Sago is a starchy substance extracted from the interior of the trunk of sago palms, Metroxylon sagu, and other similar plants such as sugar palms. Wet starch washed from the pith can be cooked and eaten or dried into flour. Pearl sago is made by pushing wet starch through sieves, then drying, and this form is used in puddings. It is a staple starch in parts of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, where the palms grow abundantly in swampy lowlands.