Tapioca pearl is a small, starchy ball made from cassava root starch, sold in raw dried form and cooked by boiling until translucent and chewy. It is a staple ingredient in bubble tea, Asian dessert soups, and puddings across Southeast Asia, South America, and beyond. Per 100 g raw, tapioca pearls provide 358 kcal, 0.2 g of protein, 0 g of fat, and 88.7 g of carbohydrates — making them almost pure starch — with just 0.9 g of dietary fibre and 3.4 g of sugars. Micronutrient content is modest: the most notable are 20 mg of calcium and 14 mcg of iodine per 100 g. No glycemic index value is available for raw pearls in this dataset. Tapioca pearls are suitable for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-FODMAP dietary patterns.
How many calories in tapioca pearls?
Raw tapioca pearls contain 358 kcal per 100 g, almost entirely from starch. A typical cooked serving in bubble tea is around 60–80 g of pearls, which would contribute roughly 215–285 kcal before any other ingredients are added.
Are tapioca pearls gluten-free?
Yes, tapioca pearls are naturally gluten-free, as they are made from cassava starch rather than any wheat-based grain. They are also listed as compatible with dairy-free and low-FODMAP dietary patterns.
Is tapioca pearl healthy?
Tapioca pearls are very high in carbohydrates (88.7 g per 100 g) and calories (358 kcal per 100 g), with negligible protein, fat, and fibre. They provide minimal micronutrients — 20 mg of calcium and 14 mcg of iodine are the most notable — so they function primarily as an energy-dense, starchy ingredient rather than a nutrient-dense food.
Diets
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Glycemic Index
approximateMacros · per 100 g
| Macros | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 65.0 kcal |
| Protein | 0.040 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Carbs | 16.2 g |
| Sugars | 0.61 g |
| Fiber | 0.16 g |
| Fats breakdown | Amount |
|---|---|
| Saturated | 0.009 g |
| Monounsaturated | 0.009 g |
| Polyunsaturated | 0.001 g |
| Trans | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Minerals | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calcium | 3.6 mg |
| Iron | 0.29 mg |
| Magnesium | 0.20 mg |
| Phosphorus | 1.3 mg |
| Potassium | 2.0 mg |
| Sodium | 0.20 mg |
| Zinc | 0.020 mg |
| Copper | 0.004 mg |
| Manganese | 0.020 mg |
| Selenium | 0.15 mcg |
| Vitamins | Amount |
|---|---|
| Vitamin A | 0 mcg |
| Retinol | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.001 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 0 mg |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.025 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.001 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 0.70 mcg |
Other cooking states of Tapioca pearl
Raw tapioca pearl (358 kcal).
