The Bottom Line: Quick facts about tapioca!
The Full Story:
- The name tapioca is derived from the word tipi’óka, the name for this starch in the Tupí language of South America.
- Tapioca is a staple food in some regions and is used worldwide as a thickening agent, mainly in foods. Tapioca is gluten-free, and almost completely protein-free.
- While June 28th is National Tapioca Day, it’s June 15th that’s National Tapioca Pudding
- Tapioca is packaged as flakes or flour and also in the form of pellets.
- Tapioca is commonly used instead of wheat flour in South America, the West Indies and India.
- The most popular use of tapioca in the Western world is a milk-based dessert pudding with milk and sugar. In the tropics, it is also popular prepared as a pudding with fruit or fruit juice.
- Cassava, also known as manioc, tapioca, yucca or sweet potato tree, is a flowering plant that belongs to the spurge family. It originates from South America. Cultivation of cassava started in Peru 4.000 years ago. Cassava was brought to Africa in the 16th century where it instantly became one of the most important crops