Health Benefits of Cassava

What is cassava?

Cassava is a root vegetable and its Latin name is Manihot esculenta also known as yucca and manioc. Cassava Roots are the underground part of the cassava shrub. Cassava is resistant to drought and it doesn’t need much water to grow. Cassava provide lots of nutrients and cassava leaves also can be prepare as a food. There are many methods that cassava can be prepared. Mainly baking or boiling.  Cassava should not eat raw as it contains cyanide which can be very poisonous. Cassava is rich of carbohydrate, and key vitamins.

Leaves of Cassava gives 25 of vitamins which are can be cooked or dry. However, having poor amount of proteins and fat cassava need be combined with other foods to get required proteins. To get the necessary nutrients in most countries people mix cassava root with cassava leaves which are sources of proteins.

Cassava root has fat, carbohydrate, calories, protein, where leaves has calcium, vitamin, iron and fats too. Cassava is and healthy food which has many nutrients.

1 cup of raw cassava – nutrient profile

·        calories: 330

·        carbohydrate: 78.4 g

·        protein: 2.8 grams (g)

·        calcium: 33.0 milligrams (mg)

·        fiber: 3.7 g

·        magnesium: 43.0 mg

·        vitamin C: 42.4 mg

·        thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin

·        potassium: 558.0 mg

What are the benefits of cassava?

1)     Skin Benefits of cassava

Cassava is amazing medicine for skin problems. Specially for smoothing and brightens the complexion. Peels of cassava plants can be used as an old skin cell remover. By splitting peel, we can prepare a paste out of it and apply paste on face as a scrub for few minutes and rinse it with cold water. Applying this paste 3 times a week will give best results.

Cassava root also used as a skin hydrator. We can prepare mask from cassava root mixing it with honey and olive oil with few lemon drops.

Cassava is use as a scars and spots remover. Cassava stretch water help to remove scar and recover the damages on skin by applying twice the day.

2)     Hair protection

There are lots of benefits for the hair as cassava help the hair grow faster and control hair falling. For this we can prepare a paste by mixing both cassava roots and leaves and applied on after oiling the hair then rinse the hair after an hour.

3)     Protection from various diseases and sicknesses

Cassava also help to prevent cancer disease, recover from critical headache, lose weight and help absorb toxins of intestines with fibers. Also treats diarrhea, cure fever cure eye problems. cassava leaves used for heal wounds with the plenty of nutrients and clear up worms. Cassava also help the body to balance the nervous system. Cassava make body healthy and strong less prone to diseases.

4)     Fitness benefits

Cassava lowers the pressure of blood as a reason of high dietary fiber and help to maintain healthy muscles. Cassava also help the boost the brain to work more efficiently as cassava as high carbohydrate. Cassava has vitamin c and folate which are major need of pregnant women. Cassava contain necessary protein to maintain strong muscles. 

Dangerous effects of Cassava                    

Cassava is dangerous if someone eats it raw or have it in large amounts or prepare cassava improperly.

Row Cassava has a chemical called cyanogenic glycosides that release cyanide in to the body when consumed which is really dangerous. Also consumption of cassava in large amount increase risk of cyanide poisoning.

Cassava can cause follow issues

11.     Lack of iodine

22.  Children who have paralyzed legs

33.  Old people feels loss of sensation of hands

44.  Poor vision 

    5.  Intoxication and death

How to prepare cassava safely?

There are safer ways to prepare cassava for consumption which are differentiate from country to country. Here is a one way to prepare cassava safely.

Step 1 - Peel of cassava must be removed as it contains most of the cyanide producing

Step 2 - Soak cassava in water around 48 – 60 min before preparing, will remove harmful chemicals out.

Step 3 – Cook the cassava as cassava raw its poisonous to eat. Cassava can be cooked by boiling, baking, roasting.

Step 4 – Pair it with protein contain food so it helps get rid of the cyanide of the cassava.

Step 5 -  Cassava consume alone is not advisable for diet people to get rid of side effects of cassava

Cassava can be prepared in various ways too.

Cassava cake, cassava chips, French fries, bread, cassava in coconut sauce, mashed cassava

Cooking methods differentiate from country to country and cassava consume as a healthy and tasty food popular more than 80 countries around the world