Cassava

Nigeria is the highest producer of cassava in Africa with about 40,000 metric tons per annum. Manihot esculenta is a woody shrub native to South America of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates Cassava is tuberous starchy root, high in carbohydrates, essential to Caribbean and other tropical diets. Cassava is a perennial, usually grown in tropical climates, very simply propagated by using a cut portion of the stem. The roots, often compared to large yams, can weigh several pounds. They have tough, scaly and brown skin and starchy, white “meat” inside, but care must be taken in harvest because the shelf life is only a few days. Purchase cassava roots (or flour) at large groceries, and store them at room temperature for a week. They can then be peeled and boiled, baked or fried, cooked and dried for later use, or fermented. The leaves are also used for food and contain 100 times more protein than the root, but both must be cooked and the water discarded. One cup of boiled cassava contains 330 calories, 78 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of protein and 4 grams each of fiber and sugar. Being naturally gluten-free, cassava is extremely useful for celiac patients and others trying to avoid gluten. One aspect of cassava is that it’s one of several root foods defined by the Philippines’ Department of Science and Technology as having a low glycemic index (GI) and therefore good for diabetics.