That food is cassava (also called manioc, yuca, or tapioca root).
It sounds shocking, but it’s true: poorly prepared cassava kills more than 200 people every year, mostly through cyanide poisoning—and yet hundreds of millions of people eat it daily.
Here’s why 👇
☠️ Why Cassava Is So Dangerous
Cassava naturally contains cyanogenic glycosides (linamarin and lotaustralin).
When the root is cut, crushed, or improperly cooked, these compounds release hydrogen cyanide.
👉 Raw or incorrectly processed cassava = poison
There are two main types:
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Sweet cassava – lower toxin levels, still unsafe raw
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Bitter cassava – very high toxin levels, deadly without proper processing
💀 How It Kills
Cyanide blocks the body’s ability to use oxygen at the cellular level.
Symptoms of poisoning include:
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Headache, dizziness
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Vomiting, diarrhea
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Rapid breathing
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Seizures
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Paralysis
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Death (in severe cases)
A chronic condition called konzo—a permanent paralysis—has been linked to long-term cassava exposure in some regions.
🌍 Why People Still Eat It
Despite the risks, cassava is:
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A staple food for over 800 million people
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Extremely drought-resistant
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Cheap and easy to grow
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One of the top calorie sources in Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia
In food-insecure regions, people often can’t afford safer alternatives, and proper processing methods may be rushed or skipped.
🔥 How Cassava Is Made Safe
Traditional preparation methods remove cyanide:
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Peeling
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Soaking for days
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Fermenting
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Sun-drying
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Boiling thoroughly
When done correctly, cassava products like tapioca, garri, fufu, and farinha are safe.
When shortcuts are taken → danger.
🧠 The Big Takeaway
Cassava isn’t deadly because it’s evil—it’s deadly because it’s misunderstood and improperly prepared.
It holds the unsettling title of “the deadliest food in the world” not because it’s rare, but because it’s so common.
If you want, I can tell you about:
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Other surprisingly dangerous foods people eat
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How cassava compares to fugu (pufferfish) or ackee
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Why modern processing has made cassava safer in many countries