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Crystal Boba — The Hot New Bubble Tea Craze
The Trend Taking Over Drinks: Bursts of Color Within Crystal Pearls
Bubble tea, also known as boba tea, has taken the world by storm in recent years. The latest bubble tea trend combines two major consumer favourites — boba and crystals. The result? Crystal boba. These small, translucent crystal-shaped boba are taking over social media and bubble tea shops. But what exactly is crystal boba, what makes them so unique, and definitely what’s the chemistry behind it? Let’s find out —
What is Crystal Boba?
Crystal boba is a new form of the tapioca pearls or “bubbles” commonly used in bubble tea. While regular boba pearls are dark-coloured and made from tapioca starch, crystal boba pearls are clear or translucent, resembling shiny little crystals. They are also made from tapioca starch but go through an extra process to achieve a transparent, gem-like appearance. This gives them their crystal-like aesthetic that looks beautiful in colourful bubble tea drinks.
Despite the different appearance, crystal boba has a similar chewy, gummy texture to traditional boba. The fun thing about crystal boba is watching the colours of the tea or fruit juices you pair them with shining through the clear pearls. It takes your bubble tea to a whole new…
