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Vegetables and starchy roots

Cassava

Cassava has 160 kcal and 1.8 g of fiber per 100 g (3.5 oz), a low energy density.

USDA description: Cassava, raw

Estimated satietyHow it is calculated

Starting point+1
Low energy density+1

Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): this food was not measured.

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Last updated
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Sources
8 primary
Data
USDA FDC 169985

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Nutrition facts

Calories
160 kcal per serving
160 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Protein
1.4 g per serving
1.4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Carbohydrates
38.1 g per serving
38.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
of which sugars
1.7 g per serving
1.7 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Fiber
1.8 g per serving
1.8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Fat
0.3 g per serving
0.3 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
of which saturated
0.1 g per serving
0.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Water
59.7 g per serving
59.7 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Source: USDA FoodData Central: Cassava, raw (FDC ID 169985), accessed September 23, 2026.

A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving provides about 160 kcal, 1.4 g of protein, and 1.8 g of fiber.

The typical serving (100 g (3.5 oz)) is a common amount used for the math, not a recommendation. Ounces and cups are rounded US equivalents; the values come from the database entry cited in the sources.

What it is and how to eat it

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is the root of a shrub in the spurge family: the Diccionario de americanismos records the name yuca in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, and mandioca, a word of Guarani origin according to the Dictionary of the Spanish Language, in Argentina and in several of those same countries. It is sold whole, in its skin, and also peeled and frozen, and it is a staple of dishes such as sancocho, which the Dictionary of the Spanish Language defines as a pot of meat, cassava, plantain and other ingredients. This page covers raw cassava according to USDA, with 160 kcal, 38.1 g of carbohydrate and 1.8 g of fiber per 100 g, but cassava is not eaten raw: the Diccionario de americanismos describes the root as edible after being boiled, roasted or fried, and there is a separate page for cooked cassava.

A 100 g (3.5 oz) serving, weighed raw, provides 160 kcal and only 1.4 g of protein, so it is the starch part of the plate and goes alongside the protein, which the 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy suggests eating first, such as chicken, fish, eggs or beans. Boiled until tender or mashed, it is soft and easy to swallow, which helps when appetite is low. The same advisory suggests avoiding fatty foods in the first few days of treatment, so in those days boiled cassava fits better than fried.

What the evidence says

According to the FAO, all parts of the cassava plant contain linamarin, a cyanogenic glycoside that can release hydrocyanic acid (cyanide): fresh roots usually hold 15 to 400 mg per kg depending on the variety and growing conditions, with more in the peel, and a bitter taste is not a reliable indicator. The same source explains that traditional processing and cooking, when done properly, bring it down to non-toxic levels, and in Australia and New Zealand the law requires cassava to be sold with a statement, on the label or alongside it when sold loose, that it must be peeled and fully cooked before eating (FSANZ). At 1.8 g of fiber per 100 g and 1.1 g per 100 kcal it meets neither of the EU's two criteria for a "source of fibre" claim, 3 g per 100 g or 1.5 g per 100 kcal (Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006).

The sources for this section are listed under "Sources" at the end of the page.

Satiety

The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.

Frequently asked questions about cassava

How many grams of protein are in a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of cassava?

100 g (3.5 oz) of cassava has 1.4 g of protein. A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving has about 1.4 g of protein. That is 0.9 g of protein per 100 kcal.

How many kcal are in a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of cassava?

100 g (3.5 oz) of cassava has 160 kcal. A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving has about 160 kcal. That is a low energy density.

How much fiber is in a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of cassava?

100 g (3.5 oz) of cassava has 1.8 g of fiber. A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving has about 1.8 g of fiber.

Does cassava keep you full?

Not very filling for the calories it provides: our estimated satiety score is 2 out of 5. It is based on: low energy density. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.

What is a typical serving of cassava?

We use 100 g (3.5 oz) as a typical serving. That amount provides about 160 kcal, 1.4 g of protein, and 1.8 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.

See all foods

Sources

Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.

  1. Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Cassava, raw (FDC ID 169985).accessed .
  2. InstitutionAssociation of Academies of the Spanish Language (ASALE).Diccionario de americanismos (Dictionary of Americanisms): "yuca" (in Spanish).accessed .
  3. InstitutionRoyal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (RAE-ASALE).Diccionario de la lengua española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language, 23rd ed., online version): "mandioca" (in Spanish).accessed .
  4. InstitutionRoyal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (RAE-ASALE).Diccionario de la lengua española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language, 23rd ed., online version): "sancocho" (in Spanish).accessed .
  5. Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
  6. InstitutionFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).Roots, tubers, plantains and bananas in human nutrition (FAO, 1990), chapter 7: toxic substances and antinutritional factors (cassava toxicity).accessed .
  7. RegulatorFood Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).Cassava and bamboo shoots.accessed .
  8. RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .