Thursday, October 7, 2010

CASSAVA LEAVES



Cassava has many uses. It's root crops are used to make kakanin. It is rich in carbohydrates and it's leaves is rich in vitamins ad minerals.

According to Wikipedia..

Cassava (Manihot esculenta), also called yuca or manioc, is a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge family) native to South America. Cassava is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates. Nigeria is the world's largest producer of cassava.

Cassava is the third-largest source of carbohydrates for meals in the world.Cassava is classified as sweet or bitter depending on the level of toxic cyanogenic glucosides; improper preparation of bitter cassava causes a disease called konzo. Nevertheless, farmers often prefer the bitter varieties because they deter pests, animals, and thieves.

Cassava tubers contain calories, protein, fat, carbohydrate,
calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin B and C, and starch. While leaf
cassava in addition to containing vitamins A, B1 and C, also contain calcium,
calories, phosphorus, protein, fat, carbohydrate and iron. While skin
stem contains tannins, enzyme peroxidase, glikosa, and calcium
oxalate.

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