Can you tell me the nutritional values of Tapioca (kappa)?

Tapioca (kappa) is the root of a shrub-like plant called Cassava native to Brazil. It is most commonly used as starch and food thickener. In India is used very often used in Kerala.

Almost 90% of tapioca is carbohydrates and has traces of vitamins and minerals. It is gluten and protein free. It has also traces of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Thus it has little nutritional value. If you eat this with fish curry or with grates of coconut this only brings the nutritional value.

Tapioca is used to thicken puddings, jellies and soups. It is used as a binder in tablets by the pharmaceutical industries. It is a thickener in natural paints also. In many South American and African countries different desserts are made with tapioca.

Tapioca can contain a cyanide based toxin. It should not be eaten exclusively and in large amount for a long time. It is very rich in carbohydrates and can raise the blood sugar level dramatically in persons with diabetes.

You say counting calories is not correct, why?

I am an analytical chemist who understands a lot about these estimations in food industry or in environment or in the medicine or anywhere. There is nobody to control all these because most of the national nutrition associations work closely with the food industry.

I furnish you some of the values which give you some important information. Potatoes had in 1978, 87 calories/100g, but it was 68 calories in 1990, carrots 1978, 35 calories and in 1990 only 24. Ragi, in 1978, 240 calories and in 1990 only 194 and avocado, 240 in 1978 and in 1990, 205 calories, if we measure now it may be also different. It can be because of modern analytical methods or the allowed fluctuations in the measurements. Counting calories can make one desperate because what you count is always not correct. Consider the amount and it is easy to calculate and the success is almost pre-planned.