Cassava

Cassava is also known as bankye, khoai mi, mandioca or yuca. You can begin when your baby is around 6 months old and ready for solids. Raw cassava is never eaten at any age. The plant carries natural toxins, and they can make people seriously ill. To be safe, raw cassava must be turned into a product such as flour, or cooked until tender. How long it cooks depends on the age and variety of the root.

Cassava comes from Central and South America. Millions of people rely on cassava as a staple, much like maize and rice. The tough rind guards the versatile, pale flesh. Like potatoes, it can be baked, made into chips or fries, or mashed. It is also milled into flour, meal and starch, and processed into tapioca. Boba tea and tapioca pudding come from cassava.

Once cooked, cassava gives plenty of carbohydrates for energy and lots of vitamin C for immunity and skin. It has a little potassium and trace calcium and iron.

Choosing and prep

After peeling, cut away dark or streaky parts and use only pure-colored flesh. Cassava is bright white in some varieties and pale yellow in others. Fresh root spoils fast, and the tough rind hides it. Buy a bit more than you think you need. If you find discolored parts when you cut it open, throw them out.

Nutrient balance

Cooked cassava and products such as flour, meal and starch are good carbohydrate sources in a balanced diet, especially for gluten-free families. Where cassava is the main food, children can be at risk of nutrient gaps. Adding legumes, meat and vegetables supplies iron, zinc and protein.

Choking is rarely a problem with cooked cassava. Tapioca pearls found in boba drinks, puddings and sweets can be. Babies should skip them, since they are heavily processed and usually come with a lot of sugar. Prepare cassava for your baby's age and stay close during meals.

Cassava rarely causes allergy, but reactions do happen. People allergic to latex may react to cassava.

Offer a small amount alone for the first few meals. If there is no reaction, increase gradually.