Both tapioca starch and corn starch are great options whether you are looking for a thickener or are on a gluten-free diet and need a wheat flour substitute. Both are also effective thickeners in large part because their flavors are neutral, which means that they work without affecting the flavors in your dish. While their function is similar, they do have some differences. If you are trying to decide which one to use, consider the factors below. How do tapioca starch and corn starch differ?
Tapioca starch differs from corn starch in terms of its source. Corn starch is sourced from corn, as you may have guessed; tapioca starch comes from the cassava root. Cassava root is a starchy tuber, which means that tapioca starch has more in common with other root starches like potato starch and arrowroot than it does with a grain starch like corn starch.…show more content… Corn starch stands up well to high heat and long cooking times while tapioca starch works best when added at the end of cooking. It will lose its thickening ability if subjected to heat for too long. The appearance of the final product will also differ as tapioca starch will also give you a more glossy and transparent final product whereas cornstarch can make for a murkier liquid with a matte surface. Liquids thickened with corn starch also tend to get spongy when frozen and thawed. Neither of these starches is a nutritional powerhouse but tapioca holds a small edge over corn starch since it has higher concentrations of a few nutrients. Tapioca has more calcium and vitamin B-12 than corn
