Cassava

Cassava or Yucca Root

There are 330 calories in 1 cup (7.3 oz) of Cassava (Yucca Root), raw

Cassava is Africa’s second most important food staple, after maize, in terms of calories consumed. Cassava is a major source of calories for roughly two out of every five Africans.

Yucca root, also sometimes spelled "yuca," is known by the names manioc and cassava. Native to South America, this starchy tuber is eaten throughout Latin America, South Asia, the Caribbean and Africa. Used to make tapioca flour, yucca has a texture a little chewier than the potato and a milder taste. Rich in a range of nutrients, yucca can be used as a substitute in almost all of your favorite potato dishes.

Better known to Americans as tapioca, the pudding favorite is produced from the roots of this bush-like plant. But the crop can have deadly consequences. If prepared incorrectly, the cassava plant can produce cyanide, a deadly compound when consumed. A small number of people are also allergic to the plant — the American Cancer Society warns that those with a latex rubber allergy might be more susceptible and should consider opting for a different dessert.

Something to know is that all cassava produce toxic cyanide, but the two main edible varieties produce it in different amounts. "Sweet" cassava is the root most often sold for home cooking and has its cyanide concentrated near the surface. After peeling and normal cooking, it is safe to eat. "Bitter" cassava has cyanide throughout the root and can only be eaten after extensive grating, washing, and pressing to remove the harmful toxins. Bitter cassava is not typically sold for home use, especially here in the US, and is more commonly used to make tapioca and other cassava by-products.

NEW CHALLENGES IN THE CASSAVA TRANSFORMATION IN NIGERIA AND GHANA
http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/eptdp118.pdf

Save and Grow Cassava
http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i3278e/i3278e.pdf

Cassava Utilization, Storage and Snall-scale Processing
http://betuco.be/manioc/Cassava%20-%20Utilization,%20storage,%20small-scale%20processing%20cabi_17ch14%20.pdf

Starting a Cassava farm
http://www.infonet-biovision.org/res/res/files/1855.Starting.pdf

How To Remove The Poison From Cassava Flour in English
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09UHqc313Us

harvesting cassava in rwanda: part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djtPxN6cIlM

harvesting cassava in rwanda: processing (part 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM-3bZh0vJc