Tapioca

Tapioca is the processed starch derived from the root of the cassava plant. The root is first roasted, then finely ground and formed into a powdery flour, granules or small beads, often referred to as pearls. With little or no taste of its own, tapioca is commonly used as a thickening agent for other foods, such as the dessert tapioca pudding. Tapioca is high in carbohydrates and also contains modest amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Contents

A single cup of tapioca weighs 152 grams, dry weight. Carbohydrates account for 135 g of this serving size, according to the USDA Nutrient Database. The same serving holds no appreciable amounts of protein or fat. The remainder consists of other nutrients, indigestible components and water.

Caloric Value 

The USDA Nutrient Database states that 1 cup of tapioca contains 544 calories. Carbohydrates make up most of these at 543 calories per serving. Per cup of tapioca, proteins and fats together deliver just 1 calorie. This amount of tapioca can provide about 27 percent of the amount of calories the average person needs each day.

Vitamins

Tapioca contains small amounts of just a few essential vitamins. These include pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) at 0.14 mg or almost 3 percent, folate (also called vitamin B9) at 6.1 mcg or just over 1 percent, and vitamin B6 at 0.01 milligrams or just under 1 percent of the recommended intake for these vitamins for the average adult each day.

Minerals

Important dietary minerals are also present in tapioca. It is particularly high in iron at 2.4 mg, or around 30 percent, and manganese at 0.17 mg, or 8 percent of what the average adult needs each day, all in one cup of tapioca. Other minerals available from tapioca include calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper and selenium.

Other Information

Tapioca is a source of dietary fiber, delivering nearly 1 g of fiber or 5 percent of the daily recommended intake within a single cup. The same measurement of tapioca contains no cholesterol. It is also very low in both saturated fats and sodium