Is Tapioca Fiber Keto?

September 8, 2022
Is Tapioca Fiber Keto?

Tapioca fiber is a type of fiber that is used in low-carb diets as a way to help thicken up soups, sauces, or other foods.

But, you might be wondering, is tapioca fiber keto? 

In this article I’ll tell you if tapioca fiber is suitable for your ketogenic diet or not.

What Is Tapioca Fiber?

Tapiocas, also called cassava, are a type of root crop that is grown in South America. The seeds of the tapioca plant are used to produce a white, flaky material called cassava flour. The fibers in the cassava flour are used as a thickening and a binding agent in various cuisines around the world.

The tapioca plant has a natural fiber––tapioca fiber––that is obtained from the root of the plant. 

Tapioca is a kind of plant that belongs to the family of banana relatives. It is also related to yams and sweet potatoes. 

Photo by Total Shape on Unsplash

Is Tapioca Fiber Keto?

Tapioca fiber is a low-carb, keto-friendly thickening agent. Tapioca itself is high in carbs, but the extracted fiber is just fiber, so it’s keto friendly.

Though tapioca isn’t a low-carb plant, tapioca fiber is just the fiber part of the plant. 

Fiber, the indigestible part of plants, doesn’t raise insulin since it has virtually zero calories.

This makes it suitable for low-carb diets like keto.

Benefits of Tapioca Fiber

There are various health benefits of tapioca fiber. They include: 

  • Improvement of digestion —Tapioca fiber helps to grow the good bacteria in the gut and improve digestive health. This is because the good bacteria feed off of fibers & vegetables, whilst the bad bacteria don’t benefit from eating fiber.
  • Increased good cholesterol — A study on men and women showed that taking fiber daily can increase the good cholesterol and reduce the bad cholesterol. 
  • Lowered blood pressure — High blood pressure is one of the serious health issues that can be prevented by eating fiber.
  • Lowered risk of heart disease — Tapioca fiber is not only helpful to lower high blood pressure, but also to protect against heart disease by at least 17%.
  • Increased satiety — In order to achieve the state of satiety after a meal, we need to consume foods such as vegetables, fruits and fiber. Fiber can help to increase the feeling of satiety and prevent overeating.
  • Protect against colorectal cancer — There are many studies that have shown that people who consume high-fiber diets have less chance of getting cancer of the colon.
Photo by LyfeFuel on Unsplash

Disadvantages of Tapioca Fiber

There are few disadvantages or side effects of tapioca fiber products like:

  • It can cause bloating — Bloating is a condition in which the stomach really feels full, even after eating a small amount of food. It can be caused by an excessive amount of fiber in the stomach, so remember to not overdo the tapioca fiber.
  • It can cause constipation — In some cases, people who consume large amount of fiber can experience constipation. This is because fiber holds water, so it may take away some water from the digestive process. This may lead to constipation.

How to Use Tapioca Fiber In a Keto Diet

To get the benefits of tapioca, you need to consume at least two grams per day. Tapioca fiber can be used as a fiber supplement, like with water. Or, it can be used as a thickening agent, like a keto corn starch.

You can consume tapioca fiber as a part of your keto diet by adding it into your: 

  • Keto smoothies and shakes— If you are making a smoothie or shake at home, you can add tapioca fiber into it to add fiber to the shake.
  • Keto bread — You can also add it to your keto bread recipe. It will add bulk to your recipe and also help to increase the amount of fiber in your diet.
  • Soup — You can also add it to your keto soups as a thickening agent. It will make the soup thicker without the use of corn starch and help to increase the amount of fiber in your diet.

Similar to other dietary fibers, tapioca is not digested completely and instead passes through the gut. It is also not absorbed by the body.

So, when you add tapioca fiber, you’re adding basically zero calories.

Photo by Nathan Cowley at Pexels

Conclusion

Tapioca fiber is a great keto alternative to other thickening agents, like corn starch. The biggest benefit of tapioca fiber is that it helps you to stay full for longer. This can be especially helpful for people who are trying to lose weight with keto.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to start keto & intermittent fasting, in this article I talk about how I lost 40 pounds with keto and IF, and how you can too.

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