Is Bubble Tea Halal?
Summary
- What is Bubble Tea
- What is Boba Tea Made of?
- Is Bubble Tea Halal?
- Types of Bubble tea
- Step-by-step Guide to Making Bubble Teas
- What are the bubbles in bubble tea?
- How to drink Bubble tea
- Bottom line
What is Bubble Tea?
Bubble tea originated in Taiwan in the 1980s. It is also known as boba tea or pearl tea. It's a tea made of conventional Taiwanese tea with chewy tapioca pearls. Its presence spread around Asia like wildfire before it became known worldwide. Due to Islamic rulings, many Muslims wonder if this delicious tea is permissible to drink. “Is bubble tea halal?” is a question that plagues the minds of many Muslims.
In this article, we'll answer the question and also enlighten you about other intriguing facts of Bubble Tea.
What is Boba tea made of
Boba tea comes in different forms with unique combinations, textures, and flavours. The tea consists of Taiwanese base tea, then milk, sweeteners and different toppings. Bubble tea's bases can be black, green, oolong or herbal, with toppings like tapioca pearls, etc.
Besides, bubble tea is made of dairy ingredients for a creamy outlook. However, non-dairy alternatives are increasing rapidly. For example, almond milk, oat milk and soy milk for vegan and lactose-intolerant consumers. Sweeteners like honey and sugar are also added. It improves the sweetness of the tea and, fortunately, is customizable to the customer's preference.
The toppings usually include tapioca pearls, pudding and Boba filled with fruit juice, adding to the variations of the drink.
Is Bubble tea halal?
Halal refers to “permissible” in Arabic. In the aspect of food, food is halal when it doesn't contain the prohibited edibles according to the Islamic dietary laws. Some prohibited foods are pork products, alcohol, etc. Also, the food preparation must be halal.
So, is bubble tea halal?
Yes, bubble tea is halal. The ingredients used in bubble tea are halal. Most times, people get confused because of the Tapioca balls and the popping Boba that resemble gelatin products. Actually, these balls are made from a seaweed extract—agar, which is halal.
It might be surprising since bubble tea originates from Taiwan, but research showed that the earliest adopters of Bubble tea were Muslims—around Malaysia and Indonesia.
Hence, bubble tea is halal and safe to enjoy. However, it's still advisable to double-check the ingredients before purchase to ensure they meet the Islamic dietary laws. Also, it's better to buy from stores with halal-certified boba drinks.
Another important thing to note is the preparation of the drink. If you don't trust the preparation methods of bubble tea stores, then it's better to prepare the drink yourself.
Types of Bubble Tea
The bubble tea menu may offer these types of tea.
- Milk tea
Milk tea is a combination of tea, fruit flavors and sweetened milk to get a creamy beverage. Milk powder is also used in the preparation.
2. Flavored tea
These are sweetened tea that contains flavorings without milk. They include honey black tea, jasmine green tea, etc.
3. Juice
Bubble Tea can also be made from Juice—without tea. They're mostly fruit juice like mango, kiwi, passion, etc.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Bubble Tea
- Duration: 25–30 minutes
- Servings: 4 drinks
Ingredients
- Whole milk or non-dairy option
- 7 cups of water plus the quantity needed for the boba balls (check the packaging)
- 8-10 tea bags of your choice
- Ice
- Flavoring syrup (optional)
- 2 cups of sugar
Directions
- Boil 6 cups of water
- Remove the pot from heat and add the tea bags.
- Let it sit till the tea reaches room temperature.
- If you're using a thick sweetener like honey, add it while the tea is still warm to enhance dissolving.
- Prepare syrup by heating a cup of water and adding sugar.
- Stir and leave to cool.
Now, it's time for the pearl balls.
- Prepare in another pan and add about 7-10 cups of water for a cup of pearl balls.
- Pour in the balls and stir for about 5-15 minutes. (Check instructions on the packaging).
- Rinse with lukewarm water, drain and transfer into another bowl.
- Divide the pearls among the glasses.
- Fill with ice
- Add 1 ½ cups of tea into each glass.
- Pour 2-3 tbsp milk into the glasses and stir or shake well.
Your bubble tea is ready!
What are the bubbles in bubble tea?
Yes, you might be wondering what the bubbles are. The bubbles brought about the question “Is bubble tea halal?” However, the bubbles are the unique ingredients in the boba tea.
Their texture, look, and taste made bubble tea stand out among other beverages. The bubbles are the toppings, and they're different. Some popular bubbles in bubble teas are:
- Popping Boba: the boba pearls pop with a burst of flavor when consumed. They're of several flavors, like pomegranate,
- Tapioca pearls: these bubbles are the most common boba tea toppings. They're made of tapioca flour, water and brown sugar.
- Jelly toppings: these toppings are made from plant-based ingredients such as natural coconut gel.
- Crystal boba- these bubbles are colorful and translucent with 100% edibility.
How to drink bubble tea
Bubble teas are served in transparent cups with a wide straw such that -as you sip—the pearls shoot up, and you chew as you swallow the delicious tea. The tea is usually served hot or iced cold—depending on your desire. The pearls sit at the bottom of the tea and have a chewy consistency.
Bottom line
Bubble Tea, or Boba Tea, is popular because of its unique taste and outlook. It's a sweet, refreshing and delicious tea that comes in see-through cups. The cups and fat straw show off the amazing bubble that sits at the bottom of the cups.
A question still stands, “Is bubble tea halal?”. In this article, we did justice to the question, so you can check it out. We also include topics like the bubbles in bubble tea, how to drink bubble tea and even how to prepare bubble tea at home!
The bubble tea stands out because of its quirk-like qualities. Also, its popularity is widespread, and everyone wants a taste! You definitely don't want to miss out.
