Golden Boba Vs Crystal Boba

There are some key differences between golden boba vs crystal boba. Both bobas are used in bubble tea drinks, but they have different textures from one another. Also, the appearance of each is a little different too. The taste between the two can vary as well.

Here we will discuss in detail what the differences are in appearance, flavor, texture, preparation, and health.

Appearance

The appearance of both types of boba is translucent. This means that they can be seen through after they are ready to be used for bubble tea drinks, but they don’t give a clear view of obstacles that are seen through them.

Golden boba appears with a light gold color to them, as opposed to crystal boba, which appears colorless. This is the only thing in appearance that makes them easy to tell apart. Golden boba is used to create unique bubble tea drinks that look different than the the drinks using the traditional black tapioca pearls. They are used more for aesthetics rather than their taste.

Crystal boba however, can also be made into different colors by using ingredients in them when making them, that have color. This means that there is the possibility of crystal boba looking very much like golden boba, or being used as such.

Both types of boba (crystal boba and golden boba) appear as the same size if made correctly, but both can be made smaller too if they are homemade.

Texture

The texture of golden boba versus the crystal boba is distinguishably different. Crystal boba has a crunchy texture to it, while golden boba is soft and chewy when cooked correctly.

The difference in texture makes golden boba more desirable than crystal boba for individuals that like the traditional black tapioca pearls. For individuals that don’t like the soft and chewy texture of traditional boba, the crystal boba is favored more, because it is more firm and crunchy.

Taste

Crystal boba isn’t usually as flavorful as golden boba, but they can be. The Golden boba is dipped and soaked into honey, which helps them to obtain their color. Crystal boba is soaked into any sweetener to make them sweet, and they are made with sugar in them most of the time, before they are actually formed.

Golden boba can be cooked in sugar water, then soaked into honey afterwards, resulting in honey boba that tastes like honey.

The Difference In How They Are Made

Golden boba is made from tapioca starch, just like the traditional black tapioca pearls, which is why it is soft and chewy in texture. Crystal boba is made from the konjac plant, which is why it is crunchy in texture.

Golden boba is made without the brown sugar, which is how it retains its translucent appearance after it is cooked. The tapioca starch is white, so the golden boba comes out translucent. Brown sugar can be used for golden boba, but the color will be less like the light gold color that makes it look like it does.

Golden boba is basically white tapioca pearls before they are made into their golden appearance. They are treated the same way when making them from scratch as white tapioca pearls are made. However, they are cooked and sweetened in a different fashion than white tapioca pearls.

Instead, sugar can be heated in a pot with little to no water until it turns into liquid. Once this happens, all the water can be added to the pot to cook the golden boba in.

The sugar when it turns into a liquid will naturally turn a light tan color when it is melted. This cooks and soaks into the tapioca pearls while they are boiling in the water. However, if the sugar is left to heat in the pot for too long before the water is added, it will darken even more, eventually into a dark reddish-brown that appears black in lesser lighting.

Cooking

Crystal boba versus the golden boba, doesn’t require cooking. When they are purchased in a bag, they are ready to be used immediately for a bubble tea drink, besides soaking them in a sweetener to make them sweeter if desired. Golden boba on the other hand, needs to be cooked, just like the traditional tapioca pearls, since they are made from the same tapioca starch.

Golden boba pearls will cook at the same times as white and black tapioca pearls to prevent them from being hard in the middle, instead of soft and chewy like they should be.

The Difference Between Golden Boba Vs Crystal Boba In Terms Of Health

Crystal boba vs golden boba in terms of health, is considered to be healthier than golden boba. It contains less calories and sugars than golden boba, and it has less carbs, making it more keto friendly.

Since golden boba is actually white tapioca pearls, it yields the same health benefits as black tapioca pearls. The only difference is the honey used to sweeten the golden pearls, which would make them have the same health benefits as honey to a lesser degree.

Raw honey is considered a healthy alternative to regular sugar that is a natural sweetener for food and drinks. It is said to help with healing wounds when consumed, provide a boost to the immune system, it makes a good antioxidant, it boosts brain function, and provides even more health benefits through vitamins and minerals.

Raw honey also has a large number of amino acids, which help the body function properly in various ways.

This is what is recommended for use when using honey to soak the white tapioca pearls in for creating golden boba. The tapioca pearls can also be cooked in honey water too.

If another honey is used instead of the raw honey for the golden boba, (pasteurized/processed) then the boba will not have all the health benefits associated with raw honey. The raw honey has to be used as the sweetener and the coloring, in order for the golden boba pearls to obtain all the health benefits associated with the raw honey.

If golden boba is made with raw honey, then it becomes a healthier choice than black tapioca pearls, white tapioca pearls, and crystal boba pearls that have been sweetened with regular sugar or brown sugar.