Matcha Milk Tea With Boba
A fun way to enjoy matcha is by combining cooled matcha tea with boba pearls. The taste is refreshing, and the matcha gives a slightly earthy flavor. Matcha milk tea boba is a delicious, energizing drink that comes with all the added benefits matcha green tea offers and is a great go-to option in the summer.
Boba
Boba originated in small Taiwanese tea shops during the 1980s, before making its way to America. In the U.S., boba became an instant hit with no signs of slowing down. But what is boba exactly? The truth is, most people have no clue. Boba (the chewy black balls at the bottom of the drink) is made from tapioca, which is a gluten-free starch extracted from the root of a cassava plant. What’s amazing about boba is that it can be added to a ton of different drinks, from tea to smoothies. For this recipe, I don’t make my boba; I buy it. Boba is now widely available online or for purchase (uncooked) at your local boba stores.
Is Green Tea the Same as Matcha?
This is a common question. The answer is, technically, no. A green tea boba drink is not the same as matcha milk tea with boba. Green tea is made from unoxidized tea leaves, which are steeped in hot water. Matcha is made from specially grown green tea leaves ground into a powder, which is then whisked into hot water.
Matcha
I have blogged a bit about matcha before in my matcha smoothie bowl post. Matcha is grown and processed differently from regular green tea. To make matcha, farmers must cover and grow the plants in the shade for several weeks before harvesting, steaming, drying, and then finally stone grinding whole leaves to a fine powder. This is important because growing tea leaves in the shade is what increases the amount of chlorophyll and makes the leaves bright green, adds nutrients, and changes the flavor profile of the tea. Prepared matcha tea has a frothy and smooth mouth feel. Whereas plain organic green tea is light and clear. The difference is that when you drink matcha, you are consuming 100% of the stone-ground tea leaf suspended in a liquid. Plain green tea is steeped in water, and then you drink the tea but discard the leaves.
Caffeine & Health Benefits
Regardless of the flavor, boba tea always contains a base tea containing caffeine. Even matcha and jasmine bubble tea will contain some caffeine. However, the amount of caffeine in boba tea will depend on the tea used as a base and its concentration. An 8-oz glass of matcha green tea (1 teaspoon matcha powder) has about 70 mg of caffeine vs. 77 mg of caffeine (1.5 oz) in espresso vs. 95 mg of caffeine (8 oz) in brewed coffee.
Nutritionally speaking, matcha is rich in catechin polyphenols (compounds with high antioxidant activity, particularly EGCG – epigallocatechin gallate). In studies, EGCG has shown some protective benefits against health conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Matcha contains trace vitamins, minerals, and, as mentioned, some caffeine.
For my matcha, I order from Matcha.com, also known as MatchaKari. Matcha.com was founded by Dr. Andrew Weil, an expert on medicinal plants, integrative medicine, and wellness, and co-founder André Fasciola, who grew up with a love of Japanese culture and became enamored by matcha’s healing properties, cultivation, and ceremony. For this recipe, I use MatchaKari’s first harvest matcha because of its smooth and mellow flavor profile, but you have lots of options matcha-wise. If you’re already a matcha and boba fan, this is an easy call. But if you’re new to either, give this lovely matcha milk tea boba a try, and let me know your thoughts.
Matcha Milk Tea With Boba
Ingredients:
For the Boba:
- 1/2 cup cooked tapioca boba pearls
For the Matcha Green Tea:
- 2 teaspoons matcha green tea
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 2 tablespoons honey or agave
- 2 cups milk of your choice
- 2 cups ice cubes
Directions:
- For the Matcha: In a small bowl, whisk matcha green tea with the hot water, blend, and let cool.
- For the Boba: Bring 4 cups of water to boil over high heat. Add the tapioca pearls and stir until they start floating to the surface. Cook per the package instructions. Drain carefully and cool. Add the honey to the cooked boba and stir. Allow the boba to sit for about 5 minutes to absorb the sweetener.
- To Assemble: Add the boba to your serving glasses. Top with ice and pour in the milk of your choice. Lastly, add the cooled matcha, stir, and enjoy.
