What is edible cassava, its chemical composition and useful properties, storage and preparation features, dishes from root vegetables and plant flour.
Chemical composition of Manihot esculenta
The tubers of the plant are similar in appearance to potatoes, but they contain much more nutrients, which makes cassava a valuable food product. However, it also contains a dangerous component - linamarin or hydrocyanic acid glucoside. The amount of this poison in 400 grams of raw root vegetable is fatal to humans. Therefore, it is impossible to eat cassava raw!
The calorie content of cassava (100 grams) is 160 kilocalories.
The same volume of the root vegetable contains the following organic substances:
- Protein - 1, 4 g;
- Fat - 0.3 g;
- Carbohydrates - 38, 1 g;
- Dietary fiber - 1, 8 g;
- Sugar - 1, 7 g;
- Ash - 0.62 g;
- Water - 59, 68 g.
Vitamins:
- Vitamin A - 13 IU;
- Vitamin B1 - 0.087 mg;
- Vitamin B2 - 0.048 mg;
- Vitamin B3 - 0.854 mg;
- Vitamin B4 - 23.7 mg;
- Vitamin B5 - 0, 107 mg;
- Vitamin B6 - 0.088 mg;
- Vitamin C - 20.6 mg;
- Vitamin E - 0.19 mg;
- Vitamin K - 1.9 mcg.
Minerals:
- Potassium - 271 mg;
- Calcium - 16 mg;
- Magnesium - 21 mg;
- Sodium - 14 mg;
- Phosphorus - 27 mg;
- Iron - 0.27 mg;
- Manganese - 0.384 mg;
- Copper - 0, 100 mg;
- Selenium - 0.7 mcg;
- Zinc - 0.34 mg.
Cassava also contains up to 40% starch and several essential fatty amino acids.
Useful properties of cassava root vegetables
This plant is valuable because all its parts have various useful properties: from roots to leaves. Mainly, cassava root crops are eaten.
After heat treatment or drying, they are absolutely safe and have the following effect on the body:
- Increase immunity and general tone;
- They have an anti-inflammatory effect, which helps in the treatment of arthritis, bursitis, gout;
- Normalize blood sugar levels - can be included in the diet of diabetics;
- Remove excess cholesterol from the body;
- Strengthens bone tissue;
- Prevent damage to neural connections in the brain (prevention of Alzheimer's disease and other diseases of the central nervous system);
- Normalize blood pressure and heart function;
- Antioxidant - rid the body of free radicals, help slow down and stop the aging process.
Raw cassava root is used as a compress to heal ulcers. Cassava seeds are used in folk medicine as an excellent laxative and emetic.
The leaves contain a large amount of protein and vitamin B17, which actively fights cancer cells. Therefore, a decoction of them is curative in the fight against oncology.
Contraindications to the use of cassava
Cassava should be eaten carefully. Under no circumstances should you eat raw roots! Due to the high content of cyanide, a person can experience severe toxic poisoning. It manifests itself with the following symptoms:
- Headache, dizziness;
- Stomach ache;
- Nausea;
- Amblyopia;
- Ataxia;
- Stopping cardiac and brain activity.
Nor should you get too carried away with eating properly processed root vegetables. An excess of them in the diet can cause such unpleasant symptoms: vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, irritation of the oral mucosa, the appearance of bitterness in the mouth. You should also give up cassava for people with individual intolerance to the components of the plant.
How to eat cassava
This plant can be seen commercially in various forms. In Africa, the following are very popular:
- Cassava root … It is peeled, cut into small cubes, and then boiled or fried. The result is a fairly nutritious side dish. After cleaning, the tubers are recommended to be kept in water, as they quickly darken.
- Cassava flour … In tropical countries, it replaces cereal flour. She is very popular with Latin American housewives. Here, cakes are baked from it, bread is an alternative to traditional bread for people who suffer from cereal allergies.
- Cassava leaves … They taste like spinach and are often served with meat, fish, and sauces.
- Tapioca - cassava starch … It is used for thickening sauces, soups, making cereals, puddings, jellies, tortillas, biscuits. Also tapioca is a raw material for starch balls. This is one of the most interesting uses for starch. The small white balls look like pearls or caviar. After they are boiled, their color changes to black. They are usually mixed with powdered sugar and served as a dessert. Also, cassava balls are painted in different colors and added to cakes and drinks.
In addition, chips and various sweets are prepared from root crops - cocktails, teas, compotes. Due to its high starch content, cassava is used to make jelly and jelly. Also, the indigenous tribes of Central and South America use the starchy root for the production of low-alcohol drinks: kashiri, kauim, chicha.
Moreover, the technology is quite interesting: after the cassava is cleaned, processed and boiled, it is thoroughly chewed. As a result of wetting with human saliva, starch is converted into simple sugars under the influence of enzymes. Chewed raw materials are diluted in a certain proportion with water and left to ferment for several days. After that, the drink can be consumed.
Cassava dishes
In our area, this nutritious root vegetable belongs to the category of exotic. You can buy it in large supermarkets or online from direct suppliers. Cooking the tubers of the plant is quite easy:
- Fried cassava … In order to prepare the root, we need a few tablespoons of vegetable oil. Peel and cut the root vegetables into thick strips. After that, soak them for 15-20 minutes in salted water. Heat the pan and pour any vegetable oil into it. We spread the chopped cassava and fry until golden brown. Put the finished root vegetable on a paper towel and let the excess oil soak.
- Tuna with tapioca … For this dish we need 200 grams of tuna, 5 chives onions, a pinch of saffron, 15 grams of tapioca, lemon oil, salt, pepper. Beforehand, tapioca balls must be soaked in water for 8 hours. Cook the soaked tapioca in 200 grams of water over low heat with the addition of saffron and salt. After the sauce has thickened, remove it from the stove and cool it in the refrigerator. Cut lightly salted tuna into large cubes, sprinkle with chives, salt, pepper, sprinkle with lemon oil, pour with tapioca sauce. Serve with tapioca grains.
- Manioc puree with meat … We soak one kilogram of beef in water for a day, after which we drain the water, pour it fresh and put it on the fire to cook. Fry the onions in vegetable oil and, after readiness, remove from the pan, and in the same oil we send boiled beef to fry until golden brown. Salt and pepper it. Boil 1 kilogram of cassava flour (cereal) in two liters of water until soft. After readiness, drain the water, add hot milk, butter and mix thoroughly. Serve mashed potatoes with meat and fried onions.
All cassava recipes are light, but the dishes are high-energy and original in taste.
How to eat cassava - watch the video:
[media = https://www.youtube.com/watch? v = 7PyQowaHp-8] Cassava is a plant that is a staple food in several tropical countries. His roots sometimes appear on our shelves. They have a rich vitamin and chemical composition and will not only decorate an exotic table, but also prevent many diseases.
