During my time in Costa Rica, I have incorporated Yuca into my diet and I am thankful for the opportunity to enjoy it on a weekly basis. If you are not sure what Yuca is, as I wasn’t aware before my trip to Colombia, it is a starchy root vegetable with a brown waxy, bark like skin. Yuca can range in sizes, some of them long and thin, and others shorter and thicker.
Yuca is a very versatile root vegetable, you can make yuca fries either by baking or frying them, make mashed potatoes by boiling, roasted yuca… It reminds me of sweet potato where you can essential almost do anything with it and it will turn out great. Over the last couple of months, we made a lot of Yuca fries and we made a delicious soup with boiled Yuca squares and both were delicious. We have also been able to try Yuca chips at a local restaurant!
Now, for one of my other favourite parts of Yuca is that it is extremely nutritious for you! Yuca root is proven to be an excellent source of potassium, b-vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and contains resveratrol (one of our anti-oxidants). Another big bonus for Yuca is its low glycemic index (GI), which is a great alternative carbohydrate especially for individuals mindful of regulating their blood sugar, those with diabetes or hormonal imbalances.
One extremely important thing to take away from the Yuca root though is that it must be cooked before ingesting. It contains ingredients that are toxic when eaten raw. You must cook Yuca root thoroughly, boiling for about 15-20 minutes before frying, baking…
Have you ever tried Yuca? Would you give it a try?
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