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The Daily Insight

can boba kill you

Author

Christopher Anderson

Published Apr 05, 2026

Bubble tea — that sweet, tea-based drink filled with giant tapioca balls — may be a hazard to your health. A new German study finds the starchy balls can contain cancer-causing PCBs, a group of of industrial chemicals that have been linked to a long list of health hazards.

Is it OK to eat boba balls?

Boba is made from tapioca. Due to the tapioca ingredient, it means the “pearls” or “bubbles” don’t dissolve quickly when expanded to their fullest. Hence, if you eat them without chewing, it can be hazardous.

Is it OK to drink boba?

But further research found that the chemical compounds found in the tapioca balls were neither chlorinated nor biphenyls—and were considered safe by the Food and Drug Administration. The bottom line: Like anything else, enjoy your bubble tea in moderation.

Is boba cancerous?

As such, there’s no scientific evidence linking bubble tea to cancer. Despite a handful of news reports to the contrary, there’s no scientific evidence linking boba to cancer. The study that led to these claims misidentified several compounds and was never published or peer reviewed.

How much is too much boba?

“One to two cups a day should be fine, but you shouldn’t consume anything in excess,” Dr. Kushnir advises. “If you’re drinking five or six cups a day, and you’re noticing a change in your bowels, it could be sign that you need to cut back or drink more water.”

Does boba stay in your stomach?

Most people can digest bubble tea balls with no issue. The girl likely consumed too many over a short time period, overwhelming her digestive system, Dr. Rabia De Latour told INSIDER. Visit INSIDER’s homepage for more.

Can kids drink bubble tea?

Yes, it’s definitely safe to kids to drink. Boba contains a small amount of caffeine, as it is a tea product, so if you let your kids drink regular tea I’m sure this is just as fine. I would recommend it to kids 6 and over who can handle new textures, or could handle small toppings in their drink.

Is tapioca poisonous?

Cassava (Tapioca) is a worldwide staple food consumed by over 800 million people. It contains cyanide which may lead to acute toxicity or chronically may be an aetiological factor in tropical nutritional amblyopia, tropical neuropathy, endemic goitre, cretinism and tropical diabetes.

Does boba make you fat?

“Bubble tea can definitely make you gain weight as it adds on to your daily calorie intake. One cup of bubble tea can contain at least 370 calories. The boba (or ‘bubble’) alone is 150 calories,” dietitian Kong Woan Fei was quoted saying. “We term sugar as an ’empty calorie’ food.

Do tapioca balls make you poop?

Since the additive expands when it comes in contact with water, it can cause constipation when consumed in high quantities and without enough water to wash it all down. Dr. Kushnir added that if you’re drinking only one or two cups of boba every day, you should be in the green.

Has someone died from bubble tea?

A 19-year-old girl has died after choking on her bubble tea in China, as a result of three pearls getting stuck in her windpipe. According to Malaysian media See Hua Daily News (SHDN), the incident happened on the morning of June 30, when the girl was on the way to visit her friend and decided to buy bubble tea.

Do you chew boba or swallow?

You NEED to chew it! If you swallow a few boba without chewing, and if you have a weak stomach, you will have a stomachache because these boba pearls are cold with a thickened chewy texture that is hard to digest.

Why does boba make me feel sick?

Both drinks contain a lot of milk which can lead to symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, gas, and nausea[1].

Does boba cause acne?

Pimples. Overconsumption of bubble tea results in the appearance of pimples. Excess bubble tea creates an imbalance and generates extreme heat in the body that triggers outbreak of zits (annoying pimples). The most affected areas include the neck, face, and the chest (Kucharska et al, 2016).

Does boba have plastic in it?

In a recent food scandal, a chemical known as DEHP that is used to synthesize plastics was also found in some of the juice syrups and other additives in Taiwan’s bubble tea.

What’s boba made of?

Bubble tea or “boba tea” is a sweetened drink made of flavored tea, milk and bubbles. The translucent, squishy bubbles called boba are very easy to make. You only need three ingredients: tapioca flour, water and brown sugar. The secret lies in one detail: the temperature of the water.