A staple for hundreds of millions — and toxic if prepared wrong.
Cassava is a major calorie staple across Africa, Asia and South America. Raw cassava contains cyanogenic glycosides, which is why traditional preparation always involves peeling, soaking and thorough cooking. Improperly processed cassava has caused paralysis and death.
Root vegetables carry more carbohydrate than leaves or gourds, which
is why they satisfy and why portion matters more if you are watching blood sugar. Most of the
fibre sits in or just under the skin.
Per 100g raw.
Based on the nutrients and fibre this food supplies. These are supporting foods, not treatments.
Peel thickly and cook thoroughly. Never eat cassava raw. The peel and the layer under it hold most of the toxic compounds.
Soak bitter varieties before cooking, as traditional methods do.
Scrub rather than peel where you can. Much of the
fibre and many minerals sit just under the skin.
Roasting beats boiling
for flavour and keeps water-soluble vitamins in the vegetable rather than the pan.
Roots store energy for the plant, which is why they carry more carbohydrate than other
vegetables. The useful distinction is between starch and inulin: starchy roots like potato and
cassava raise blood glucose, while inulin-storing roots like jerusalem artichoke and jicama
largely do not, because humans cannot digest inulin.
Inulin instead reaches the colon
intact and feeds gut bacteria. That is why those roots are excellent prebiotics and why they
produce so much gas.
Cassava must be properly peeled and cooked. Raw or poorly processed cassava contains cyanogenic glycosides and has caused serious poisoning. Never eat it raw.
Kidney disease: potassium may need limiting. Ask your doctor for your
numbers.
IBS: several vegetables are high-FODMAP and commonly trigger
symptoms — tolerance is personal.
This is information, not a prescription. If you are managing a diagnosed condition or taking medication, talk to your doctor before making a large change to your diet.
Nutrition figures on this page come from standard food composition data. These links let you check the numbers and read the underlying research yourself rather than taking our word for it.