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The ‘World’s Deadliest Food’ Claims Over 200 Lives Every Year — Yet Nearly 500 Million People Still Eat It
It may look harmless sitting on a plate, but one of the world’s most widely consumed foods is also one of its most dangerous.
Cassava — a starchy root vegetable eaten daily by nearly 500 million people worldwide — has earned the unsettling nickname “the world’s deadliest food.” When prepared incorrectly, it can release lethal toxins capable of causing serious illness or death. Despite this risk, cassava remains a dietary staple across large parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
So why do so many people continue to eat something so dangerous?
A Staple That Feeds Millions
Cassava is prized for one simple reason: survival. The crop grows well in poor soil, resists drought, and can remain underground for months without spoiling. In regions vulnerable to famine, cassava is often the difference between eating and going hungry.
The root is rich in carbohydrates and provides an affordable source of calories for families who may have few alternatives. In many rural communities, cassava isn’t just food — it’s food security.
The Hidden Danger Inside
What makes cassava dangerous is its natural production of cyanogenic compounds, which can release hydrogen cyanide when the plant is damaged or improperly processed. If consumed raw or underprepared, cassava can cause cyanide poisoning.
Symptoms can range from dizziness and vomiting to paralysis, organ failure, and death. Health experts estimate that more than 200 people die each year from cassava-related poisoning, though the real number may be higher due to underreporting in remote regions.
In extreme cases, long-term consumption of poorly processed cassava has been linked to a neurological condition known as konzo, which causes irreversible paralysis, particularly in children and women of childbearing age.
Preparation Is a Matter of Life and Death
The key difference between cassava as nourishment and cassava as poison lies in how it is prepared.
Traditional processing methods — such as soaking, fermenting, drying, and thoroughly cooking the root — can remove most of the toxins. Communities that follow these techniques carefully have eaten cassava safely for generations.
Problems arise during times of war, famine, or climate disaster, when people may skip crucial preparation steps due to hunger, lack of clean water, or time constraints. In those moments, desperation turns a survival food into a deadly risk.
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