From puddings and pearls to Boba bubble tea, it all starts with this powdery starch!
Everyone has heard of tapioca, most likely from the traditional tapioca pudding. But what exactly is it and where does it come from?
Tapioca starch, or flour, is processed from the cassava or yucca root, a tuber resembling a sweet potato which originated in Brazil but has since made its way into other regions such as South and Central America, South Asia and the Indies. Today, the major export of tapioca starch comes from Thailand. This perennial shrub grows in low laying tropical and sub-tropical regions and can establish itself even in poor soil conditions, thus making it a sustainable and hearty plant food. It has been used for thousands of years as a staple food for the Indigenous people in these tropical regions. Recently, it has become a favoured ingredient in gluten free cooking and is making its way into more and more gluten free products on the shelf. Not to mention, the younger generations seem to be flocking to the bubble tea shops, originally Taiwanese, now found all over the world, to try the milky sweet tea containing chewy tapioca boba balls. Not my cup of tea but maybe it is yours?
The cassava can be eaten whole or turned into a flour but tapioca starch is specifically extracted by mashing the root into a pulp called “masa” and then the liquid squeezed out of the pulp, carrying with it the starch of the tuber. This liquid is then evaporated and what remains is a fine, odourless and tasteless starch. This starch is the base for all tapioca products such as flakes and pearls and can be used as a thickening agent or as a flour replacement.
*Note: Tapioca starch and flour are the same thing but don’t confuse it with cassava flour which is made from the whole tuber in a different process.
Benefits:
- Gluten free and safe for celiacs
- Paleo diet friendly as it is a grain free starch
- Nut free
- Vegan/vegetarian
- Contains trace minerals such as iron and calcium
- High in resistant starch which slows down the digestion of simple carbohydrate and therefore may slow down release of blood sugars
- Indicated in low or no fat diets as it contains zero fat
- May support heart health due to zero fat content
- Easy to digest
- Can act as a pre-biotic as resistant starch carries through into the large intestine to feed healthy gut bacteria
- No indication of being an “inflammatory” food and may be considered for auto-immune and inflammatory diets
- May assist in weight gain or in additional calorie loading
Overall, tapioca has taken the stage for a gluten and grain free replacement for starch such as wheat and corn. Combined with other gluten free flours such as rice, coconut, almond and buckwheat, tapioca creates a texture that binds these drier gluten free flours together mimicking a more gluten like elasticity. This is where tapioca shines. And combined with a little xanthan gum, a whole world of gluten free baking emerges!
Considerations:
- Higher glycemic index
- Pure carbohydrate with zero fat or protein content
- Limited nutritional profile
- May cause stomach upset and cramping for some, although reaction is uncommon
Tapioca is a carbohydrate, and, although, high in resistant starch, which can slow down glucose release, tapioca should be used cautiously for those with diabetes. There is not enough information to determine if it is safe or not. It also contains a large calorie load and should be used in moderation for those on a weight loss program. 1 cup of tapioca starch contains about 430 calories. Keeping this in perspective, however, there are 455 calories on average in 1 cup of white wheat flour as well. If using small amounts in gluten free baked goods or as a thickening agent, this shouldn’t be much of a concern but some recipes, including ones I will share, contain larger amounts of tapioca and may require consuming in moderation.
Lastly, there is no real vitamin, mineral or anti-oxidant benefits to this starch so it shouldn’t be relied on for nutritional value.
How to use and store tapioca:
Depending on what you are planning on creating, you can find most tapioca products in an ethnic grocery store or in the gluten free section of a health food store. It can be found in starch form, pearls of all sizes, flakes, granules and sticks. Store it like any other flour in an airtight container in a cool place. Should last indefinitely. Here are the most common ways tapioca is used:
- Pudding and custards
- Pancakes and flatbreads
- Thickener for soups, stews and sauces
- Breading and batter for nuggets and sticks
- Binding for burgers and loafs
- Pizza crust, breads and buns
- Pies and crumbles
- Muffins, cookies and cakes
- A replacement for corn starch or arrowroot powder
- Bubble tea
*Note: Add tapioca to luke warm water and stir before adding it into soups and stews to avoid lumping.
***Note: Replace 1 tbsp of corn starch with 2 tbsp of tapioca starch
Fun facts:
Tapioca resin can be made into biodegradable plastic products and can also be used for starching laundry before ironing (who even does this anymore?).
Want to give some gluten free recipes with tapioca a try?
Check out these Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies or of course my favorite Vegan Lemon Cheesecake recipe.
How about these Pumpkin Blondies with Coconut Flour
Looking for a Friday night gluten free pizza crust for pizza night with the fam? Try this savory gluten free Tapioca Flour Pizza Crust for the win!.