Tapioca starch tested for digestion and fermentation in men
What it found
A modified tapioca starch was harder to digest and ferment than regular tapioca starch in 10 healthy men.
Its blood sugar response was much smaller and its breath hydrogen was close to that of water.
What they found
Studies in people
Blood sugar response
The blood sugar area under the curve for the modified tapioca starch was 64% smaller than for unmodified tapioca starch, which is easily digested. It was almost the same as that of microcrystalline cellulose.
Breath hydrogen
The breath hydrogen excretion curve for the modified tapioca starch was 93% smaller than for fructo-oligosaccharide, which gut bacteria ferment quickly. It was almost the same as that of water only.
Digestion and fermentation
The results show the modified tapioca starch is harder to digest and ferment than unmodified tapioca starch in men.
What the authors conclude
“These results show that HXLS is harder to digest and ferment than unmodified TS in men.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that HXLS is harder to digest and ferment than unmodified TS in men.
How it was done
They gave 10 healthy men a highly cross-linked phosphate starch made from tapioca starch, then measured plasma glucose at baseline and at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 minutes after eating. They also measured breath hydrogen at baseline and every hour for 10 hours.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- The study was small, with only 10 men, so the results may not apply to other people.
- It measured blood sugar and breath hydrogen over a short time, not long-term health effects.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Research Laboratory, Japan
The paper
- Title
- Digestibility, fermentability, and energy value of highly cross-linked phosphate tapioca starch in men
- Type
- Clinical trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Tachibe M, Ohga H, Nishibata T, Ebihara K (2011). Digestibility, fermentability, and energy value of highly cross-linked phosphate tapioca starch in men. Journal of food science. doi:10.1111/j.1750-3841.2011.02247.xPubMed 22417501DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error