Cassava comes from South America and is the most cultivated crop rich in starch after potatoes. It grows either as a shrub or herb to a height of 1 to 5 m. Cassava flowers are usually light yellow or red, the leaves are long and petiolate. The fruit is about 1.5 cm long capsule with seeds. Brown tubers are eaten, which in wild varieties may contain a smaller amount of hydrogen cyanide, which disappears after boiling. Cassava has a pleasant slightly sweet taste.

Cassava tubers are eaten, which are brown on the surface and white on the inside. Up to 165 million tons of tubers are harvested annually. The advantage is that cassava is an easily adaptable plant that is able to grow even in soil that is not rich in nutrients.

Cassava is most often prepared similarly to potatoes. It can also be grated and used as flour to make pancakes, or used for thickening. In some parts of Africa and Asia, cassava leaves are also used, which are prepared similarly to spinach.

Cassava is also fermented and later distilled into liquor, or used to make beer or vinegar. Older varieties of cassava had to be boiled for a long time to remove the hydrogen cyanide, which today’s cultivars no longer contain.

Cassava contains almost no fat and is naturally gluten-free. Especially in developing countries, it is a valuable source of energy, as it contains almost twice as many calories as potatoes. There are also vitamins, especially those of group B. Vitamin K, which is important for healthy bones and teeth and is also used in Alzheimer's disease, when it limits damage to neurons in the brain. Minerals include copper, zinc, iron, but also potassium. Last but not least, it also helps lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels.