Cassava
Synonyms: manioc, tapioca, yucca
Cassava is a tuber vegetable from the family Euphorbiaceae originated in South America and the Caribbean (especially Brazil, Thailand, Indonesia and Nigeria). It is used as a side dish, puree or flat cake.
Raw cassava contains two compounds (namely linamarin and lotaustralin) who belong to the cyanogenic glucosides. The enzyme linamarase, naturally occurring in cassava, leads to the decomposition of toxic hydrocyanic acid from those glucose-derived compounds. By cooking, the poisonous hydrogen cyanide escapes to the atmosphere.
The term "tapioca" is often used for starch produced from cassava.
Nutrients of cassava
The following table shows some nutrients of cassava.
| Nutrients of cassava | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 137 kcal |
| Water | 62,8 g |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Fat | 0,2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 32,1 g |
| Vitamin C | 30 mg |