Fear not Yuca!

Yuca (a.k.a. cassava) is a lovely starchy root vegetable that can be incorporated into all sorts of dishes, similar to potatoes. Why should you pay attention to the oft overlooked root vegetables? Fiber resistance starches, are beneficial for the gut microbiome— and yucca is like potatoes on steroids. They can also be prepared similarly.

Roasted Yuca

Ingredients

• 1 lb Yuca
• 4 T Brightland Olive Oil
• 5 t Any combo of dried herbs
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 2 T fresh Lime Juice (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400° F
• Peel skin off yuca and remove fibrous core (See below for a peeling tutorial)
• In a large pot with salted water cook the yuca so it’s just under-done. Drain and set aside. Remember, treat yuca like you would a potato. 
• Mix the olive oil, spices, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the yuca to the mixture, tossing to coat.
• Arrange seasoned yuca in a single layer in a lightly oiled baking dish and place in the oven 30 minutes, or until the yuca is tender and browned.
• Slice yuca in half, lengthwise, and remove the fibrous core.
• Stir in lime juice (optional but delish), sprinkle salt & pepper and serve.

Note: Don’t let yuca’s high carb content deter you! There is much more to know about the yuca carb story than can be seen by simply looking at the number of grams in a cup (78.4g)— read on!

Here are some key points to consider

 1. While high in carbs (even higher than potatoes) yuca has fewer carbs than wheat, rice, yellow corn, or sorghum. While it may not be advisable to eat yuca every day for optimal nutrition, the same is true for the typical grains that most Americans eat multiple times in a single day. Yuca is an excellent, non-inflammatory, whole plant source of starch. So because we all need some healthy source of carbohydrate daily, yuca is a great choice.

2. Boiled yuca has a low glycemic index; boiled yuca is 46 (values below 55 are considered low.) For comparison purposes, the glycemic index of whole wheat bread is 71, corn flakes is 81, baked white potato is 72.5, and baked sweet potato is 61. Yuca is great for those wanting to lower their blood sugar levels— for any number of health reasons.

Having a low glycemic index means that a food releases glucose into the bloodstream at a slow, steady rate without causing blood sugar spikes. In addition to keeping blood sugar stable, low GI foods have been shown to help lower and control triglyceride levels, as well as help with weight loss and the maintenance of a healthy weight. 

3. Not all of the calories and carbs count when eating yuca. Yup. Only 78% of the starch in cooked yuca is digestible. About 17-20% of the starch in yuca is amylose – a type of starch called fiber resistant. 

Resistant starch got its name because it resists digestion throughout the small intestines. It makes its way all the way to the large intestines undigested. It is here where it becomes food for beneficial probiotic bacteria, thereby supporting colon health. Within the large intestines it ferments into short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as butyrate, which provide numerous potential health benefits:

• Promotes the growth of good bacteria and inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria in the gut.
• Improves the integrity of the gut lining, which keeps toxins from entering the bloodstream and guards against numerous potential conditions including fatty liver, heart disease, and autoimmune disease.
• Decreases inflammation in the gut, thereby supporting colon health.
• Reduces the risk of developing gastrointestinal disorders, colon cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
• Lowers the blood-glucose response to food and improving insulin sensitivity in people with Type 2 Diabetes.
• Makes us feel full faster and reducing fat storage.
• Improves cholesterol and triglyceride levels and increasing absorption of minerals.
• Enhances the absorption of magnesium.

So while yuca is a carb, it’s a healthy, non-inflammatory source of carbohydrates. And the best part? Yuca is not only beneficial to our well-being, but delicious! Enjoy.

 

Yuca Peeling Tutorial

The outer skin is inedible and will need to be removed before cooking. You can do this by using a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife. 

First, trim off the yuca ends and either make a slit in the skin from top to bottom. Then, insert a knife under the skin and slightly twist it to loosen it. After that, simply run your fingers underneath it and peel it away. Alternatively, you can set each piece side up and cut the skin off using a knife. What’s most important is that all the brown and the pinkish layer beneath it has to be removed. Also, if there are any dark areas, cut them off. You only want the white flesh. If there’s a discoloration that runs throughout the whole root, it may have gone bad so it’s best to discard.

FInally, yuca has a fibrous core that you’ll want to take out. You can do this before cooking by cutting each yuca in half lengthwise— and then cut in half once again so the root is now quartered and the core is exposed for easy removal. Alternatively, you can first cook yuca and then remove the core.