Manioc to Tapioca - Page 5

Dried Manioc

The chief use of cassava is as a boiled vegetable. It is also a source of flour, called farinha in Brazil and gari in western Africa, and of toasted starch granules, the familiar tapioca. In spite of its popularity, however, cassava root is a poor food. Its protein content is extremely low, and its consumption as a staple food is associated with the protein deficiency disease kwashiorkor.