7 Side Effects of Cassava Leaves for Health – You Need to Consider
Cassava leaf is one of green vegetables that can be easily found around us. It has high content of nutrition and a lot benefits for our health. Cassava leaves can be an alternative for other vegetables with the same nutrients as spinach, kangkong or Sauropus androgynus or as we call katuk leaves.
Although, if we consume cassava leaves excessively it can cause some health problems that will interfere with our daily activities.
Nutrition of cassava leaves
- High amount of dietary fiber, which is good for the digestive system and can prevent constipation
- High protein, which is good for building children’s intelligence
- Iron and calories respectively can prevent anemia and as a fuel for us to do daily activity
- Vitamin A and B17 for our eye tissue’s and skin health
- Phosphor and calcium to form bone mass and strenghten bone from the inside
Side Effects of Cassava Leaves
Excessive consumption of cassava leaves can trigger some complaints, such as:
1. Food poisoning
There are some side effects of cassava leaves to know. Cassava leaves contain linamarin and lotaustraline chemical compound that potentially can be cyanide if it accumulates and irritates body tissue. This will occur as food poisoning, with vomiting as one of the symptoms. You may also read: Dangers of Cassava Leaves for Body Health #Need to Know!
2. Stomachache
Consuming excessive cassava leaves can produce high level of gastric acid, gastric wall’s pressure will elevate and become irritated because of cassava leaves’ chemical compounds. The cyanide compounds will mess up the performance an system of gastrointestinal tissues. This will lead to stomachache, nausea and vomitting.
3. Headache
Linamarin and lotaustraline compounds in cassava leaves can act as a poison that inhibit the blood flowing inside of head area and trigger nerves muscles to become stiff. This will lead to a continuous headache.
4. Asphyxiation
The cyanide in cassava leaves potentially inhibit and construct the respiratory tracts. This will lead to asphyxiation, chest pain and the feeling of being squeezed by a heavy object. You may also read: Side Effects of Wolfberry for Health You Need to Consider.
5. Increase of cholesterol level
For people who have high cholesterol level in their blood, it is better to avoid the consumption of cassava leaves. It will elevate cholesterol level and it can lead to blockage in blood vessels. This can be fatal because it will affect the performance of our vital organs, especially the heart. You may also read: Side Effects of Too Much Vitamin C
6. Increase of uric acid level
Consuming cassava leaves for people with gout is not a good thing, let alone consuming an excessive amount of it. Cassava leaves has purin content that can elevate the amount of uric acid in blood. This will lead to joint pain. You may also read: Natural Ways to Cure Uric Acid without Medicine but Herbal Treatments.
7. Increase of blood pressure
People with high blood pressure actually are allowed to consume cassava leaves, only in moderate amount. It is suggested to not use coconut milk during the process. Fat in coconut milk can affect blood pressure and inhibit the blood flow. That’s the side effects of cassava leaves you need to figure out.
Bad combination of cassava leaves
Cassava leaves can be dangerous for our health if we combine it with other type of food. It can make things worse for people with high blood pressure, gout, and vertigo.
1. Cassava leaves and beef
For people with gout and have high blood pressure, it is better to avoid the consumption of cassava leaves boiled in coconut milk, combined with beef. This also applies for chicken meat, lamb etc. It is better to avoid this type of combination because this combination can elevate blood pressure and purin content in blood.
2. Cassava leaves processed with palm oil
Processing cassava leaves by stir-frying it using palm oil will somehow increase the amount of linamarin and lotaustraline that contain cyanide to be more activated and dangerous if consumed by people with high blood pressure, gout and vertigo. This will cause blood flows very rapidly, elevate uric acid, and triger head pain as for vertigo sufferer. You may also read: Is Seedless Papaya Good For Health?
3. Raw cassava leaves combined with spinach and kangkong
There is a tasty Javanese dish called Urap, it is basically a combination of raw cassava leaves, spinach and kangkong. Cassava leaves have cyanide compound it it, spinach has high iron compound, and kangkong has high amount of purin. Thus, people with high blood pressure, gout and vertigo should avoid this type of food because it will trigger the pain and make the recovery process slower.
Alternative vegetables or substitutes for cassava leaves, that are proven to be safe for people with high blood pressure, gout and vertigo.
Basically, consumption of cassava leaves is recommended for people who do not have high blood pressure, gout and vertigo. If cassava leaves are consumed in a moderate amount by healthy people, the nutrients are going to be beneficial for health.
The benefits are preventing anemia, increasing the quality of mother’s milk and also preventing constipation. There are a lot of benefits of cassava leaves for health.
For people with high blood pressure, gout and vertigo, it is better to substitute cassava leaves with lettuce, chayote, carrot, green beans because they are proven to be safe for not having purin or cyanide compound. These alternatives can also fulfill the needs of vitamins and fiber as cassava leaves.
