Why Do People Consume Cassava?
Over 800 million people around the globe fancies consuming Cassava because it’s one of the affordable stables in their region, it can be transformed into various dishes, flour to bake bread, and much more, and it supplies the body with the right amount of nutrients (that is, it’s beneficial for one’s health).
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Well, the most amazing thing about Cassava is that it not only supplies several important nutrients to our body for health improvement but it also can be used for skin and hair nourishment. Doubt that? I’ll brief you on those as you read on.
Cassava or Manihot esculent as it’s scientifically called is one of the food staples with a high amount of carbohydrates after rice and corn.
Good for health? Yes! But it can still be toxic to your health when not properly cooked or eaten raw. Better yet, you should avoid consuming it raw or when not well processed or boiled.
Mostly, this root tuber crop with an adequate supply of nutrients as well as its leaves survives in tropical and subtropical areas. Hence, it’s mass-produced in countries like Nigeria or west Africa as a whole. However, before its foray into the west African region, it was exclusively native to the Southern American region.
Cassava is of two types namely; sweet cassava and bitter cassava. Bitter Cassava contains a high amount of cyanide which is harmful to your health and alters your digestion flows whereas sweet Cassava (more rampant in America) contains a tad of the cyanide.
Whichever one you come across, always ensure it’s properly simmered or processed before consumption. Also, take note that too much consumption of Cassava might be harmful to your health just like other edibles. So taking it at a moderate level is of the essence.
Cassava can be used as flour; recently, people are being encouraged to use processed cassava flour to bake bread and some other confectionaries. It has needful nutrients and is less harmful to health.
Over time, factories that specialize in baking have resorted to the use of Cassava flour to bake their bread more than other types of flour in the market. Much credit should be given to the sweet taste and flavor gotten from the cassava flour. If you’re adept at baking and are still wondering if really the flour is worth it, then I egg you on trying it out.
Cassava is also used in the production of low-alcoholic drinks like Caxiri, Chicha, Cauim to list a few. This is because of the high amount of starch contained in Cassava.
It also can be used for medical purposes both the root and the leaves which have a high amount of protein.
What Are The Nutritional Value Of Cassava?
Like every other food crop, Cassava retains various types of nutrients that include;
- 1g of carbohydrates.
- 14mg of sodium.
- 160 calories.
- 3g of fat.
- 088 mg of vitamin.
- 27 mg of iron.
- 3 mg of iron
- 854 of niacin.
- 087 mg of thiamine
- 27 mg of phosphorus.
- 16 calcium and so much more.
Cassava can be used for skin care routines and it undoubtedly tones your skin compared to other chemical products. Here is a list of the skin benefits of Cassava.
It smooths the skin; Cassava gives your skin a smoothness like that of an infant. To use Cassava in other to achieve that level of brightness and smoothness you crave isn’t far-fetched. All you need to do is to apply the peel of the Cassava across your skin as it serves as an exfoliator.
Dab the peel back against your skin and leave it for minutes before washing it off with water. That way your skin will take on the brightness and smoothness you’ve always wanted.
It helps to hydrate your skin: Mixing Cassava peels with some fruits or olive oil or honey and applying it on your body helps to moisturize it. However, you’ve to make a mask with a medley of the aforementioned items.
In addition, cassava starch water helps to rid of scars and dark blotches on your skin. You just have to continuously apply it on the dented area before you begin to see the effects.
Why Do People Consume Cassava?
You might be wondering, why exactly people consume this food staple despite having some toxins that can deteriorate health. As I have earlier stated, cassava only becomes harmful when you gobble it up raw or fail to simmer it appropriately.
The statistical proof of the number of people that takes in the crop does so because of the incredible health benefits it gives. Cassava is one food crop with various nutrients and consequently, the nutrients work hand in hand to improve our health.
So now, I guess the question that sits at the edge of your lips has been answered.
Here are a few health benefits of Cassava
- Improves your eyesight: A large number of people have eye defects, myself included. By consuming Cassava your eyesight will improve hugely and hinder the possibility of becoming blind. Rich in vitamin A, Cassava is among the food crops that accelerate your eyesight.
- It helps to cure diarrhea: Cassava has rich fiber content and by consuming the crop it kills all bacteria that stir stomach upset. In other to achieve this, you’ll have to boil the pieces of Cassava and guzzle the liquid. In a matter of minutes, the stomach upset will stop. Not only does it cure diarrhea, but it also helps to prevent diarrheic symptoms from surfacing again.
- It helps to improve digestion processes: As the presence of toxins in the intestine hampers the free flow of digestion (a constant problem people suffer) cassava happens to be one of the crops that regulates the digestion processes. It contains insoluble fiber which basically drains all toxins in your intestines and allows the free process of digestion.
- Supplies energy and facilitates brain function: Already you know the work of carbohydrates (which is the supply of energy) cassava has a high amount of carbohydrates as already mentioned. Hence when consuming Cassava, you’ll get a high energy boost. It also helps to improve brain function.
- Good for awaiting mothers: During the gestation period consuming food with high amounts of calcium, folate, and vitamin C is usually prescribed by doctors as it helps the fetus. Cassava leaves have 15% of folate and 40% of calcium which are required to be consumed regularly by pregnant women. You can opt to use the bland leaves when cooking your stew as a veggie or boil it separately and down the liquid so you can attain the right about of folate and other essential nutrients for your fetus.
- Revives appetite: One of the easiest ways of recovering your appetite or halting your loathe for food is by consuming Cassava. Well, not down the cassava per se but by boiling the Cassava leaves and gulping it once every morning. In the space of a week or two, your adverse for food will extinguish.
In conclusion on Why People Consume Cassava?
Looking at a few of the nutrients of Cassava we mentioned you’ll understand that people consume it not only because the sweetness of it when prepared or transformed into other edibles but also for the benefits derived from it for health improvements.
Having read this, I believe you’ve become more convinced that Cassava is worth the hype accorded to it by the millions of people from around the globe who eats it.
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