Boba tea, also known as bubble tea, originated in Taiwan during the 1980s. Boba refers to the chewy tapioca pearls that are a key ingredient in bubble tea, a popular Taiwanese drink that combines tea with milk, fruit, or flavor syrups. The drink gets its name from the bubbles or froth that form when it’s shaken before serving, though the pearls themselves are also often called “boba.”
Boba, or tapioca pearls, are primarily made from tapioca starch, which is derived from the cassava root, a hearty, tropical tuber brought over to Asia via South America by maritime trade routes in the late 18th century.
See our What is Boba Tea? page for more information.