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Ask Dr. Gourmet
What is tapioca?
My grandmother loves tapioca pudding. Just what is tapioca, anyway?
Dr. Gourmet Says...
Tapioca is a starch that is made from the cassava root. The root is native to South America, but has been cultivated around the world for some time now. The root is processed into many different forms: powder, flakes, and a coarse flour.
The most common form found in Western culture is pearl tapioca which are 2 - 3 mm pearl. After World War II it was somewhat popular as Tapioca pudding.
Somewhat like cornstarch, tapioca will impart a silky sheen to dishes, and in cooking, tapioca is often used as a thickening agent because it is essentially pure carbohydrate.
Tapioca is gluten free and contains no Vitamin K.
Thanks for writing,
Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP, CCMS
Dr. Gourmet