Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a starch-tuber in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) of plants. It has its origins from the South-American forests. It has come to be a staple food for the indigenous people of many parts of Africa, Asia, and South America for centuries.

It is grown a perennial crop, one that grows best under tropical, moist, fertile, and well-drained soils. The mature plant reaches about 2-4 m in height. In the fields, its cut-stem sections are planted in soil to propagate. After about 8-10 months of the plantation, the tubers grow downwards in a radial fashion, deep into the soil up to the depth of 2-4 feet.

Each tuber weighs one to several pounds depending on the typenof cultivation involved. It exterior is gray-brown, and has a rough and woody texture. Its interior is white and starch-rich.

The medicinal benefits of cassava include the following:

1. Cassava contains significant amounts of the B-complex vitamins such as thiamin and riboflavin.
2. Cassava is also free from gluten. This means that its gluten-free starch can be used in food preparations for victims of celiac disease.
3. Cassava is also very low in fats and protein, as compared to other foods in the carbohydrate family, such as cereals.
4. Cassava also has substantial amounts of potassium (about 271 mg per 100g or 6% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)). Potassium is vital for the regulation of heart rate and blood pressure.
5. The young, tender cassava leaves are a top source of vitamin-K. Vitamin-K, on its own, is helpful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease by limiting neuronal damage in the brain