5 Things You Need to Know About Cassava Flour

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Is cassava flour the holy grail of gluten-free, grain-free cooking? It very well may be. But first, there are 5 things you need to know about it. 

Is cassava flour the holy grail of gluten-free, grain-free cooking? It very well may be. But first, there are 5 things you need to know about it. 

Cassava flour is gaining momentum as a “go-to” gluten-free, grain-free flour. And it’s not surprising when you consider that those who follow restricted diets typically have to blend several flours to achieve the same consistency as wheat flour. Which is never ideal.

But with cassava flour, that’s not the case. After traveling Bali and Southeast Asia for several months (eating delicious, locally made cassava breads, cakes and side dishes), I realized the huge potential of cassava flour. In fact, it seemed to be a pretty darn close replacement for wheat flour.

Oh, could it be? Could it really be?!

Yes, it could be! Which might just make it the holy grail of gluten-free, grain-free flours. But before you go off the deep-end by gobbling up cassava-everything (it’s easy to do), here’s five things you need to know:

1. Cassava flour is gluten, grain and nut-free

The cassava plant is a staple crop to millions of inhabitants in South America and parts of Asia and Africa. The plant produces the cassava root (also known as yuca or manioc), a starchy, high-carbohydrate tuber – similar to yam, taro, plantains and potato.

As a tuberous root vegetable, cassava is gluten, grain and nut-free, as well as vegan, vegetarian and paleo. 

2. Cassava flour is not the same as tapioca flour

While sometimes the terms cassava flour and tapioca flour are used interchangeably, there are in fact distinct differences. Tapioca is a starch extracted from the cassava root through a process of washing and pulping. The wet pulp is then squeezed to extract a starchy liquid. Once all the water evaporates from the starchy liquid, the tapioca flour remains.

Alternatively, cassava flour is the whole root, simply peeled, dried and ground. This means it has more dietary fiber than tapioca flour – and allows me to make cassava flour tortillas, which would not be possible with tapioca flour. 

3. Cassava flour is not poisonous

It’s true that the cassava root contains naturally occurring cyanide compounds (also found in almonds and spinach!) and that yes, they can be extremely toxic. But only if eaten raw. That’s why the traditional cultures who rely on cassava for sustenance have centuries old processes of soaking, cooking and fermenting. These processes remove the toxic compounds and prevent one from getting sick.

Rest assured that all commercially available cassava and tapioca flours do not contain any harmful levels of cyanide.

4. Cassava flour is high in carbohydrates

Given that cassava is a starchy tuber, you would expect it to have a high carbohydrate profile. But it’s higher than you most likely imagined. For instance, per 100 grams, cassava has double the calories and carbohydrates as sweet potato. This makes it a valuable and relied upon food source for millions of native people.

But it could mean an insulin spike for you! For the vast majority of people who don’t rely on cassava for subsistence, it would be prudent to monitor your cassava intake. Particularly if you’re following a low carbohydrate, low-sugar or Paleo-based diet.

Translation: don’t eat cassava flour recipes at every meal! As always, moderation is key. 

5. Cassava flour is the most similar to wheat flour (of gluten-free flours)

This is the holy grail characteristic of cassava flour. Unlike other gluten-free flours such as almond or coconut flour, cassava flour is very mild and neutral in flavor. It’s also not grainy or gritty in texture – rather, it’s soft and powdery.

These qualities, along with the fact that it can be replaced on a 1:1 basis with wheat flour in many recipes, make cassava flour a preferred flour for gluten-free, grain-free baking and cooking. It’s also a great nut-free flour. 

As always, quality matters when it comes to cassava flour and Otto’s Cassava Flour is the brand that I use and recommend. Unfortunately, I’ve recently heard from readers who’ve used other brands that their results were less than stellar. As cassava flour has grown in popularity and manufacturers are popping up left, right and center, it seems quality and how the flour is processed now varies greatly. 

Therefore, if you have any problems with the cassava flour recipes listed below, know that it’s likely the brand of cassava flour you’re using.

Here are some of my favorite cassava flour (and yuca) recipes :


If you liked this post, make sure to read my post 5 Things You Need to Know About Arrowroot Powder. And if you’d like a peek inside my pantry, to see all the products and ingredients I use, make sure to watch my Pantry Organization video.


Have you cooked with cassava flour yet? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

This post was originally published May 2015, but updated July 2017. 

photo credit: By Thamizhpparithi Maari (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

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192 Comments

  1. I love to cultivate cassava in a large scale in Ghana west Africa the cassava business is helping us to promote more rural area jobs. my organization supply large quantity of cassava, i accept offers to supply cassava dry chips,flour,garri, peels,and many more.

  2. Hi Lisa,

    Great article! Are you aware of the issues of mold toxicity in cassava flour production?

    Do you know if there are controls in place to address this in industrial cassava flour production?

    Thanks

    1. Hi James – I’m not. I would recommend reaching out to the manufacturer for more information.

  3. OMG – I make a home-made beer battered chicken and my kids just love it. Well I decided to do a test with some of the chicken and bell peppers and onion using cassava flour – and it tasted fantastic. Lighter and crispier than the wheat flour. This will definitely help me reduce my grain intake.

    1. That’s awesome Janet! Unfortunately, the beer batter wouldn’t be gluten-free for me (bummer!) but it still sounds amazing! Glad you were able to find a grain-free replacement for your recipe. :)

  4. I do know about why long cassava flour still better meals, and contains vitamins, proteins, and others ¡¡¡

  5. Can anyone tell me if Ground Cassava is the same as Cassava Flour please? Starting a Paleo diet and found Ground Cassava in a local supermarket hoping to make ‘bread’ with it but it has more of a rice texture than flour so assuming it is the wrong thing? Any ideas what I can do with the ground version now I have a bag in the cupboard?! Thanks 

    1. If you have a Vitamix or other high-powered blender you could probably turn it into flour. :)

  6. Hi guys, yeah I grew up eating cooking baking with cassava in Bahia Brazil. My oldest child (48 years old) has  real relationship with Cassava as he is Brazilian born. This morning I cooked him cassava that we eat with glob of Lady O Lakes Butter yummy!

    I have lately took interest to read and see YouTube from African countries and none of them treat cassava the way we do in Brazil. We do all the above with cassava however we cook the flour at VERY SLOWLY in a huge  Yoke like ( 5-10 feet diameter in wood burning very Labor intense.
    Then we make flat breads with coconut freshly grated.
    Our Manioc  Farinha is very fine and well cooked. Please read about. I would love to hear if you ever go to Salvador Bahia ?? 
    Oh my and there are all the Afro-brasilian developed by our descendants back on the 1700-1800’s.

  7. Hi! I made gnocchi with cassava flour and it turned out amazing. However I had an allergic reaction :(.   Turns out people allergic to latex and banana are also allergic to cassava. I’m so sad and it’s back to the drawing board for me. Good news is my son is not allergic. 

    1. Sorry to hear about your reaction. But thanks for sharing that info Katie!

    2. I too am allergic to the cassava/manioc plant and the tapioca derivative. With a lot of people going gluten free, the allergy is likely to show up more and more.

    3. Thank you for sharing the allergy information! My son is allergic to over 20 foods and has EoE so this would have definitely gotten him. I’ve been trying to figure this all out. 

  8. Hi Lisa, great article you have here. I am launching a cassava milk drink. Do you have any advice to share please. I believe cassava milk can be a cheaper (and healthy) alternative to the regular cow milk. What do you think Lisa?

    Thanks

    1. Hi Edward – glad you enjoyed the article. I have never tried cassava milk, so unfortunately can’t give you any thoughts or feedback. But best of luck to you!

  9. Hello. Do I need to alter the amounts of a rising agent when I make other recipes? For example, I want to make a hummingbird cake but I’ve heard complaints that cassava cake can get overdone on the outside and gummy on the inside. I’ve had great success with cassava sweet potato gnocchi and pancakes, but I was wondering about the rise on a larger item such as a cake. Thank you.

    1. Unfortunately, I haven’t baked cakes with cassava flour so can’t provide heaps of guidance on other recipes. :)

      1. I just made mini pineapple upside down chiffon cakes with it. My own creation. They came out beautifully. They were very airy but strong. They held up the pineapple and marachino cherry brown sugar topping perfectly formed on top while staying pillow-like underneath. I used your advice and added a little more liquid and less flour than a standard recipe with wheat flour would have needed.

  10. Thank you for the cassava recipes. Im very interested that you say raw cassava is poisonous. In Tanzania, many people eat raw cassava (root) without any problem as i myself have done, without any ill effects. It is sold on the streets and on long bus journeys or torturously slow traffic. We also use the leaves for a vegetable dish called kisamvu which is a mixture of onion, cassava leaves (pounded and boiled), ground ground-nuts/or coconut. I think i was told there are different types of cassava leaves.
    From the picture youve shown of it, it looks the same, so im not sure what the difference is.
    I also wonder about the taste of palm oil as it always seems to have a very strong taste. I wonder if this is a difference caused by different soil types too.
    Anyway, thank you again for the recipes and for the info that its more like wheat flour to cook with. I didnt know that and will certainly have a go. Ive used it mainly as the porridge-like food we have called ugali.
    Yours
    Penny

    1. Hi Penny – That’s interesting to hear. Were you eating the whole root, or was it peeled? And was it maybe soaked first? It seems much of the toxicity is contained in the peel, though all sources I could find still recommend some preparation and cooking of the cassava (even when peeled) to reduce further toxicity. You can find more information here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava I hope you enjoy using cassava in both in traditional Tanzanian dishes and in many of the recipes on my website. And PS – I’ve traveled Tanzania and loved the landscape, energy and people. It’s a beautiful country! :) x

  11. Cassava flour IS NOT Paleo friendly. Paleo diets are LOW CARB. That was a pretty obvious research error. Just because it’s a root doesn’t mean it’s Paleo friendly, in fact most roots aren’t due to the high carb content.

    1. Paleo diets are not low carb. A low carb diet is low carb. While a paleo diet is inherently “lower” in carbs due to the removal of grains and legumes, it’s a lifestyle that’s centered around whole foods and nutrition, not counting carbs. Therefore, cassava can absolutely be incorporated into a paleo lifestyle, in moderation. In fact, it also contains resistant starch which is good for a healthy microbiome. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of mis-information out there, given the rise of low carb and keto diets. If you’re interested in learning more about a paleo lifestyle, I’d recommend following some of the thought-leaders in the space, such as Mark Sisson, Rob Wolff, Chris Kresser, Sarah Ballantyne, etc.

      1. Hi Lisa,

        could people following the KETO diet eat products with cassava or use cassava flour?

  12. Dear Lisa Bryan,

    Great article and great read. My name is Camilio van Lenteren and I am a visual artist and interested in crops in Southern Africa, I live in Malawi, where now the majority of the crops is Maize and in the older day’s that was Cassava root and Sorghum among others.

    My question on Cassava is on how the Agricultural process is. Like Maize needs lots and lots of water and fertilizer because it tires out the land very quick, which of course is mainly of the mono culture use of this plant and not enough land (in Malawi) to rotate.

    My question is: does Cassave grown quick, does it need a lot of water and does it need the same amount of fertilizer as maize. And also, to make Maize porridge, it needs 30 minutes of cooking, so it uses a lot of wood / coals. Which is very energy insufficiënt.

    Most importantly I think original crops may grow more efficiently, stronger and are more capable to deal with the hars climate in Southern Africa.

    I hope you can tell me more specific about my questions.

    1. Hi Camilio – unfortunately, I’m not a farmer so can’t answer your questions. But I’m sure if you reach out to cassava farmers or manufacturers, you can find answers to your questions. :)

  13. In the past few decades, North Americans who have hypothyroidism have been recommended to avoid cassava and/or tapioca (including the flours and the pudding) because it contains goitrogens / is goitrogenic. These recommendations were to be found across the internet, even on complementary medicine/lifestyle sites like Dr. Weil’s, and I collected a number of those website links/recommendations in my 20s, 30s, and 40s after I learned about the hypothyroidism (and obvious neck goiters) that have run in my family for generations. Unlike the goitrogens in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage, the goitrogenic compounds in millet and in cassava/tapioca *cannot* be mostly reduced to moderate levels by cooking. (In fact, in millet, cooking only increases the goitrogens.) Traditional cultures that rely on cassava have had to come up with ways of processing it to somewhat reduce the goitrogens, but they still have been known to have more thyroid problems (including, in some villages, especially those in famine situations where most of their diet consisted of cassava/yuca/manioc, widespread goiters and severe thyroid disease — I have seen a couple of PubMed journal articles about such situations) than groups that do not eat a lot of cassava/tapioca, especially if they are in situations where the rest of their diet isn’t bountiful in important nutrients/minerals. I have read an article on another gluten-free lifestyle site that says that the cassava/tapoica flour in the US is so well-processed that it has minimized the goitrogens to a level where no one, even those with thyroid issues, needs to worry about it, but I don’t know enough about it to take that as a fact, and I still don’t eat cassava/tapioca myself. In the last couple of years, with the popularity of gluten-free recipes that include tapoica/cassava flour (and also millet, especially in manufactured gluten-free products), I have been surprised that there isn’t much mention made of the goitrogens in tapioca/cassava and millet. I don’t know if the goitrogen issue has been completely eliminated in tapioca/cassava/yuca/manioc (though that would be hard for me to believe, since for hundreds of years it’s been a health issue around the world), but because people with autoimmune issues often have more than one autoimmune problem, and/or go on to develop others after being diagnosed with their first one, people who need to eat gluten free are probably more likely than the general population to have issues with their thyroids, and to be more sensitive to goitrogens in food, especially in foods where normal at-home cooking methods cannot significantly reduce the goitrogens, as is the case with tapioca/cassava and millet. Lisa, what is your take on the issue of goitrogens in cassava/tapioca?

    1. Hi Dot – I’m aware of the tribes/cultures you mention as well as some basic research, but I’m definitely not an expert on the topic. It’s an interesting topic of discussion and you’d probably have to reach out to the manufacturers of cassava flour/tapioca flour and ask how their processing affects the goitrogenic compounds. I’m sure the impact on our individual bodies when consuming cassava/tapioca is likely multifactorial, with ancestry/genetics, other dietary nutrition, environment, etc playing a role. I do eat small quantities of cassava/tapioca and haven’t had any issues (and do get my thyroid tested regularly), but my body may be different from yours or another readers. Sorry I can’t be of more help!

  14. Hi Lisa, I just read your article. Thanks! I just bought Paleo Crackers made with Cassava Flour and almond flour.  My Spouse is a Type 2 diabetic. Should he consume this product? It also claims to be organic, but on the ingredients listing only a few products are identified organic. I am bummed out. I was told this was great company for Paleo. Help! I am also gluten sensitive. 

    1. Hi Ramona – because I’m not a doctor I can’t comment on what would be appropriate for your husband to consume. But I think most would agree that a diet high in starchy carbs is not ideal for those who are trying to manage their blood sugar levels. As for the crackers, I’m not sure which brand you’re referring to, but being labeled paleo doesn’t necessarily mean it will be organic. As always (and as you’ve done), reading the ingredient list is always best. :)

  15. If I have a tapioca sensitivity, should I avoid cassava? I just realized they’re related. I can’t have corn, brown rice, tapioca or gluten, so finding snacks and flours with which to cook has become very challenging.

    1. Yes, I would avoid cassava if you have a tapioca sensitivity. My recipes are usually a blend of almond flour, coconut flour and/or tapioca flour, but many times you could replace the tapioca flour with arrowroot flour (if your body handles that better). :)

      1. Thanks. I was thinking more along the lines of crackers or “chips” I can eat with cheese, hummus, etc. I bought Free For All Kitchen crackers, which are made with cassava, and a bag of cassava chips. I’m so bummed. :-(

      2. Ahh, gotcha. Yeah, you’ll have to steer clear of those. How about chips made from almonds/almond flour?

  16. Cassava flour is not ok for those sensitive to oligo-fructans. (Ie, IBS sufferers and those in a low FODMAP diet) Tapioca starch is ok though.

    Cassava is not the best *gluten* free single flour sub (teff is better) but it is a very good *grain* free flour sub. Its significantly more gelatinous than wheat, and can impart a strange texture to things.

  17. I just made my first carrot cake with the Cassava flour it came out great. The frosting is made with cashew butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and a dash of salt. The whole cake and frosting is vegan, My whole family likes it.

  18. I am hypothyroid and was told to avoid cassava. I didn’t even know what it was. I also must avoid foods with gluten. Maybe people who are hypothyroid should be told this. It’s a bummer I’m supposed to avoid all these things which are normally good!

    1. I’m hypothyroid and avoid gluten (as a celiac) but do eat small amounts of cassava flour in moderation. Everyone is unique and different. But you can still eat some amazing food, just check out my recipes section. ;)

    2. Sandy, why is it you can’t eat cassava for low thyroid? I’ve never heard that before and am curious the reason behind it. Thanks!

      1. In response to the question by CJ Day, the reason that people who have hypothyroidism are recommended to avoid cassava and/or tapioca (including the flours and the pudding) is because it is a goitrogen / is goitrogenic. Unlike the goitrogens in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage, the goitrogenic compounds in millet and in cassava/tapioca cannot be mostly reduced to moderate levels by cooking. Goitrogens are different than cyanide, so the above blog post did not actually go into the goitrogen content of cassava/tapioca/yuca. Traditional cultures that rely on cassava have had to come up with ways of processing it to reduce the goitrogens, but still have been known to have more thyroid problems (including, in some villages, widespread goiters) than groups that do not eat a lot of cassava/tapioca. I have read an article on another gluten-free lifestyle site that says that the cassava/tapoica flour in the US is so well-processed that it has minimized the goitrogens to a level where no one, even those with thyroid issues, needs to worry about it, but I don’t know enough about it to take that as a fact. Hypothyroidism runs in my maternal family over the generations (and I have it and my mother and her sister and nieces have it) and we live in a “goiter belt” part of the country due to the soil content, so I have stayed well away from tapioca pudding and cassava/tapioca flours because it’s only a “nice to have”, not a “have to have” in the North American diet. Up to now I have simply avoided any recipe that contains it – not to mention the vast array of “gluten free” manufactured products and special substitute flour blends that contain it – but I’m thinking of getting some arrowroot powder and trying to sub it in for cassava/tapioca flour in recipes. I am now looking up arrowroot powder to double-check that it doesn’t have any side issues (that might not affect most people, just as goitrogens in food might not affect most people whose healthy thyroids can handle them, but that might affect me due to my individual biology) that I’d be concerned about.

  19. Hello, Thank you for the great article! I am trying to make my own products so as to reduce packaging material that I would have to throw away (We are trying to be a waste free household). I saw multiple videos on making tapioca starch and all of them have this residual vegetable matter. Would this residual matter be considered cassava flour?

    1. Without seeing the videos, it sounds like you’d be left with the pulp. Which yes, would be a variation of tapioca or cassava flour.

  20. Hi, thanks for the article. I am still confused about the starch content. On authority nutrition I have read it has a lot of resistant starches and actually helps control blood suggar levels. I am still really confused about what part should starches play in my diet…

    1. Read medical medium. Liver and brain need fruits and potato types of carbs. Terrific for healing many ailments. Read his take on goitrogens too. Many posters here are scaring themselves away from fabulous thyroid nutrition by avoiding foods that actually heal by going after pathogens which cause thyroid problems.

    1. Yes, absolutely! I enjoyed lots of cassava bread while I lived in Bali. I don’t yet have any cassava bread recipes posted, they are in the queue. :)

  21. Thanks for all your info on Cassava flour. Is cassava flour a 1:1 substitution for coconut flour?

    1. Hi Tracy – unfortunately no. Coconut flour is highly absorbent…so you’d probably have to play around with different ratios, depending on the recipe.

  22. Hi Lisa, is cassava flour bread, mixed with wheat flour o.k.for people who are gluten intolerant?

    1. Hi Molly – no, as the wheat flour would still have gluten in it. People who are gluten intolerant need to stay away from all forms of gluten (products that contain wheat, barley and rye).

  23. Hi Just fixed pancakes for the first time using cassava and we loved it! Going to try using broccoli and cheese in the batter next time. Should be good!

    1. Wonderful! So happy to hear that! And love that you’re making savory pancakes. :)

  24. Just read in Time magazine blog, that when prepared incorrectly, Cassava can produce cyanide??!! How is it prepared incorrectly?! Really?!

    1. I mention that in the post above. :) All commercially available cassava flours are prepared correctly.

  25. Hi! I baked with cassava flour for the first time yesterday. My finished product was gritty, like I dropped it on a beach. Is this normal?

      1. Brownies. I called the manufacturer and they said cassava flour is gritty. Perhaps I should try a different brand?

  26. Just made chocolate chip cookies with it today! I used my normal recipe and just subbed 3/4 + 1/8 C of cassava flour for 1 C of whole wheat flour. They came out great!

  27. Hi! I would like to know if manioc, cassava is gluten free ?
    New member in the family with gluten free diet.

    1. Hi Celine. I’m not sure what you’re smelling? Cassava flour smells a bit like cassava root, just as coconut flour smells a bit like coconuts. If you’ve never eaten cassava before, this may just be new to you. :)

  28. I’m following the AIP diet and cassava flour has been a GODSEND. However, I have SIBO and will soon have to avoid high FODMAP foods and I just learned that cassava is high FODMAP. Gonna ask my holistic doc about this very soon cuz I don’t know what I’d do without my precious cassava flour!!

    1. I did AIP several years ago (and had SIBO as well), though it was before I discovered cassava flour. I’d agree that you should probably steer clear of it for a while (I know it’ll be tough!) or at least greatly reduce the amount you’re consuming to give your gut time to heal. Additionally, the starches and FODMAPS will be counteracting your efforts to reduce the bacteria. I’ve introduced it no problem now (so there’s hope!) but find that my gut just does better with smaller quantities (ie – no triple taco fest). ;) x

      1. From what I can tell raw Cassava (which shouldn’t be consumed by humans anyways) is high FODMAP but once processed into tapioca or casssava flour it becomes low FODMAP.

  29. Hi. My 4 year old is eating cassava flour (otto brand) tacos most days for lunch. We eat a paleo nutrient dense diet. I struggle to find foods that are quickly made that she will eat but I can get her to eat anything wrapped in a cassava flour taco/wrap. Do you think the benefit of getting her to eat the healthy filling I put into the taco/wrap outweighs the fact she is eating cassava flour daily. Is there any risk of cyanide from eating otto cassava flour daily? Thanks in advance.

    1. Hi Kerry – I’d have to refer you to Otto’s in terms of product specific questions. That’s great that your daughter loves the tacos/wraps, but I would recommend switching things up every once in while. I’m a big proponent of food variety. :)

  30. Growing up in Brazil, I used to eat cassava (or yucca or manioc) flour almost everyday. It’s sold everywhere and it has a course/granny consistence (like corn flour for polenta) and you can eat “raw” – it’s not really raw, it’s just not toasted – with meats, sausages, rice and beans. When you toast it (usually with butter and seasonings on a fried pan) it’s called “farofa”.

    1. Would love to have a friend in Brazil send me some. Then again, if I had a friend in Brazil I’d probably be on a plane to eat more there! ;)

  31. Hi Lisa,
    Nice site. The cassava peel is removed using a knife. Remove the whole cover which is about half an inch. Then grate the first layer of the root. Soak for over night or for about six hours and then pour the water. If you don’t want to go through the long process, soak the roots before peeling the night before and then just grate the first layer. Wash and cook root till it softens. To get flour, wash the already peeled root, cut to pieces and sun dry or air dry. Grate to get your homemade flour. No chemicals and all organic.

  32. Hi Lisa, do you know how they remove the peel? Is it done by hand only or other methods that may add other ingredients to this product? Do they sun-dry or oven-dry? Basically, is this a pure product with no chemicals added during the processing because I’d hate to find out later that it was damaging to my health to eat cassava flour every day? I’m really missing bread so I would love to consume this at least at one meal every day; is that safe?

    1. Unfortunately, I don’t know how the peel is removed. I would email Otto’s Cassava Flour with specific questions on the product. As for eating cassava flour every day, no, I would personally not recommend that. I’m a firm believer in eating seasonal, nutrient-dense foods…and prioritizing food variety. Cassava flour, while a fabulous ingredient, is not one I would consider nutrient-dense. So I’d use it for the occasional taco, tortilla, bread, dessert, etc…but not as an every day item. :)

      1. I will email them about the peeling, thanks! I thought so that it wouldn’t be a good idea to eat cassava flour every day! Too bad. So far I’ve been eating it every day for lunch with a salad and I’m going to stop because I seem to be getting addicted to it since I haven’t had bread in so long. Well, at least the bag will last me a lot longer. ;)

      2. Okay well for one why would you have to eat any flour on a daily basis the whole point of flour is really for baking or if you’re going to fry something but if a person wants to use cassava flour for when they’re baking there’s no problem with that why would you use any floor everyday is what I’m there asking

  33. Hi Lisa! LOVE your blog & recipes–simple, easy, fast & healthy! My kind of food. So here is my question: is Cassava Flour considered low FODMAP? This is the healing stage I am currently visiting. :)

    1. Hi Donna – so glad you love the website! I’m not an expert on low FODMAP, but it seems most websites classify cassava and/or cassava flour as high FODMAP. Tapioca starch seems to be lower (likely due to the fact that it’s more processed)…so it’s probably best to stay away from cassava flour until you’re further along in your wellness journey. Hope that helps! :) x

      1. Lisa — Thanks for the info. I am not an expert either but my gut professes to be! Not worth the risk right now…Guess those fish tacos are gonna be looking a little different for awhile… :( maybe lettuce boats with zoodle, carrot with cucumber, avocado, maybe keep the oranges…I too am a fan of three dots or dashes! LOL I miss the snap of crunchy carbs….. :(

      2. Always trust the gut! ;) I do have a recipe for chicken lettuce wraps that delish, so hopefully that can tide you over! :) x

    2. From the available research it looks like raw cassava is high fodmap (but that shouldn’t be eaten until cooked anyways so is misleading). Once cooked and processed into tapioca or flour it seems to become low fodmap though.

  34. you say
    “cassava flour is the whole root, simply peeled, dried and ground. ”

    but then next you have the paragraph below which is contradictory because if the cassava flour is just the root peeled dried and ground how does it become not toxic if it is still raw and has not gone through the ” centuries old processes
    of soaking, cooking and fermenting…that “remove the toxic
    compounds and prevent one from getting sick.” ??

    “It’s true that the cassava root contains naturally occurring cyanide
    compounds (also found in almonds and spinach!) and that yes, they can be
    extremely toxic. But only if eaten raw. That’s why the traditional
    cultures who rely on cassava for sustenance have centuries old processes
    of soaking, cooking and fermenting. These processes remove the toxic
    compounds and prevent one from getting sick.
    Rest assured that all commercially available cassava and tapioca flours do not contain any harmful levels of cyanide.”

    1. The first quote was comparing it to tapioca flour, which goes through a bleaching and starch extraction process. It becomes non-toxic (at least the brand I use, Otto’s Cassava Flour) through removing the peel and a proprietary process that involves drying/heating. It’s more modern than soaking, cooking and fermenting, but both work well to remove toxic compounds. Hope that helps!

  35. Is there a relationship between the cassava and water. I.E does a recipe require more water when cassava is used? Also have you used manioc? which is supposed to be cassava but seems to soak up a lot of liquids? Hoping you can help. Ove here in Australia cassava flour and tigernut flour are pretty much a rare bird, and importing from overseas is a troublesome thing. But I can get manioc flour.

    1. The water to cassava flour ratio would be recipe specific. But I have not found it to be similar to coconut flour, which is hugely absorbant. Also, Otto’s Cassava Flour (the brand I use), now ships to Australia so I’d recommend reaching out to them. :)

    2. Hi Dani I live in Sydney where I buy grated cassava frozen from my local chinese supermarket. I then spread it over a baking tray and bake at 170 ° F for about 8 hours or until all the water has evaporated. Then simply blend or grind to make the flour.

  36. I would like to dry and grind my own cassava from the yuca roots that are available at my supermarket. Do I need to cook the yuca first or do I just remove the core and dry and grind?

    1. Hi Faith – I have not ground my own cassava flour, but understand there are special preparation methods necessary to remove the toxic compounds. I wish you luck!

    1. Check with your local Filipino, West Indian, or West African stores. It is so central to so many cultures that you can find it many places.

  37. Great info many thanks for sharing. I use frozen grated cassava for cassava cake. I am looking for other recipes using tapioca flour.

    1. I’m not sure as I’ve never used pinduca flour, but a quick Google search shows that it might be the same. :)

  38. Thank you for this! Just came across your blog today and I’m absolutely loving it. You’re speaking my language with the gut and health relationship. All your recipes and photos look absolutely divine and I can’t wait to see more!! Thanks for all your effort- I can tell you’re passionate about us reaching optimal wellness for what works for us individually and I REALLY appreciate that.

  39. Have you tried making your own Cassava flour? Does the raw cassava need to be soaked as part of the process in making the flour or is baking it enough to eliminate the toxins? I found some already peeled and grated cassava at the store today and I want to dehydrate it and then grind it in my blender to make flour. Just wondering though if it needs to be soaked before drying. Thanks

    1. I have not tried making my own (due to the processes necessary to make it safe). Ottos Cassava Flour produces a consistently great flour (and consistency is important in baking), so I use that brand exclusively. I’ve linked it above. :)

  40. Great read. We use cassava extensively in West Africa. It grows in abundance :) … Look up ‘atieke’ (fermented cassava popular in Ivory Coast) it’s delicious :)