Cassava is an exotic plant native to South America. It is sometimes called a sweet potato and is eaten very often - it is on the 3rd place as the most popular ingredient on the menu in the world. Cassava provides carbohydrates, has anti-inflammatory properties, and in Europe it is known as tapioca, i.e. cassava flour.

Edible Cassavais a shrub that is popular in South America, Asia and Africa. For the inhabitants of those regions, it is the basis of their diet, just like in Europe, rice or potatoes. Edible cassava is a source of easily digestible carbohydrates, it is used to make tapioca flour, which in turn is gaining popularity in European countries. Much like tapioca balls, used in bubble tea.

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Edible cassava - what is it

Maniok , as already mentioned, growsin the form of shrubs . Their tubers are oblong and quite thick, surrounded by a rough skin, and the flesh is snow-white in color. The preparations made from cassava are also white. Originally, cassava only grew in South America, but now it is also grown in Asia and Africa. The cultivation of cassava covers over 23.5 million hectares of land. 1/3 of the manioc obtained from the crops goes toanimal feed .

In addition to cassava tubers, traditional Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine also uses its leaves and seeds. The milk extracted from the rhizomes of the plant is usedfor the production of rubber . Root tubers can be up to 50 cm long and weigh up to 4 kg.

People on the continents where cassava is grown treat it like we do with potatoes or rice. The method of processing is also similar to that of potato processing. Cassava can bebaked, boiled or fried . After cooking, the tubers can be mashed into a puree.

Cassava can even be used to makebeer , which is quite popular in tropical countries.

Cassava - nutritional values ​​

Cassava is a source of carbohydrates that contain about 90 percent. It reads:

  • 20-40 percent starch,
  • 5 percent simple sugars,
  • 2 percent proteins.

In cassava we can also find:

  • vitamin A,
  • vitamin B1,
  • vitamin B2,
  • vitaminB3,
  • vitamin B6,
  • vitamin B9,
  • vitamin C,
  • potassium,
  • calcium,
  • magnesium.

100 grams of cassava provides about 159 calories. Cassava has a low glycemic index and is gluten-free.

Manioc - healing properties

Cassava is a vegetable with numerous healing properties - it has anti-inflammatory properties, supports the production of red and white platelets, prevents the formation of blood clots, strengthens bones, accelerates muscle regeneration after injuries, it is recommended for patients with arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and diseases degenerative joints, and also has a positive effect on the digestive system.

Taking into account the positive effect of cassava root on the digestive system, it should be added to their diet by patients struggling with:

  • constipation and diarrhea,
  • inflammatory bowel conditions: ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease,
  • stomach ulcers,
  • gluten intolerant,
  • celiac,
  • intestinal oversensitivity,
  • malabsorption syndrome,
  • Dühring's disease.

Anotherbenefits of cassava are:

  • blood glucose regulation,
  • acceleration of metabolism,
  • long satiety it provides,
  • trace amounts of protein, which is why it is recommended in a low-protein diet.

Cassava - is it poisonous?

Note - this is very important news for those who have never come into contact with a cassava root or tuber (names are used interchangeably).Raw Cassava is poisonous .

In raw cassava we find linamarine and lotaustralin, i.e. cyanogenic glycosides, which are very easily transformed intoPrussian acid(i.e. deadly hydrogen cyanide for us).

So how do you eat cassava? First of all, it must undergo fermentation or heat treatment after soaking. In this way, we avoid exposure to poisoning. Cassava can, as we mentioned, boil, fry, bake or dry it.

Soaking cassava tubers removes phytins from them , i.e. compounds responsible for reducing the digestibility of certain minerals.

Where to buy cassava root and tapioca?

If you want to try cassava, you don't have to go to the tropics right away, although tubers are hard to find in Poland. The easiest way to buy tapioca is about 10 zlotys for half a kilo. Cassava tubers can be purchased online - we will pay about PLN 25 per kilogram.

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