National Tapioca Day 🧋

Overview

National Tapioca Day, observed annually on June 28th, celebrates the unique and versatile starch derived from the cassava plant. This day encourages enthusiasts to enjoy tapioca in its many forms, from creamy puddings and thickening agents in dishes to the iconic chewy pearls found in popular bubble tea drinks, highlighting its distinctive texture and culinary flexibility.

Origin and story

Tapioca is a gluten-free starch extracted from the cassava root, a tuber native to South America.

The word "tapioca" is derived from "tipi'óka," a term from the Tupi language (spoken by natives of Brazil) referring to the process of removing the starch from the cassava plant.

Quick facts

• DateJune 28
• TypeFood / Dessert
• Great forFoodies, Chocolate lovers, Home bakers

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Ways to celebrate

Tapioca's chewy pearls in a bubble tea are the end of a very long journey — the plant behind them started out 8,000 years and an entire ocean away.

Trace tapioca back to the Amazon

Tapioca comes from cassava, a starchy root domesticated in South America roughly 8,000 years ago, likely by indigenous peoples in what's now Brazil and Paraguay — the name itself probably traces to the Tupi word "caçábi," describing the process of squeezing the starchy liquid out of the root.

Know how it reached Asia

Cassava arrived in East Asia during the 1600s, initially used in savory stews before cooks began rolling it into small, mildly sweet balls — the format that eventually became bubble tea's tapioca pearls when Taiwanese vendors added them to shaken foam tea in the 1980s.

Read the fuller history

Helpful resources:

• This Is How Tapioca From South America Became Boba in Asia (The Takeout)

Did you know?

Bubble tea itself only dates to the 1980s in Taiwan, meaning the drink most associated with tapioca today is far younger than the plant it depends on.

Fun facts

• Tapioca is a gluten-free starch extracted from the cassava root, a tuber native to South America.
• The word "tapioca" is derived from "tipi'óka," a term from the Tupi language (spoken by natives of Brazil) referring to the process of removing the starch from the cassava plant.
• While primarily carbohydrate, tapioca is widely used as a thickening agent in various culinary applications due to its neutral flavor and clear gel formation.

Sources and attribution

This Is How Tapioca From South America Became Boba in Asia (The Takeout)

External links may lead to third-party websites.

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FAQ

When is National Tapioca Day?

It is observed on June 28 each year.

What is National Tapioca Day?

National Tapioca Day, observed annually on June 28th, celebrates the unique and versatile starch derived from the cassava plant. This day encourages enthusiasts to enjoy tapioca in its many forms, from creamy puddings and thickening agents in dishes to the iconic chewy pearls found in popular bubble tea drinks, highlighting its distinctive texture and culinary flexibility.

How do people celebrate National Tapioca Day?

Enjoy tapioca and trace it to cassava, a root domesticated in South America roughly 8,000 years ago that didn't reach East Asia — and eventually bubble tea — until centuries later.

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