Cassava is a starchy tuber that is grown and harvested mostly in tropical and subtropical regions. It is the third largest source of carbohydrates in the world, after rice and maize. There are two main types of cassava: bitter and sweet.
The Nutritional Profile of Cassava
Although it is extremely high in carbohydrates, cassava also contains a fair amount of nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, vitamin C, and various B vitamins. Cassava is also high in anti-nutrients such as cyanide, though. As a result, bitter cassava has to be properly treated and prepared before it can be safely eaten. Sweet cassava can be eaten after boiling. One of the best ways to prepare bitter cassava is to dry it into a powdery or pearly extract, known as tapioca.
Mark Sisson even has a post where he mentions cassava as a “safe starch”, although he incorrectly connects it to “yucca” when he meant “yuca”. The former is a fruit that comes from a shrub, whereas the latter is another name for cassava. That’s OK, we’ll forgive Mark for that one.