BUBBLE TEA

A new rave is bubble tea - a sweet, colourful drink that is growing in popularity across the northern suburbs. Outlets such as Chatime, Gotcha, Gong Cha and Ucool are promoting a beverage that is low-fat, low-calorie and anti-inflammatory.

It's a milk or fruit-based drink that’s shaken and sweetened, but the bubbles don’t come from carbonation; they come from a variety of tapioca pearls or fruit jellies that are added to the drink. A large range of flavours and fragrances entice customers with exotic names such as 'Grape Green Tea', 'Lychee Oolong Tea with Aloe', 'Mango Alisan Tea’ and ‘Bamboo Charcoal Milk Tea’.

The hardest part is to choose your flavour! “It’s addictive,” said Elizabeth who is a student at UniSA. She buys a bubble tea two or three times a week and says it’s a cool thing to have when hanging out with friends. “It's much better than alcohol.”ED