What is Tapioca Fiber?
Tapioca Fiber (aka Tapioca Starch, Tapioca Fiber, or Tapioca Flour) refers to a starch that’s harvested from the cassava root — a tuber that’s native to South America. The cassava root is easy to grow and it’s a dietary staple in certain places in Asia, South America, and Africa. Tapioca has limited nutritional value, however, it’s affordable and has a variety of uses. Tapioca is typically a dried product and is sold as a white flour, flakes, or pearls. It’s a popular gluten-free and grain-free alternative
Keto Status?
Objectionable
Why?
Only soluble Tapioca Fiber or Non-IMO (isomalto-oligosaccharides from tapioca) is keto friendly. If it does not say “soluble” or “Non-IMO”, portions are digestible and can stop ketosis. IMO is not a resistant dextrin, but rather a fiber-like sweetener that the body almost completely breaks down into Glucose. Here is a great study on the topic, where scientists compare Soluble Corn Fiber (which is virtually chemically identical to Soluble Tapioca Fiber) to IMO and find a vast difference in blood sugar and insulin response.
Possible Side Effects From Ingesting Tapioca Fiber?
May spike blood sugar and insulin and stop ketosis
Source 1
Source 2
PLEASE NOTE – I Heart Keto Mart will add more sources and up-to-date research articles as they come to our attention. We welcome any of our viewers to send us any information/research/articles that you think would be of interest to our rating decision. Keep in mind – we are not rating ingredients solely on their general health benefits or side effects. To see our rating process, click on the link below.
I Heart Keto Mart Rating Guide
I Heart Keto Mart rates all ingredients through a “keto diet” & “low carb diet” lens. As an example, peas would be rated as “Acceptable” on a non-keto healthy diet; however, due to their carbohydrate level, we rate them “Objectionable”. We also rate all sweeteners that typically cause a rise in blood sugar and insulin levels as “Objectionable”. If you prefer a natural sweetener, like honey, over a sugar alcohol like erythritol, you may not agree with our “Objectionable” rating. I Heart Keto Mart rates all ingredients based first and foremost for those that have a sugar/carbohydrate addiction. Ingredients are rated for those who must moderate if not completely abstain from any sugars. If you have questions about this, please refer to this article: Why Some Whole Foods Are Not Keto Friendly
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