Shannon GaumontIs there such a thing as the essence of beautiful roses in a cup of tea? There is! In fact, there’s a whole lot more going on in a cup of rose milk tea that you need to know about.
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What Is Rose Milk Tea?
This tea’s name can be misleading unless you are familiar with it. There are several different interpretations of what “rose milk Tea” is. Some will say it’s a true tea (black, oolong, or white) with milk added, while others claim it’s bubble tea.
Then you have numerous names by which this tea is marketed in cultures around the world. Before we dive into the various pseudo rose milk teas, it helps to understand what milk tea is within the tea industry.
Rose milk tea is bubble tea.
What Is Milk Tea?
Milk tea is known to many as “bubble” or “boba” tea. It’s considered a tisane (herbal tea) because milk tea is made from ingredients that typically don’t include true tea (black, green, oolong, yellow, white.)
Genuine, good-quality milk (bubble) tea has a base of real dairy (milk.) To flavor, the milk base, herbs, fresh fruit, or true tea is added. Sometimes cookies, chocolate chips, or other sugary treats are added.
The ingredients are thoroughly mixed. A layer of tapioca pearls (fresh) is added to the bottom of a clear cup. Ice is added. Then the tea mixture is poured over the ice. A large straw is inserted through a lid. Bubble tea drinkers are instructed to tip the cup several times to marry the ice, tea mixture, and tapioca pearls. The tapioca pearls and tea are sucked up through the straw.
Types Of Milk (Bubble) Tea
Rose milk tea prepared in the manner above is the real deal (milk tea.) A true milk tea is not made from a powder mix. More and more bubble tea shops and online tea retailers opt for a more convenient way to make the base of milk (bubble) tea by using a powder base.
Milk teas have gone from a beneficial, healthy drink to a powder form that’s sugar-ladened, carbohydrate-dense, and very unhealthy. Boba (milk/bubble) tea shops make all kinds of concoctions.
Here are a few types.
- Thai Milk Tea
- Matcha-Strawberry Milk Tea
- Milk Tea with jelly on top
- Brown Sugar Milk Tea
- Hojicha Latte Milk Tea
- Oolong Milk Tea
- Taro Milk Tea
- Earl Grey Milk Tea
- Bourbon Boba Milk Tea
- Peanut Butter Milk Tea
What Is Rose Milk Tea Made Of?
Different countries market rose milk tea when it may not be a genuine boba (bubble) tea. Instead, it is something completely different. So, let’s take a look at what all the confusion is.
Rose Milk Tea Boba (Bubble) – The Genuine “Rose Milk Tea”
This is the correct “rose milk tea.” It is prepared with real dairy, tapioca pearls, and real rose buds or petals. Sometimes this tea may have a true tea (typically black, oolong, or white) added. Rose hips may also be added. It is always poured over ice.
Some of the more traditional bubble tea shops go the extra step in preparing almost everything from real milk, fresh tapioca pearls, and real roses (buds, petals, or rosehips.) However, to amp up the rose taste, a rose-flavored syrup is added. Remember this syrup because we are going to go over this further down.
Tea baristas may add rose-flavored bursting tapioca pearls to enhance rose milk tea.
A Creme Tea Sold As Rose Milk Tea
Numerous countries market “rose milk tea” when it is nothing more than a true tea infused with rose. By adding a tea with “cream” or “creme” in its name, tea retailers get away with selling the tea as “rose milk tea.”
However, this is not considered genuine rose milk tea and is not recognized as such by the tea industry.
A Rose-Infused Tea With Milk Added
A tea flavored with rose or one that contains parts of a rose plant can technically be called “rose tea.” When you add milk to the equation, you essentially have “rose milk tea.”
However, this is not considered genuine rose milk tea and is not recognized as such by the tea industry.
Rose Oolong Milk Tea
Malaysia and Taiwan market a powder mix drink as “rose fruity milk tea,” rose boba,” or “rose milk tea.” This tea is a powder mix with ingredients such as non-dairy creamer, powdered black tea, and powdered rosehips.
Lastly, this is not considered genuine rose milk tea and is not recognized as such by the tea industry.
How Does Rose Milk Tea Taste?
When enjoying this milk tea, you’ll first notice the lovely creaminess that real milk delivers. Peeking out from behind the sweet milk is the subtle, floral essence of rose. Pushing through these layers of texture and taste are the chewy pops of tapioca pearls. A lovely lingering of rose stays behind on the palate.
Does Rose Bubble Tea Have Caffeine?
Rose bubble (milk) tea is an herbal tea, and it typically does not contain any caffeine. The only time caffeine would be present in this tea is if a true tea is added.
Can I Drink Rose Tea Everyday?
Milk (bubble) teas are not a healthy drink to consume often because of the caloric and carbohydrate levels. Rose milk tea should be a tea enjoyed in moderation as an occasional treat.
Rose Milk Tea Benefits
Generally, the predominant ingredient is milk, sugar, and tapioca pearls. Scant amounts of herbs or true tea might be added. Because of this, any benefit gained from consuming rose milk tea comes from the milk.
Is Rose Milk Tea Good For You?
Milk (bubble) teas, in general, are chocked full of calories and carbs. These drinks contain excessive amounts of sugar. Taking these things into account, we will show you just how unhealthy milk tea is. The Food Science and Nutrition Journal published an article on milk tea’s nutritional values, which outlined why this drink should be consumed in moderation.
Calories And Carbs In Milk Tea
The typical serving sizes for milk tea are 12 or 18 ounces.
The Center for Disease Control recommends that those 2 years and older limit daily sugar intake to 10% of consumed calories. Tea shops offer the whopper of milk tea in a hefty 32-ounce serving! This large-size milk tea devours 250% of the 384% of the CDC’s recommended daily intake of sugar for those over the age of 2 and up.
Remember we mentioned the rose-flavored syrup in a genuine rose milk tea? A 2 tablespoon serving of this syrup added to the milk tea accounts for up to 23 grams of sugar!
12 oz. Milk Tea
- Calories: 229-323
- Carbohydrates: 38-57 g
18 oz. Milk Tea
- Calories: 431-515
- Carbohydrates: 57-96 g
Is There A Healthier Rose Milk Alternative?
You bet there is! By making your own rose milk tea, you have complete control over every ingredient that goes into the tea. When ordering one from a tea shop, you are at their mercy because you really don’t know what the true ingredients are.
How To Make Rose Milk Tea
We have a healthier way to make rose milk tea. Best of all, it’s just as delicious as those made in bubble tea shops! Because tapioca pearls are high in carbs, you can opt to skip adding them to your tea.
Rose Milk Tea Recipe
With tapioca pearls:
- Calories – 275
- Carbohydrates – 35g
Without tapioca pearls:
- Calories – 165 (50% less)
- Carbohydrates – 8g (125% less)
Ingredients
- 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk (calories: 130, carbs: 1g)
- 1 cup of water
- 1 teaspoon of loose-leaf, organic, food-grade rose petals (calories: 35, carbs: 7g)
- ¼ cup of prepared tapioca pearls (optional) (calories: 110, carbs: 27g)
Rose petal tea is found to be a source of antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and analgesics, as mentioned in the Journal of Food Science.
Directions
- Prepare the tapioca pearls as instructed on the packaging (if you choose to include them in your tea.)
- Heat the water to 185 degrees (F) (85 degrees C.)
- Grind the rose petals in a food processor or coffee bean grinder.
- Add the ground rose petals to the hot water.
- Cover and allow the rose tea to steep for 5 minutes.
- Remove the cover and allow the rose tea to cool off to room temperature.
- Add the tapioca pearls (if you use them) to the bottom of a clear glass.
- Fill the glass ½ way with ice.
- Pour the cooled rose tea through a strainer and into the glass over the ice.
- Add a large straw, and enjoy!
A Final Thought
If tea drinkers opt to try the tea shop version of rose milk tea as an occasional treat, that’s ok. Those who prefer less sugar and carbs can make their own and bypass the tapioca pearls. Either way, rose milk tea is a lovely tasting drink worth trying at least once.
Shannon Gaumont
