what is the difference between sago and tapioca pearls

If you’ve had sago desserts before, did you know that you’ve been eating fake sago pearls all this time?? Confused? Read on, or just watch the video where I explain everything AND do a taste test comparing real vs fake sago pearls!

How is Real Sago Made?

So what is so hard about making sago? Why are they so precious? In a nutshell, heres the traditional process:

• Cut down a massive tree (the sago palm) thats been growing for 8-10 years.
• Chop it up into manageable chunks.
• Grate the flesh of the trunk and pound or blend it into mush with water.
• Squeeze the grated flesh to extract the starch, then strain.
• Let the starch in this “tree juice” settle, then pour off the excess water.
• Break the starch up into small clumps and roll into small beads.
• Dry the beads completely for storage and packaging.

So What is the Fake Stuff Then?

The fake stuff is tapioca pearls, made from tapioca starch. Tapioca starch is made from cassava (pic below), a widely available root vegetable thats a staple in the diets of many cuisines around the world. Needless to say, harvesting a root vegetable is much easier than harvesting a 10-year-old tree, making it a much more accessible and cheaper product.

The sad thing is that in Thailand we actually call tapioca pearls “sakoo,” our term for sago; which as we now know is categorically wrong. But there was no other name given to it, presumably because they were originally “snuck in”, pretending to be the “real thing”. So now were having to call the real one “true sago” or “tree sago,” when really it should just simply be “sago.”

Sago Pearls VS Tapioca Pearls| Boba Pearls VS Tapioca Pearls

What is the difference between Sago and tapioca pearls?

You cannot easily tell the difference between sago and tapioca pearls by their size alone. Both are sold in different sizes, colors, and flavors. To determine whether you’re buying sago or tapioca pearls, check the ingredients list in the packaging. In most parts of Southeast Asia, tapioca pearls can be bought already cooked and ready for use.

Tapioca starch vs Flour: Which is healthier?

Tapioca starch is a good source of calcium and iron. It is an healthier option for irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease patients. As it is gluten free autoimmune disorder patients can replace wheat flour to tapioca starch. People who want to weight gain can take tapioca starch in their diet, it is also easy to digest. It is also low in sodium which is a great alternative for high blood pressure and heart patients. It is also rich in b complex vitamins.

Are sago balls bigger than tapioca pearls?

Tapioca pearls, on the other hand, are made with tapioca or the starch from cassava, a root crop. Using either starch is not always interchangeable. Tapioca balls are the chewy balls that are in the ever-popular bubble tea drinks. Although some claim that sago balls are larger than tapioca pearls, it just isn’t true.

What is the difference between sago & tapioca?

Well, both are just starch made up of carbohydrates. For every 100g, sago has 83 grams of carbohydrates, while tapioca has 88.7 grams of carbohydrates. Both tapioca and sago pearls have less than 1 gram of protein, fat, and fiber. In terms of energy per 100g, sago contains 332 kcal and tapioca contains 358 kcal.