The Toxicity Of Cassava We Never Knew About.

Cassava is a root vegetable. It is the underground part of the cassava shrub, which has the Latin name Manihot esculenta.
Like potatoes and yams, it is a tuber crop. Cassava roots have a similar shape to sweet potatoes.
People can also eat the leaves of the cassava plant.
Today, more than 80 countries throughout the tropics grow cassava, and it is a primary component of the diet of more than 800 million people around the world. It is popular because it is a hardy crop that is resistant to drought and does not require much fertilizer, although it is vulnerable to bacterial and viral diseases.

What is cassava used for?

Cassava is a rich, affordable source of carbohydrates. It can provide more calories per acre of the crop than other cereals, which makes it a very useful crop in the developing world.
People prepare and eat cassava in various ways in different parts of the world, with baking and boiling being the most common methods. In Nigeria people ferment cassava before using it.
Dishes that people can make using cassava include:
Cassava Bread
Amala
Cassava Vegetable
Fufu
Bread, which can contain cassava flour only, or both cassava and wheat flour
French fries
Garri
Cassava chips
Cassava flakes(abacha)
 Tapioca,
Making starch and flour products, which people can use to make gluten-free bread
Making medications, fabrics, paper, and building materials, such as plywood
Researchers are also hoping that cassava could be a source of the alcohol that manufacturers use to make polystyrene, PVC, and other industrial products.

Benefits and nutritional profile of cassava

Cassava is a calorie-rich vegetable that contains plenty of carbohydrate and key vitamins and minerals.
Cassava is a good source of vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. The leaves, which are also edible if a person cooks them or dries them in the sun, can contain up to 25 percent protein.
However, the cassava root does not deliver the same nutritional value as other tuber vegetables.
Tapioca starch is gaining attention as a source of gluten-free flour to make bread and other baked products that are suitable for people with an intolerance to gluten.
Cassava is a source of resistant starch, which scientists suggest can boost a person’s gut health by helping nurture beneficial gut bacteria. Resistant starches remain relatively unchanged as they pass through the digestive tract.
The nutritional profile of 1 cup of raw cassava is as follows:

calories: 330

protein: 2.8 grams (g)

carbohydrate: 78.4 g

fiber: 3.7 g

calcium: 33.0 milligrams (mg)

magnesium: 43.0 mg

potassium: 558.0 mg

vitamin C: 42.4 mg

thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin

Cassava contains only small amounts of proteins and fats. As a result, people who use cassava as a primary dietary staple may need to eat extra protein or take protein supplements to avoid becoming malnourished.
Since cassava leaves are a source of protein, people in some parts of the world emphasize combining the roots and leaves of the plant to address this concern.

Is cassava toxic?
 Cyanide is the most toxic factor restricting the consumption of cassava roots and leaves. Cassava contains cyanogenic glucosides that are toxic for humans and can lead to serious health disorders. In particular, cassava's bitter varieties have a cyanide level exceeding the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (1991) recommendation of 10 mg/kg DW, which makes cassava acutely toxic for humans. Cyanide content ranges from 53 to 1300 mg cyanide (HCN) equivalents/kg in leaves, and from 10 to 500 mg HCN equivalents/kg DW in root parenchyma. Consumption of 50 to 100 mg cyanide has been associated with acute poisoning and has been reported to be lethal to adults .
Long‐term consumption of small amounts of cyanide can cause severe health problems such as tropical neuropathy  glucose intolerance, coupled with low iodine intake, goiter and cretinism In a Nigerian community, the prevalence of tropical ataxic neuropathy was 6% overall with a larger proportion in the women (7.7%) than men (3.9%). The highest prevalence linked to consumption of cassava foods was 24% in women between the ages of 60 and 69.
Monitoring urinary thiocyanate and cassava intake can help to determine communities susceptible to konzo (Cardoso and others 2004). Geographical location and seasonal variations can also be associated with konzo.

Cassava also contains antinutrients, such as phytate, fiber, nitrate, polyphenols, oxalate, and saponins that can reduce nutrient bioavailability. However, some of these compounds can also act as anticarcinogens and antioxidants depending on the amount ingested.

Eating raw or incorrectly prepared cassava can lead to severe side effects.
Even in places where cassava is a well-known part of the diet, reports have identified several hazards of eating it and taking in too much active cyanide, including:

paralyzed legs in children

low levels of iodine

increased risk of goiter

tropical ataxic neuropathy (TAN), a condition that is more common in older people and causes a loss of feeling in the hands, poor vision, weakness, walking problems, and the sensation of something being on the feet

intoxication and eventual death

In addition to containing naturally occurring cyanide, cassava can also absorb pollutants from the area in which it grows, which can be close to roads and factories.
The pollutants that cassava plants may take up and pass along to humans include:

trace metal elements

pesticides

herbicides


Cassava is generally safe when it is prepared properly and eaten occasionally in moderate amounts.
Here are some ways you can make cassava safer for consumption

Peel it: The peel of cassava root contains most of the cyanide-producing compounds.

Soak it: Soaking cassava by submerging it in water for 48–60 hours before it is cooked and eaten may reduce the amount of harmful chemicals it contains.

Cook it: Since the harmful chemicals are found in raw cassava, it's essential to cook it thoroughly — by boiling, roasting or baking, for example.
Pair it with protein: Eating some protein along with cassava may be beneficial, since protein helps rid the body of toxic cyanide

Maintain a balanced diet: You can prevent adverse effects from cassava by including a variety of foods in your diet and not relying on it as your sole source of nutrition.
It's important to note that products made from cassava root, such as cassava flour and tapioca, contain extremely little to no cyanide-inducing compounds and are safe for human consumption.

References
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava
[04/06, 12:25] https://www.alliedacademies.org/articles/blood-glucose-response-on-consumption-of-cassava-varieties-garri-in-healthynigerian-subjects-9503.html
[04/06, https://www.oatext.com/facts-about-dietary-fibre-in-cassava-implication-for-diabetes-medical-nutrition-therapy.php
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323756
https://www.agriculturenigeria.com/production/crop-production/general-crops/cassava/