Since the Paleo diet craze, cassava flour has received some increased press. More people are looking for grain alternatives for their baking needs, and cassava flour happens to be a great choice. Let’s take a look at what cassava flour is and why you may want to consider using it.
Cassava flour is made from the cassava root, also known as yuca. It’s a starchy tuber that happens to be grain-free, gluten-free, and vegan.
As mentioned, cassava flour happens to be grain-free. This is great news for those who are on a grain-free diet, or anyone looking to reduce the amount of grains in their diet. It’s also relatively easy to bake with and makes delicious cassava flour pancakes, and muffins.
Another added perk is that cassava flour is nut-free. This is great for anyone who may have a nut allergy and can’t use some of the other nut-based gluten and grain-free flours. You can use cassava flour in place of things like almond and coconut flour.
Unlike refined white flour, cassava flour is actually a great source of important vitamins and minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Using this in place of white flour and swapping out the sugar for something like raw honey or pure maple syrup is a great way to make healthier baked goods, you can feel good about enjoying.
In addition to the fact that cassava flour is grain and nut-free, it also happens to be gluten-free. So, if you’re on a gluten-free, diet, and are getting bored of your current gluten-free flour options, consider giving cassava flour a try.
Generally speaking, you can use cassava flour at a 1:1 ratio with wheat-based flour. However, depending on the recipe, you may need to add more liquid. Using cassava flour will take a little trial and error to get it just right! But, once you do, the benefits of baking with a gluten and grain-free flour will be well worth it and delicious.