Is it yuca or yucca???
If you are confused, you’re not alone. While yuca and yucca are not the same thing, the terms seem to be used interchangeably almost everywhere. Part of the problem is that yuca is eaten throughout the world and it’s pronounced and spelled differently in various countries. Even my own computer auto-corrects to yucca every time I type yuca! Yuca is just beginning to gain widespread popularity in the US so let’s clear things up right from the start.
Yuca (pronounced yoo-ka) is the incredibly versatile root vegetable that is the focus of this blog. This is what fresh yuca looks like:
Yucca (pronounced yuck-a) is a perennial shrub, with tough, spiked leaves and white flowers. Yucca, of which there are over 40 different species, are used as ornamental plants in gardens. While some species have edible fruits, seeds or flowers, they are not typically grown for use as food.
Getting to know yuca!
Yuca and cassava are the same thing!!!
Now that we cleared up the difference between yuca and yucca, I feel terrible to add confusion to the mix, but it’s important to know – yuca and cassava are the same thing! Yuca can also be called manioc or by its scientific name – Manihot Esculenta, depending on where you are in the world. The big takeaway here is that in the United States the terms yuca and cassava are both used interchangeably.
For the purposes of this blog, I use the term yuca when referring to the whole root vegetable (whether fresh or frozen) and cassava when referring to the flour made from the root – cassava flour. (I do this because that is how it’s typically referred to in recipes and in stores.) But just know that both yuca and cassava refer to the same root vegetable when referenced anywhere.
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Yuca is a whole, tuberous root with a waxy, brown, bark-like skin and a white or yellowish flesh. It’s long and thin, with one end thicker than the other (similar in appearance to a large sweet potato with thicker, waxy skin.) The yuca that we see in the US tend to be about a foot long, but they can grow really large.
Yuca is a highly versatile root vegetable! Peeled yuca can be boiled, baked, mashed, roasted, fried, dried or fermented and used to make fries, chips, tortillas, breads, pizza crusts, pie crusts, pancakes, cookies, cakes …. you name it! We will explore all of this and more together in this blog!
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Yuca is gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, Vegan, Paleo, Whole30 approved, soy-free, and typically considered safe for those following an autoimmune protocol (AIP friendly.) How many foods do you know that can do anything that wheat or potatoes can do (and sometimes even better) that can make a claim anywhere close to that!!!
The main caveat is for those who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) who require a low FODMAP diet. FODMAP is an acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols. These foods, of which yuca root is one, can be poorly absorbed by people with IBS, and may trigger symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, change in bowel movements, and flatulence (1, 2). Note: Tapioca flour, which is a starch extracted from yuca, is considered a low FODMAP flour in servings up to 2/3 cup. Cassava flour has not yet been tested (according to my contact with Monash University in August of 2017.) Monash University is where research on FODMAPS was first conducted by Professor Peter Gibson.
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You may be wondering, “Where is yuca grown and typically eaten?” Yuca was first grown in Brazil about 10,000 years ago. Its cultivation then spread through Latin America, Africa, and Asia where it has long been incorporated into local, cultural cuisine. Nigeria is currently the leading yuca producing country, where it’s more of a traditional staple than an industrial crop. It’s mostly grown there by poor, small-scale farmers. Worldwide, about 800 million people eat yuca regularly – in the same way that we rely on wheat, rice and corn in the US. While America has typically been left out of this trend, hopefully Crazy For Yuca can help spread the word!
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Do you have a treasured family yuca/cassava recipe?
Whenever I mention my blog to someone whose family came to the US from various Latin or Asian countries, they excitedly tell me about a traditional yuca recipe they adore! It has been thrilling for me to meet people and see how passionate they are about their recipes. I’m not alone in feeling that there is something really special about yuca! 
If you have a traditional dish that you’d like to share, please email me at CrazyForYuca@gmail.com. I’d love to share it on the blog along with your story.
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While the average American knows little to nothing about yuca, it’s a staple crop in many parts of the developing world. It has many characteristics that make it ideal in countries where famine is a risk. Yuca plants mature over an 8 month period, but are able to stay fresh under the ground, available for harvest and immediate consumption, for up to 24 months! It’s a perennial plant, allowing yields to be produced for a number of years. The yuca root’s high carbohydrate content and ability to survive in poor soil and drought conditions have made it an ideal choice to feed those who live on infertile lands. In Africa alone it feeds approximately 500 million people!
Besides being a exceptional source of whole food carbohydrate, yuca root is an excellent source of vitamin C. It has a significant amount of manganese, potassium, magnesium, and B vitamins as well. Yuca is also valuable because of its fiber content, predominantly in its health promoting role as a resistant starch (See: About Yuca: Yuca Nutrition Facts.)
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* Don’t eat raw yuca!
To ensure safety, raw yuca should never be consumed. Once yuca is peeled and cooked it’s perfectly safe to eat since boiling and heating eliminate any risk.
Sweet vs. Bitter Yuca
There are 2 main types of yuca – sweet and bitter. The sweet type is what we have in the United States. Sweet yuca is not any higher in sugar than bitter roots, but contains less linamarin, a cyanogenic glycoside that can be deleterious if ingested in large quantities. The risk is greater if one’s diet does not include the adequate protein needed to detoxify the hydrocyanic acid released. In sweet yuca, the linamarin is located mostly within the outer peel, which must be removed before it is cooked and eaten. Bitter varieties have a much greater concentration of this cyanogenic glycoside, which is located throughout its entire root. Bitter yuca requires extensive processing to render it safe to eat. Sweet yuca simply needs to be peeled and cooked in order to be safely eaten.
There is no need for concern; there is cyanogenic glycoside in many common foods that you likely eat on a regular basis. Common examples include almonds, lima beans, flax seeds, bamboo shoots, and apricots. In small doses, this compound is not only safe, but is beneficial for our health. Healing herbs that contain cyanogenic glycosides include bitter almond, elderberry, eucalyptus, flaxseed, and wild cherry.
The amount of linamarin within the root varies greatly with different varieties (of which there are over 67) and depends on the geographic region grown, climate, soil, and amount of water provided during growth. Roots grown under greater drought conditions tend to have higher quantities, and levels have been reported to vary between 15 and 400 mg/kg (fresh weight.) Sweet yuca roots are defined as containing less than 50 mg per kilogram hydrogen cyanide (fresh weight) (3, 4) The toxin is a natural pest repellent, and is therefore helpful to farmers. The true risk of toxicity is to the workers who process the root, not to those eating cooked products.
While it’s highly unlikely that we will encounter bitter yuca in the United States, it’s widely consumed in many parts of the developing world. Women in many traditional cultures take great pride in dedicating many hours a day to process bitter yuca through all the needed stages of peeling, soaking, grating, squeezing, sifting, drying, fermenting and cooking needed to create flour, cassava bread, cassareep, and many other commodities made and utilized by the local people. I learned so much from watching this video of women in Guyana doing just that! After watching you will feel extremely lucky to be able to buy ready-made cassava flour and sweet yuca in the US!! (An Introduction to Cassava – Guyana )
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Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.