Once added to your bubble tea, they will absorb some of the flavors of the drink.
It would be best to consult with a dietitian if you are unsure about including this drink in your meal plan. A dietitian can help you understand the nutritional value of each ingredient and help you decide which components are most detrimental to your health.