This article will go into detail about what white tapioca pearls are, what they can be used for, and the differences they have when compared to other boba types that look different. These tapioca pearls are often confused with other boba types before and after they are cooked.
This article will clear up any confusions, and give a better understanding of what white tapioca pearls really are.
What are white tapioca pearls?
White tapioca pearls are tapioca pearls that are made by mixing tapioca starch with water and regular (granulated) sugar. They are the same thing as black tapioca pearls except they aren’t sweetened by using brown sugar like black pearls are. The tapioca starch that is mixed in with the water and granulated sugar is white, which gives the tapioca pearls its original color.
When they are cooked and soaked in brown sugars, they become the golden boba. They are desired for their taste and beauty. The translucent balls absorb the brown sugars and begin to shine with a translucent brown color making golden boba.
They are also made the same way that black pearls are by mixing tapioca starch with the water and sugar, and eventually kneading it on a heated surface until it forms tapioca dough. This dough can then be formed into white tapioca pearls to be cooked.
When they are fully cooked, they become translucent and strikingly similar in appearance to other boba types, like popping pearls, sago pearls, and crystal boba. From a distance, they can be mistaken for popping pearls when colors are added to them. Before they are cooked, they still look very similar to other boba types that haven’t been cooked yet either.
Are tapioca pearls supposed to be white?
The white color of tapioca pearls is actually its original color before any food coloring or sweetners are added to change its color. Since the white tapioca pearls become clear and translucent when they are fully cooked, brown sugar is used as a sweetener to give black pearls their black color.
The black is more appealing than the translucent appearance, so brown sugar is used to sweeten the tapioca dough, which turns brown. When the brown tapioca dough is formed into pearls and cooked, it makes black pearls. So tapioca pearls are actually supposed to be white before they are cooked, but translucent once fully cooked.
White Tapioca Pearls vs Crystal Boba vs Sago Pearls
Neither white tapioca pearls, crystal boba, or sago pearls are the same thing. Two of these types of boba are often confused with one another and are interchangeably called the same things, while one of them is called all three of the boba types. White tapioca pearls are sometimes called crystal boba, and crystal boba is sometimes called “white boba”. This is done, even though they are not made from the same things.
Sago pearls, which are also used in bubble tea, is called by some, “tapioca pearls”. Sago pearls are not made from the same ingredients that white tapioca pearls and black pearls are made from: tapioca flour. Sago pearls originate from the center of tropical palm trees, while white tapioca pearls come from the cassava root plant. The only thing that sago pearls have in common with white tapioca pearls, besides looking similar, is that both are a starch.
Sago pearls are often bought on accident by beginners who think that they are cooking and preparing real tapioca pearls. However, the time it takes to fully cook sago pearls is 3 to 4 times longer than it takes to cook white tapioca pearls. White tapioca pearls will not expand as much when they are cooking, while sago pearls will noticeably expand as they cook.
White tapioca pearls vs crystal boba is soft and chewy like black pearls, but crystal boba is crunchy and gelatinous in texture. Crystal boba is also made of something totally different from the white tapioca pearls and the sago pearls. It is made of konjac, which comes from the root vegetable, konjac.
All three of the boba types are used as boba for drinks and desserts and look very similar before and after they are prepared, but are made from completely different plants.
Are white tapioca pearls good?
White tapioca pearls usually do not have a taste (they are bland), just like black tapioca pearls until they are sweetened. However, since black pearls are made with brown sugar, they are less sweet than black pearls if they are made with only tapioca starch and water from scratch.
White tapioca pearls can also be soaked into sweeteners like granulated sugar, brown sugar, syrups, and honey to give them more taste, just like black tapioca pearls. Even though all of these sweeteners can be used to make white tapioca pearls good, they do better at absorbing granulated sugars for flavor.
Are white tapioca pearls healthy?
White tapioca pearls are about the same as black tapioca pearls when it comes to health benefits, except that they be a healthier choice, since they are made without the brown sugars. If they are made with regular sugar instead during the dough making, then they will have about the same health benefits as black pearls.
White tapioca pearls isn’t as healthy as sago, as sago pearls contain iron, vitamins, and minerals, while tapioca pearls are limited. Both of the pearls are an excellent source of carbohydrates for an energy boost.
When compared to crystal boba, white tapioca pearls would have more calories, making crystal boba a healthier choice in the terms of weight-loss and calories consumed.
Can I use white tapioca pearls for bubble tea?
Absolutely. There would be no difference in using white tapioca pearls over black tapioca pearls. They can be used to create any bubble tea drinks or desserts, just like the black pearls are used.
They can be used as a great substitute for black pearls to create golden boba or boba of a different color without having to switch over to popping pearls or crystal boba to get aesthetics from the boba added to the bubble tea. They can be soaked into syrups to add a beautiful translucent color to the cooked white tapioca pearls.
Can you turn white tapioca pearls black?
White tapioca pearls can be turned black by adding brown sugar into the starch, and caramel coloring whenever they are made from scratch, before they are kneaded into a dough. When the dough is made into tapioca pearls and cooked, the pearls will become black pearls.
The tapioca pearls can also be made black by mixing blue, green, and red food colorings together, and kneading the black food coloring into the tapioca dough before it is formed into balls and cooked. This can be done, or just simply adding a black food coloring into the dough can do the trick.
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