What is Taro Tea or What is Taro Bubble Tea?
Taro milk tea also called taro tea, taro bubble tea, or taro boba is a classic milk tea/boba drink that you can find in nearly all bubble tea shops.
Today I will give you a step-by-step taro milk tea recipe for how to make this at home yourself, that tastes just like the one you’d buy at a taro milk bubble tea or taro bubble tea shop.
This is an easy recipe but is also how they make it at bubble tea shops.
It has a slightly nutty flavor, but can also be made with other liquids instead of fresh water such as whole milk, or almond milk.
The purple/pink color comes from the taro milk powder which is one of the main ingredients in taro milk bubble tea.
Below, I will explain what’s in taro milk tea powder, if there is a way to make it without using taro milk tea powder, and why it’s a purple drink and not some other color.
Is Taro Powder good for you?
Taro powder is a popular ingredient in many Asian dishes, especially in desserts. This powder is made from the root vegetable known as taro, which is rich in nutrients and health benefits. Taro is a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which makes it a healthy addition to your diet. Here are some of the benefits of consuming taro powder:
- Promotes Digestive Health – Taro powder is rich in dietary fiber, which helps regulate digestion and prevents constipation. Fiber also promotes the growth of good bacteria in your gut, which can improve digestive health.
- Boosts Immune System – Taro powder is rich in vitamins C and E, which are antioxidants that protect your body from harmful free radicals. These vitamins also help boost your immune system and improve skin health.
- Improves Heart Health – Taro powder is low in fat and cholesterol, making it an ideal food for people with heart disease. It also contains potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke.
- Enhances Brain Function – Taro powder is rich in vitamin B6, which is essential for brain function and development. It also contains iron, which helps transport oxygen to the brain and improves cognitive function.
Overall, taro powder is a healthy and nutritious food that can provide a range of health benefits. It is a versatile ingredient that can be used in various dishes, making it a great addition to your pantry.
What Is Taro Powder Made Of?
Taro milk tea powder is not the most common thing that you’d buy from a store.
Therefore, you may be wondering what it’s made of, and how healthy taro bubble tea is that you buy from a boba tea shop.
I looked at the ingredients in a popular brand of taro powder (organic taro powder) and here’s what’s in it.
There is no such thing as real taro milk tea, and people that like the taste of taro would find it difficult to find a resemblance between taro milk tea and fresh taro root or real taro root.
Popular taro powder that can be found in the tea section of Asian grocery stores also called taro root powder, doesn’t contain any taro.
If you look at raw taro root powder you may assume that it’s the purple ground root of the actual taro plant.
But, if you look at the ingredients list of brands like QBubble, which have over 5000 reviews on Amazon, it’s a very simple recipe.
The individual ingredients do vary but contain a thickening agent, taro flavor, granulated sugar, preservatives, and sweeteners.
A taro drink, such as fresh taro milk tea that you can buy at a boba tea house is just taro milk tea powder and milk.
Some boba tea shops use water instead.
The amount of water used depends on how large the drink is.
For example, if the taro milk tea is about the size of 2 cups of water (500 mL/1.7 fl. oz), it will contain 2 cups of water.
Here’s a video of a lady who makes taro milk tea with tapioca balls from start to finish:
It’s possible to mix it all up really fast in a food processor.
But, at bubble tea shops, I’ve noticed they use an automated cup rotator.
The tea is added to water and sealed in the milk cup.
After that, it’s placed into a machine that turns it from side to side until the powder is fully mixed into the liquid.
It can be premade at room temperature and then placed into the fridge.
Alternatively, cold water that was previously kept in the fridge can be used.
If hot water is used to make it, it does speed up how long it takes for the taro milk tea powder to dissolve into the pot of water.
But, then it needs to be cooled a lot afterward.
Therefore, this is not commonly how it’s made. Unlike conventional teas, like green tea or black tea.
Together with mango milk tea with simple syrup, it is one of my favorite drinks and my favorite bubble tea flavor.
Especially on a hot day, as when they make it they put in nearly a whole cup of ice.
Interestingly, though, it contains no caffeine, because it isn’t made with a teabag such as black tea.
Cold milk tea is common in Asia
Tea drinks in Asian countries that are made with real tea and served cold are also very common.
These are made by brewing tea in a pot of water (1-2 cups water) and then adding milk (cold milk) and sugar to give it a sweet taste.
Either white sugar or brown sugar is used.
If you haven’t tried these, they are also very delicious.
The taste of delicious taro milk tea comes from the sweet flavors it contains combined with the creamy flavor of milk.
If they add milk, or you make it with milk at home it can take it to the next level.
This is because the taro milk tea powder is a bit creamy.
But, then when you add milk it makes it even creamier.
Taro milk tea is somewhat of a perfect drink because it is refreshing but also satisfies your hunger.
It can also be made in a few different ways.
To give it a creamier texture you can add your creamer of choice.
Or, add condensed milk and some amounts of sugar to the brown sugar milk tea or pearl milk tea.
Coconut and taro go really well together so you can also use coconut milk instead of water.
Coconut milk can also be slightly sweet which can help to keep your blood sugar from spiking too high because you don’t need to add additional sugar, simple syrup, or sweeteners.
Is Taro Milk Tea Supposed to Be Grainy?
You can buy taro milk tea powder or fresh taro milk tea at a bubble tea shop.
If you make it at home you may notice it has a grainy texture, so you might be wondering if this is normal.
In general, here’s whether taro milk tea should be grainy or not.
This can be fixed by thoroughly mixing it once it’s already made. If you got it from a shop you can ask them if this is normal for their bubble teas (popular drink)
However, in my experience of drinking a tonne of bubble tea from bubble tea places, they are never grainy.
Why Is Taro Milk Tea Purple?
Taro milk tea is an odd light purple color. Many people ask what is the purple boba tea called. Well, that is also Taro Bubble tea.
Although taro milk tea is made from taro milk powder, the companies that make it could make it any color they like.
So, here’s why taro milk tea is purple.
Taro milk tea is purple to make it the same color as the taro vegetable.
Taro milk tea or purple bubble tea is named after the taro root vegetable that grows in tropical countries.
There are a few different varieties of taro, some are more white than purple.
But, the common taro is light purple in color, which is its popular ingredient.
Taro milk tea powder contains food coloring so it has dark purple hues.
Which is reminiscent of the taro vegetable that has the scientific name colocasia esculent.
Fresh taro root is a starchy root vegetable and is used similarly to purple sweet potatoes.
However, it’s not sweet at all, you or purple bubble tea lovers can add a sweetener of choice to it.
Characteristics of the taro vegetable – where and how it grows
The flavor of taro root has a unique flavor and it’s also used to make taro ice cream and purple bubble tea.
This root plant grows best in tropical countries such as those found in South East Asia and can be found in chunks of taro.
It is also very popular in the Polynesian Islands of Samoa, and Tonga.
Taro plants grow to about knee height and take about 6 months to go from a small seedling to where the taro can be harvested.
They have a solid brown exterior that is tough.
This is removed to expose the light purple flesh underneath.
It can have purple flecks and streaks but in general, is purple through and through.
And has the exact same color as taro milk tea.
Taro is found in Asian countries, however, purple bubble tea houses, also called boba shops in countries like the USA are typically Chinese-owned and operated.
At least I noticed A LOT of Chinese people would be there, especially on the weekends, drink bubble tea, and order skewers of meat.
Where purple coloring taro bubble milk tea is one of the classic recipes.
I also found another taro drink that is real taro jelly, but there are also taro smoothies.
It’s the same as real taro bubble milk tea, but instead of the pearls, it has chunks of jelly.
It is the only purple bubble tea.
However, it’s not a traditional tea.
Similar, to say jasmine tea or a green tea made from green tea leaves.
Instead, it can be made with fresh milk.
Nutrients in taro (the vegetables)
There are varieties of the taro that are particularly high in vitamin C, vitamin B6, and other nutrients.
But, common taro is not particularly high in vitamin C and contains only 5% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) per 3.4 oz (100g).
Nor, is it high in vitamin B6, and only contains 2.55% of the RDI of vitamin B6 per 3.4 oz (100g).
However, it’s very high in fiber which makes it great for your digestive system.
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