Cassava Root

Cassava is a vegetable root which contains starch. The same starch is extracted in the form of liquid to make tapioca.  Cassava is one of the largest food carbohydrates after rice and maize.  It is the major staple food for many people around the world as it can withstand draught conditions. Cassava is a staple food in many states of India too. Cassava is the highest calorie food among the starch rich tubers and roots.

Health benefits

• It is gluten free, low in protein and fibre. It has some of the valuable B-complex group of vitamins. Cassava leaves contain vitamin K which help in bone strengthening by stimulating the cell activity in the bones.
• Cassava is one of the most nutritious plant roots of the tropical food sources. It contains some of the valuable B-complex group of vitamins such as folates, thiamine, pyridoxine (vitaminB-6), riboflavin, pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5) a water soluble vitamin and most importantly it contains vitamin B -17.  It is also one of the rich sources of minerals like zinc, magnesium, copper, iron and manganese.  It has adequate amount of potassium which is an important component of cell and body fluids that help regulate heart rate and blood pressure.
• Cassava may help support the nervous system; help alleviate stress, anxiety and irritable bowel syndrome.
• Cassava can also be used to treat wounds that have infection. Mash the fresh cassava stems and apply like cream on the wounds.  It can also be wrapped with bandage.  For injuries caused by hot objects cassava can be grated and squeezed.  Then apply on the wound.  It can be repeated till the wound gets dry.

• A diet rich in magnesium helps lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
• Consuming diet rich in copper helps support healthy nerve function.
• To treat diarrhea or abdominal pain boil cassava leaves in 4 cups of water and reduce it 2 cups. Decant and drink.
• Folate rich foods in the diet protects against colon cancer. It reduces complications during pregnancy.

Now we all have come know that it is the deficiency of B-17 (amygdaline) that causes cancer.  A doctor from England did some research to find out the regular diet that contains this vitamin and while he was working in Afghanistan. To his surprise he found this vitamin in cassava.

He is believed to have treated one liver cancer patient who was about to be operated. After taking the cassava diet his reports gradually became normal and he was cured of the disease.

Same way he also treated one prostate cancer patient who became hale and healthy.

The patient should consume at least 10gms of cassava root three times a day.

1. Choose fresh Cassava without a single blue stain.
2. Boil without covering the pan during the cooking, to help evaporate the excess hydrocyanic acid.
3. Do not consume foods containing ginger at least 8 hours after consuming Cassava.

So keep eating cassava often to keep yourself hale and healthy.

By Nibhanapudi Suguna