Yucca vs. Yuca + Yuca vs. Potatoes
Does the title of this post make you feel slightly dizzy? Me too. That’s why I felt compelled to put fingers to keyboard.
Without realizing it, I have been using the words “yucca” and “yuca” interchangeably when, in fact, they refer to two completely different plants.
And I’m not the only one. A Google search of “yucca preparation” yielded 554,000 results, although the web sites were really trying to demonstrate the preparation of “yuca.”
And, to add insult to injury, I’ve been pronouncing the two words exactly the same: “yuck” and “a.” However, this is only correct for “yucca,” not for “yuca” which sounds like the beginning of Yucatan.
Moreover, I realized I knew nothing about the root vegetable I’ve started using as part of my “Get Acquainted with Vegetables” year.
So, in honour of living and learning…
YUCCA vs. YUCA
According to Wikipedia, yucca is the genus name for 40-50 species of a perennial shrub or tree that is grown primarily for decorative purposes.
To put it another way, it is very unlikely that either you or I have added yucca to our diet.
On the other hand…
Yuca is an extensively grown tropical vegetable that has other common names that you may recognize, such as cassava, manioc, and tapioca.
The yuca tuber can be roasted, boiled, and fried. Because it is starchy and high in carbohydrates, it can be used as a substitute for potatoes.
Which brings me to the next point…
YUCA vs. POTATOES
Given that yuca can substitute for potatoes, how does it stack up nutritionally and diet-wise?
Nutritional Benefits (Source: NutritionSelf.com)
- Yuca is very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. It is also a good source of manganese, and a very good source of Vitamin C.
- Potato, including the skin, is very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, Vitamin B6 and potassium, and a very good source of Vitamin C.
- Sweet potato (skin is not mentioned in the source) is very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, Vitamin B6, potassium, and manganese, and a very good source of Vitamin A.
Diet-Wise (Source: Cassava in Wikipedia)
I’ve been roasting yuca with my vegetables and enjoying its starchy sweetness. But, today’s research means that I’m going to be more careful about the quantity of yuca that I eat in the future.
As the table shows, yuca is double the calories of regular potato and sweet potato. The same goes for Weight Watcher points.
However, as those of you who are gluten-free know, variety is the spice of life. Yuca will remain one of the sources of carbohydrates that I can enjoy and tolerate well.
|Per 100 grams or 3.5 ounces (raw)||YUCA||POTATO||SWEET POTATO|