Tapioca

TAPIOCA  – Nutritional Profile

Due to the intense processing that cassava root needs to undergo before it is safe to eat, tapioca contains relatively few nutritional benefits.   It does contain limited amounts of vitamin B9 (folate) and does contain some iron and calcium.   The main content of tapioca is starch which converts very readily into carbohydrate.

TAPIOCA  – Health Benefits

Tapioca starch is gluten free so it makes a good dietary alternative to wheat for coeliac sufferers.

TAPIOCA  – Product History

Tapioca is a starch that is extracted from the cassava root.  The plant is native to South America from where it was exported by Portuguese traders to Africa, West Indies and Philippines and then throughout Asia.  It is a staple food in some regions and in others it is used as a thickening agent.

Cassava root requires processing to remove toxins that can cause paralysis and once removed the root is pulped and dried to form a starch powder.  This powder is then used to produce, amongst other forms, pearl tapioca for inclusion in both sweet and savoury dishes.