CASSAVA FLOUR: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Cassava flour is a baking flour that is grain-free, gluten-free, vegan, and nut-free. This flour is manufactured from cassava, a root vegetable. Because cassava flour is not widely used in our nation, I created this guide. It covers all you need to know about cassava flour, including what it is, how it is created, the health advantages, baking and substituting, where to buy it, and some delicious recipes.

What exactly is cassava flour?

Cassava is a vegetable, and the flour is made from the entire tubular root. Cassava Tortilla (also known as Yuca in some places) has been a staple diet for millennia. It is a South American native that is widely grown in Africa and Asia. Although it is commonly thought of as an annual crop, it is a perennial crop grown in tropical places and is currently grown in Queensland (Australia). This flour has a moderate flavour, an off-white/cream colour, and a little lighter texture than conventional wheat flour, but it absorbs more. This paleo flour is grain, gluten, soy, nut, additive, and filler free. It's ideal for people following an autoimmune protocol diet, nut-free baking, and anyone suffering from food allergies or intolerances. In Queensland, I buy my flour from "Three Spades" (threespades.com.au).

How is Cassava Flour manufactured?

Cassava is a vegetable, and the entire tubular root is peeled, pulped, dried, and processed into a fine powdered flour. This makes cassava flour an excellent substitute for wheat flour in both sweet and savoury recipes.

Health Advantages:

Cassava flour contains potassium, vitamin C, calcium, vitamin A, folate, magnesium, iron, and resistant starch, which helps promote gut health. This flour is low in fat, cholesterol, and salt. It also contains a lot of fibre and healthful carbs.

Because it contains a lot of resistant starch, it will nourish the healthy bacteria in our gut. Foods high in resistant starch can be extremely advantageous to the health. Resistant starch has the ability to improve metabolism, lowering the risk of diabetes, obesity, and inflammation.

Is Cassava and Tapioca Flour the Same Thing?

Cassava flour and tapioca flour are not the same thing, but they are both derived from the same plant. Cassava flour is prepared by drying and grinding the entire cassava root. Tapioca flour/starch is made from the same cassava roots as cassava flour, but once the roots are peeled and pulped, practically all of the fibre and nutrients are removed in a filtering and dewatering stage. When all of the water has evaporated, only a fine tapioca powder remains. Aside from soluble carbohydrates, tapioca is nearly devoid of essential nutrients and fibre.

The two flours have distinct textures and functions. Cassava flour is similar to white flour, but tapioca flour is similar to arrowroot or cornflour/starch. Tapioca is most commonly used as a thickener.

Baking with Cassava Flour, Texture and Taste: When adapting a recipe using one cup of all-purpose wheat flour = 2/3 - 3/4 cup of cassava flour, I find that starting with less and seeing how your recipe adjusts, then adding more as needed works best. Cassava flour is lighter (powdery) than typical flour but denser; it is also more absorbent, thus more liquid may be necessary. Depending on the recipe, some tinkering may be required. If you want to substitute cassava for coconut flour in a recipe, 1/2 cup coconut flour = 1 cup cassava. One Australian metric cup equals 165gms of cassava flour.

It absorbs moisture in the same way that coconut flour does since it is high in fibre. When used in baked items, it has the potential to brown and form a crust, which is not always the case with gluten-free flours. In some of my recipes, I've blended cassava flour with one or two other paleo/gluten-free, nut or seed flours to make a flour mix that would produce the ideal cake or slice.

Cassava flour has a flavour that is very neutral (slightly earthy). Both coconut flour and almond meal/flour are excellent Paleo baking ingredients, however they have distinct flavours.

I've made numerous recipes that use cassava flour, and they've all been triple-tested, so you won't need to do any of the tweaking I stated above if you follow them.

Storage:

Cassava flour has a substantially longer shelf life than other flours. It can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to two years, and probably longer.

Where can I get my Cassava flour in Australia?

I get my flour online from an Australian company called "Three Spades" (threespades.com.au). Three Spades has been very generous to JOYful Table followers, offering us a 15% discount on cassava flour as well as free shipping. When purchasing 2 x 2kg bags (4kg or more), enter the code JOYFUL15 during the checkout procedure.

Cassava flour can also be purchased at local health food stores or online at iherb.com or Amazon (other good brands include Otto's Naturals and Bob's Red Mill).