You may have heard that yuca contains cyanide. This is true, but there is no cause for concern when purchasing yuca in the U.S. The yuca sold here is the sweet variety found in the Caribbean and Central America. The toxin levels in sweet yuca are low enough that peeling and cooking the yuca removes those toxins.

How do you remove cyanide from yuca?

Pounding or crushing cassava leaves and then boiling them in water is an efficient process for removal of cyanogens. Indeed, about 97% of cyanogenic glucosides are removed and cyanohydrin and free cyanide are completely removed (Nambisan 1994).

Does yuca have poison?

Yucca, although one of the most consumed carbohydrates worldwide, is dangerously toxic when consumed raw because it contains cyanogenic glucosides that trigger the release of hydrogen cyanide.