Have you ever had panda milk tea? It’s an interesting drink that has been around for a while now and has recently started to gain attention. Panda milk tea is a drink that has gained popularity in recent years because of its unique characteristics.
Pandas are cute animals and tea makers have started using their likeness for marketing purposes.
This article will explore the ingredients that make the panda milk tea so unique, its health benefits, and how to make them.
What is panda milk tea?
Panda milk tea is a boba tea variant that uses black or green tea among other ingredients and gains popularity due to its appearance.
Tasty, creamy, and refreshing, the panda bubble tea is also attractive due to the beautiful white and black tapioca pearls used in topping it. The use of these distinctive pearls is what earns the panda milt tea its famous name.
Originating from Taiwan, this bubble tea has since expanded its reach to other parts of Asia. Mostly made using black or green tea, its ingredients also consist of sweetened condensed milk and chewable white and black tapioca pearls.
The Panda bubble tea was also originally invented as a dessert drink and mostly serves as a treat.
SEE: Thai Tea vs Milk Tea: Learn What Makes Them Different
What is panda milk tea made of?
Common ingredients used in making the panda milk tea include tea, milk, white & black tapioca pearls, and sugar or sweeteners.
Milk
Sweetened condensed milk works well when making panda tea. However, this makes it unsuitable for vegans or people with lactose intolerance. You can use substitutes like oat milk or almond milk to make yours.
SEE: Condensed Milk vs Sweetened Condensed Milk – The Difference
Tea
To make panda bubble tea, you can use green tea, oolong tea, or black tea. You could also use any other type of tea leaves that suit your taste. However, black tea is commonly used in preparing it.
Tapioca Balls or Pearls (White & black)
These are the most important ingredients as they are responsible for the panda-like appearance that gives it its popular name.
Sweeteners
The flavor and taste of your panda tea can be enhanced with brown sugar, white sugar, or sweeteners. You can also add fruits or coconut milk to improve the flavor and make it more pleasurable.
What does panda milk tea taste like?
The taste of the panda milk tea depends majorly on the type of tea leaves and ingredients you’re using. However, it consists of a creamy, herbally refreshing, and richly sweet taste that comes from the mixture of the milk, and tea leaves.
The best way to truly confirm the taste of panda bubble tea is to make one yourself or purchase it from a bubble tea shop.
SEE: What Does Chai Taste Like? Find Out Here
How do you make panda milk tea?
To make a delicious and creamy glass of panda bubble tea, simply use the following steps;
- Boil your green or black tea for about 5 minutes and allow it to cool down.
- Cook your black and white tapioca pearls separately to make them edible. Then drain and soak in sugar and water.
- Fill the glass cup with ice cubes and then add and divide the white and black pearl evenly.
- Pour the cooled tea on top and then add your cold-sweetened condensed milk.
- Your panda bubble tea is ready to enjoy.
You’ll need to fill the entire glass with ice cubes otherwise boba pearls will sink to the bottom.
What are the health benefits of panda milk tea?
Most of the ingredients used in making the panda bubble tea like tapioca pearls and black tea are great sources of energy. The boba pearls come from cassava root and therefore contain a high amount of carbs which aid digestion.
The cream used in the panda bubble tea is also a great source of protein, calcium, and vitamin D, thereby aiding bone development.
The black and green tea that make up the panda tea has also been quite instrumental in ancient Chinese medicine. Black and green tea often help cure hangovers, relieve sore throats, and combat free radicals due to their richness in antioxidants.
Black or green tea also helps lower the risks of heart disease and promotes heart health by reducing cholesterol levels and decreasing blood sugar.
SEE: Whole Milk vs Heavy Cream – Which Should You Go For?
FAQs
Is panda milk tea dairy-free?
No, panda milk tea is not dairy-free as it makes use of whole milk. However, you can substitute the milk with a non-dairy creamer to make it vegan-friendly and dairy-free.
Is panda bubble tea the same as boba tea?
No, panda bubble tea and boba tea are not the same things. Panda bubble tea is merely a variation of boba tea. Bubble tea, or boba tea, comes from Taiwan and is made from any tea leaves combined with chewy tapioca balls.
Does panda milk tea have caffeine?
Yes, panda milk tea contains caffeine as it uses green or black tea. Green and black tea contain caffeine though not as potent as what you’ll get from coffee. However, you can also make caffeine-free panda tea by using fruit teas or decaffeinated black or green tea.
Conclusion
There are many variations on panda milk teas available today. This seeming uniqueness is part of what makes this drink so wonderful.
Each shop has its own unique rendition, with different toppings and extras that distinguish their drinks from the rest. Despite their differences, panda bubble tea all share one thing in common: a sweet, creamy taste and chewy tapioca pearls.
Finally, learn the difference between milk and a heavy creamer to aid your decision on what ingredient will best give your panda tea that rich creamy taste.
I hope you found this article helpful. Thanks for reading.
