Bursting the Bubble on Boba Tea

Introduction

Most people have heard of or perhaps even enjoy drinking boba tea, but it is in fact relatively uncommon for someone to be cognizant of the origins of boba tea. With its inception during the 1980s in the small island of Taiwan, many native to the country hold immense pride in the globally positive reception of the drink, with some even going as far as having formulated their personal identity based largely on the otherwise novel food item. As a result of the increasingly globalized and interconnected nature of the world, the spread of what is often referred to as boba tea culture is unsurprisingly in direct relation with the ever-rising influence of the internet, but most specifically of social media platforms. While countless influencers operating within such spaces seek to leverage the growing popularity of boba tea, the target populace of the drink’s market, particularly that of Gen-Z and millennials, are especially susceptible to influences in consumer behavior as a result of the constant bombardment of non-direct forms of marketing. The drastic rise in popularity of boba tea has not only introduced said consumers to a new culture and novelty, but it has also brought forth immense concern as to the potential physical and mental effects of the regular consumption of a drink that is known to contain high amounts of sugar. Thus, it is the purpose of this study to examine the composition of boba tea, relate its noted effects to physical health, and draw conclusions on what exactly constitutes regular consumption of boba tea, or more explicitly, what dictates an over-consumption of boba tea. 

Composition of Boba Tea

As previously mentioned, the traditional composition of boba tea consisted of three major ingredients, including the tea-base, milk component, as well as tapioca pearls. With regards to the tea-base, traditional Taiwanese establishments selling boba tea, as well as the eventual opening of chain boba tea shops primarily utilized locally sourced Taiwanese black tea. However, following the increased access to foreign tea alternatives, as well as the spread of boba tea to other Asian countries, differing forms of black tea such as Earl Grey, as well as entirely altered tea categories including oolong and green tea began to see use within the industry. In terms of the milk component, many modern establishments today offer fresh milk as a standard option, yet it was powdered milk that was popularized and used most commonly during the first decade of boba tea’s existence. As a result of the lowered manufacturing costs, complemented by the increased shelf-life and by extension an easier means of storage and inventory management, powdered milk was immensely favored for the given reasons. However, powdered milk was later phased out of use due to increased awareness of the consequences of an artificial form of milk that most often incorporated higher amounts of sugar and additives. Further, with recent changes in opinions on the effects that cow’s milk and lactose can have on the human body, there has also been a shift towards alternative forms and substitutes, with certain select boba tea chains opting to forego milk completely from their selection of drinks. Finally, the use of tapioca in boba tea seems irreplaceable due to its presence in the name of the drink itself. Yet although the popularity of tapioca pearls remains persistent, its monopolistic rule over toppings of the drink as it once had during the beginning years has seemingly been diminished as a direct result of the endless replacements introduced over recent years. Tapioca pearls, also known as boba pearls as popularized by the drink, are in fact made from tapioca starch that is derived from the roots of the cassava plant. The process involves the inclusion of brown sugar, typically dark brown sugar, which is what provides the pearls with their signature dark coloring, as well as hot water. The specific methods of preparation for tapioca pearls, although differing from establishment to establishment, are in fact relatively similar across the board. To begin, the tapioca flour derived from cassava roots is engaged with boiling water in order to achieve the desired consistency for kneading. The mix is then processed and shaped into round pearls consistent with its final form, and undergoes a process known as gelatinization, wherein the pearls are kept at a constant and controlled temperature to allow for moisturization of the outer layer of the tapioca. Immediately following such a process, the tapioca pearls are either served following a similar heating process with the addition of brown sugar, or uniformly dried and frozen in cases of mass production to allow for accessible storage and transport. As per the derivation of tapioca pearls from cassava roots in the form of a starch, the item consists primarily of carbohydrates, and amounts to what is generally known to be empty calories with little to no nutritional value of note. When measured, a cup of tapioca pearls contains approximately 550 calories and 135 grams of carbohydrates.

Spread of Boba Tea

The escalation of the boba tea industry is one that has occurred over a relatively short period of time. Immediately following the origination of the drink in 1988, boba tea’s success within Taiwan quickly spread to neighboring countries such as Hong Kong and China. Similarly, the eventual introduction of boba tea to the United States during the 1990s by Taiwanese immigrants primarily materialized within the state of California. It is in fact during this time period along with the spread of the drink that it “received westernized names [including] bubble tea, boba tea, tapioca tea and pearl tea” (Goodwin 2018). The spatial environment and spectatorial atmosphere engaged within boba tea shops is also a crucial factor in the positive reception of such an industry overseas. Due to the unfamiliarity of western countries to the process of boba tea making, the ability to watch the production of the drink through a series of machines and techniques as a form of novelty only serves to contribute to the idea of a new and undiscovered cultural entity. Although differences exist across boba tea shops, as well as the fact that automated processes are becoming more commonplace, the making of boba tea at a demonstrative shop involves the elaboration of the “presence of [the] machinery… [which help establish] the object of value” (Lenzi 319) as well as the intricate and lengthy yet artistic and skillful preparation of the drink itself.

Effects of Regular Consumption of Boba Tea on Mice

In addition to the study done on alternative starches and their effects on the GI response, a different study was conducted in order to examine the effects of regular consumption of boba tea on physical responses as well as cognitive changes, specifically on mice. The study consists of systematic testing of behavioral functions following daily administration of boba tea over a course of thirty days. Tests of physical and mental capacity included the novel object recognition test (NORT), elevated plus maze test (EPMT), forced swim test (FST), tail suspension test (TST), and conditioned place preference (CPP) test (Yao 3). The study’s choice of boba tea administered to the mice was Ulemei’s original milk tea, which includes tapioca pearls (product of the Guangdong Strong Group Co., Ltd), and were prepared with the addition of water. The subjects were randomly designated and sorted into two primary groups: within the control groups, the mice were given access to a normal water bottle within their enclosure, whereas the test group mice were provided both water and boba tea bottles to select from. In terms of the physical responses to the regular administration of boba tea in the test group compared to that of the control group, the study noted little to no differences between the two groups, other than an earlier spike in weight for the test group, but said spike was later neutralized by the delayed response of the control group. In contrast, the effects of regular boba tea consumption on cognitive function were noted to be much more significant between the test and control group. The test group exhibited and indicated a much higher occurrence rate of behaviors and traits that mirrored that of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Specifically, the test group spent “significantly less time in the open arms, indicating an increase in anxiety”, as well as a “significantly increased immobility time(186.58s) as compared to [the] pure water treated group” (Yao 7). Subsequently, the study also examined the possibility of addictive properties to ingredients of boba tea. Particularly, it studied the rewarding properties and responses that boba tea potentially harbors. This was conducted through an additional phase wherein the subjects were presented with the choice of either entering the enclosure with boba tea or the other with normal drinking water. Findings indicated that there was no indicative presence of addictive properties in boba tea as per the seemingly random selection of enclosures by the mice when given the freedom of choice. Although the article along with its findings provide a preliminary yet extensive look at some of the potential effects that regular boba tea consumption can have on physical and mental states, there were a number of key limitations and shortcomings that hinder its applicability to a broader scope. One of its largest inadequacies comes in the form of a lack of control over the amount administered in the test subjects. As a result of providing both water and boba tea samples in the form of water bottles accessible at all times, although the generic frequency of consumption in units of days can be monitored, the specific amount of both water and boba tea consumed cannot be accurately examined. As such, the findings of the study are likely skewed depending on individual variability attributed towards said volatility of liquid ingested. Furthermore, the study provides a scope that is too narrow for an over encompassing examination of the effects that consumption of modern boba tea can have on the human body. Firstly, with relation to the nature of its test subjects being mice, and secondly attributed to the study’s usage of a single formulation of boba tea, thus ruling out the various forms of toppings, tea, and milk alternatives that which are expected to play a substantial role in the effects that extended consumption can have on the body.

Effects of Regular Consumption of Boba Tea on Chinese Adults

Paralleling the objectives of the aforementioned study on mice, another study was conducted within the same year that addresses some of the concerns as outlined above. Similarly, this study was also formulated with the intention of examining the effects on the regularity of boba tea consumption and its effects on mental function. The primary distinction between the two studies lies in the fact that this particular instance was conducted with Chinese adults, and was constructed and administered through a self-questionnaire, which presents an array of different shortcomings of its own. Due to the nature of the study being done in the form of a self-questionnaire, as well as the human tendency to not consume novel drinks at a predictable and constant rate week to week, the categorization of the frequency of consumption was sectioned into three major groups. The three groups as outlined within the study were those who consumed boba tea less than five times a week, five to six times a week, and seven or more times a week. Such a division allows for a more flexible separation of consumption regularity without necessitating the individual to dictate precisely how many drinks they ingest on average per week. Corroborating the findings of the study on mice, this questionnaire drew similar conclusions with regards to the effects that more frequent consumption of boba tea can have on a human’s mental function, as well as the clear introduction of anxiety and depressive symptoms. The noted association between increased regularity of consumption of boba tea and the occurrence of the mentioned symptoms are noted to be strongly positively correlated, and particularly emphasizes the sharp increase in symptom prevalence in those who drink boba tea more than seven times a week. Even more interestingly, these results appeared to be unaffected when adjusted for socioeconomic characteristics of the test subjects. When the evaluation took into consideration traits such as frequency and duration of exercise, occupation, income, and education level, the model indicated no notable difference prior to and after said adjustments (Wu 622-623), which posits the question of the nature and relationship of boba tea consumption with the presence of anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as whether or not such an association dictates a causal relationship or one that simply substantiates previously existing conditions. Much like the study conducted on mice, this particular study holds a number of limiting factors. Of them, the largest limitation pertains to the fact that the study focuses solely on the regularity and occurrence of boba tea consumption, and does not consider in any capacity the contents of the boba tea, as well as the amount consumed. Further, and perhaps more pressingly, the study fails to establish a means to assess a subject’s mental conditions prior to the exposure of boba tea, and thus falls short in the successful identification of a potential causal relationship between the exhibited mental characteristics and an increase in boba tea consumption.

Concluding Thoughts

The boba tea industry is one that has seen immense growth within the last few decades, and its spread across the globe has been a process that has introduced many varieties to the drink and its components. As a result of its popularity, there has also been increasing concern over the possible detrimental effects that regular consumption of boba tea can have on the human body, both physically and mentally. Although modern studies conducted in relation to the examination of such concerns are still sparse and leave much to be discerned, a number of recent evaluations conducted in 2022 have paved the way for further research to be done in the field. Limited in scope as it may, the outlined studies provide an overarching view of the potential for regular consumption of boba tea to negatively effect the mental health of individuals, and could either cause the formation or worsening of existing symptoms relating to anxiety and depression. Until further examinations are conducted that address such concerns, it seems the current general guidelines for boba tea consumption with the purpose of minimizing risk of developing associated symptomatic anxiety and depression recommends consuming less than seven boba teas a week as a cautionary baseline threshold.

References

Goodwin, Lindsey. 2018. Bubble tea 101: types, ingredients, and more. https://www.thespruceeats.com/types-of-bubble-tea-766451 (accessed 30 November 2018).

Kaur, Bhupinder & Quek, Rina & Ng, Grace & Ponnalagu, Shalini & Henry, Jeya. (2022). Comparison of boba pearls made from tapioca starch and other unconventional flours and starches: Their glycaemic response (GR). Malaysian Journal of Nutrition. 28. 10.31246/mjn-2021-0091.

Lenzi, Rafael. (2021). The Esthesic Transformation of the Bubble Tea: From East to West. Proceedings of the 14th World Congress of the International Association for Semiotic Studies (IASS/AIS). 6. 313-325. 10.24308/IASS-2019-6-026.

Wu Y, Lu Y, Xie G. Bubble tea consumption and its association with mental health symptoms: An observational cross-sectional study on Chinese young adults. J Affect Disord. 2022 Feb 15;299:620-627. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.12.061. Epub 2021 Dec 21. PMID: 34942229.

Yao Y, Shi S, Yang Y, Luo B, Li M, Zhang L, Yuan X, Liu H, Zhang K. Effects of chronic bubble tea administration on behavior and cognition in C57BL/6 mice. Front Psychiatry. 2022 Dec 7;13:1044052. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1044052. PMID: 36569608; PMCID: PMC9768033.