My diet:

Tapioca starch (Tapioca flour)

No E-numberThickeners & gumsOrigin: Plant
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Every diet

VeganYes
Gluten-freeYes

Cassava is not wheat, barley or rye.

HalalYes
KosherYes
KetoNo

Tapioca starch is a concentrated carbohydrate.

Low-FODMAPYes
The short answer
Tapioca starch is cassava starch. It is vegan and gluten-free, it is not keto, and on a US bag 'tapioca flour' usually means this starch rather than the whole root.
Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone
Comes fromPlant
What it doesThickeners & gums
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledTapioca starch, Tapioca flour

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDANot evaluated as an additive
🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive
🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive
CaliforniaNo extra rules

Tapioca starch is a food. It has no E-number. Gluten-free bakers use it because cassava is not a gluten grain. Food-grade starch has been processed so the cyanide-releasing compounds of raw bitter cassava are not the ingredient in the bag.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

Tapioca starch makes a clear, glossy gel and a stretchy crumb in gluten-free bread. It thickens at a lower temperature than corn starch and can turn stringy if you boil it hard.

Where it comes from: Tapioca starch is the washed starch of the cassava root. Tapioca flour on many US packages is this same starch. Cassava flour, by contrast, is the whole root, fiber included. Pearls are the starch rolled into balls.

Why it’s in food

  • Stretches gluten-free bread
  • Thickens fruit pie with a clear gel
  • Makes boba pearls
  • Lightens a gluten-free flour blend

Often found in

Gluten-free bread and cakeFruit piesBubble tea pearlsPuddingFried coatingsSome cheeses that need stretch

Also listed as: Tapioca starch, Tapioca flour, Cassava starch

Health & gut impact

Still a starchConcern

Tapioca starch is refined cassava. A gluten-free label does not make the cup of it a low-carb food.

Use of tapioca in gluten-free baking

Raw cassava is a different foodBenefit

The starch in a food-grade bag has been washed and cooked through processing. The cyanide risk people read about belongs to raw bitter cassava, not to this powder.

Food-safety processing of edible cassava

What can I use instead?

Arrowroot

Ratio: Use the same spoon

Best for: A clear gel

Corn starch

Ratio: Expect a cloudier gel

Best for: Pudding

Related

More thickeners & gums:

Acetylated distarch adipate E1422Acetylated distarch adipate (E1422) is a modified starch used in frozen foods and sauces. It is allowed. The US name on the label is usually just modified food starch, and it still counts as carbohydrate.Generally safeAgar-Agar E406Agar-agar (E406) is a seaweed gel that sets firmer than gelatin. It's safe, vegan, gluten-free, keto and kosher, and is the easiest plant swap for gelatin.Generally safeArrowroot (Arrowroot starch)Arrowroot is a tasteless starch from a tropical rhizome. It is vegan and gluten-free, it makes a clear gel, and it is not keto.Use in moderationBeta-glucan (β-glucan)Beta-glucan is the soluble fiber in oats and barley that the FDA's heart-disease claim is about, at 3 grams a day. Barley versions contain gluten. Yeast versions are a different fiber and do not carry that claim.Generally safe

Common questions

Is tapioca flour the same as tapioca starch?

On most US packages, yes. Cassava flour is the one that still contains the fiber of the root.

Is tapioca starch keto?

No. It is starch.

Is Tapioca starch safe?

Use in moderation (80/100). Tapioca starch is a food. It has no E-number. Gluten-free bakers use it because cassava is not a gluten grain. Food-grade starch has been processed so the cyanide-releasing compounds of raw bitter cassava are not the ingredient in the bag.

Is Tapioca starch gluten-free?

Yes. Cassava is not wheat, barley or rye.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • Use of tapioca in gluten-free baking
  • Food-safety processing of edible cassava