Tapioca pearls, (boba) are the prevailing chewy spheres in bubble tea, but a wide range of other options can be used to add similar texture to the drink. These are usually black due to the brown sugar mixed in with the tapioca.
Tapioca balls are translucent spheres produced from tapioca, a starch extracted from the cassava root.They originated as a cheaper alternative to pearl sago in Southeast Asian cuisine.They are most commonly referred to as boba (a transliteration of the word "bubble") or pearls when in bubble tea; these are typically five- to ten-millimeter starch balls, consisting of sweet potato powder, potato powder, or jelly.[citation needed] The various forms of tapioca balls include the original black, flavored, popping, mini, and clear. By adding different ingredients, like water, sugar, and seasoning, tapioca balls can be made to vary in color and in texture.[citation needed] The most common, and original, tapioca balls are usually soaked in a simple sugar syrup to give it a little bit of sweetness while keeping it fresh.They typically lack flavor and gel easily, and are therefore often used as a thickening agent in foods like pudding. The tapioca pearls are simply there to provide texture, the flavor really comes from the drink itself.