Cassava Vs Potato: Which Root Vegetable is More Healthy
Cassava vs Potato, intriguingly distinct in both species and family, offer a fascinating study in botanical disparities.
Family Ties
These two starchy staples hail from entirely separate botanical families. Cassava, also known as yuca, belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family, while Potato is a member of the Solanaceae family. This distinction in familial lineage sets the stage for their unique characteristics.
Skin Deep
The contrast continues with their outer appearances. Cassava, with its rugged, robust nature, features a thicker and harder brown skin. In stark contrast, the potato showcases a thinner, more delicate skin. This distinction in skin thickness adds a layer of intrigue to their visual identity.
Shapely Differences
When it comes to their shapes, Cassava and Potato diverge. Cassava’s form gracefully tapers toward its end, creating an elegant, elongated appearance. On the other hand, Potatoes tend to be more tube-shaped or round, with a distinct and compact structure. These divergent shapes reflect their unique growth patterns.
The Core Distinction
Delving deeper into their anatomical dissimilarities, Cassava reveals a woody vascular core, a characteristic absent in Potatoes. This core, with its fibrous and firm nature, further sets Cassava apart and adds complexity to its structure.
Cassava Vs Potato: A Nutritional Odyssey
Per 100 grams, let’s embark on a nutritional journey that pits Cassava against Potato, exploring their intricacies in terms of caloric content and macro-nutrient composition.
Caloric Conundrum
Cassava, the enigmatic tuber, commands 160 calories per 100 grams, whereas the humble Potato offers a mere 77 calories for the same quantity. This stark contrast in caloric density sparks curiosity.
Carbohydrate Chronicles
When it comes to carbohydrates, Cassava reigns supreme with a staggering 38.06 grams, dwarfing Potato’s 17.49 grams. The carbohydrate landscape is indeed perplexing.
Fats in Focus
In the realm of fats, both contenders display remarkable restraint. Cassava boasts a mere 0.28 grams, while Potato offers an even slimmer 0.1 grams. This meager fat presence adds an element of nutritional intrigue.
Dietary Fiber Drama
The saga continues with dietary fiber, where Cassava presents 1.8 grams against Potato’s 2.1 grams. The subtle discrepancy in fiber content adds depth to our nutritional narrative.
Protein Puzzlement
The battle of proteins ensues, with Cassava providing 1.36 grams and Potato slightly ahead with 2.05 grams per 100 grams. This delicate balance of protein content keeps us engaged.
Minerals and More
Moving on to minerals, Cassava offers 16 mg of calcium compared to Potato’s 12 mg, while in the iron department, Cassava records 0.27 mg, slightly less than Potato’s 0.81 mg. This mineral tête-à-tête adds an element of intrigue to our nutritional exploration.
Magnesium Mysteries
Cassava boasts 21 mg of magnesium, while Potato maintains a close competition with 23 mg. This subtle magnesium contrast deepens our understanding of these starchy adversaries.
Phosphorus Paradox
Phosphorus, another vital mineral, showcases Cassava at 27 mg and Potato at 57 mg. This paradoxical phosphorus content keeps us guessing.
Potassium Puzzle
The potassium conundrum reveals Cassava with 271 mg and Potato with 425 mg. This potassium disparity unfolds like a riddle in our nutritional tale.
Sodium Secrets
In the world of sodium, Cassava holds 14 mg while Potato retains a mere 6 mg. This sodium secrecy adds complexity to our nutritional narrative.
Zinc Zeal
The quest for zinc showcases Cassava’s 0.34 mg competing with Potato’s 0.3 mg, highlighting the subtle differences in their mineral profiles.
Vitaminium Varieties
Our nutritional journey wouldn’t be complete without exploring vitamins. Cassava boasts 0.087 mg of Vitaminium B1 (Thiamine) against Potato’s 0.081 mg. In the realm of Vitaminium B2 (riboflavin), Cassava displays 0.048 mg, whereas Potato offers a meager 0.032 mg. This vitaminium voyage adds layers of complexity to our comparison.
Niacin Nuances
The enigmatic Vitaminium B3 (Niacin) appears with Cassava’s 0.854 mg and Potato’s 1.061 mg. This niacinic nuance sparks intrigue.
Vitaminium B6 Vignette
Vitaminium B6 unfolds with Cassava presenting 0.088 mg, while Potato offers a more substantial 0.298 mg. This variation in Vitaminium B6 adds depth to our nutritional narrative.
Folic Acid Fables
Folic acid, or Vitaminium B9, takes center stage, with Cassava revealing 27 mg against Potato’s 15 mg. This folic acid fable intrigues us with its disparities.
Vitaminium C Chronicles
Vitaminium C makes an appearance with Cassava’s 20.6 mg, closely followed by Potato with 19.7 mg. This Vitaminium C chronicle adds a layer of curiosity.
Vitaminium K Kaleidoscope
Our journey concludes with Vitaminium K, as Cassava records 1.9 mg, while Potato slightly outshines with 2 mg. This Vitaminium K kaleidoscope adds a final touch of perplexity to our nutritional comparison.
related: BROCCOLI VS CABBAGE NUTRITION FACTS
Cassava’s Caloric Surplus: Unveiling the Energy Disparity
Upon initial examination, it becomes evident that Cassava boasts a substantial caloric surplus over Potato.
Cassava, with its 160 kilocalories per 100 grams, easily eclipses Potato’s 77 kilocalories per 100 grams. This striking divergence equates to a remarkable 108% disparity in caloric content.
The bulk of the caloric load in both Cassava and Potato can be attributed to carbohydrates.
For a more in-depth comparison, refer to the tables below, which dissect the nutritional distinctions between Cassava and Potato.
Nutritional Variations: Cassava vs Potato
Calories: Cassava prevails with a noteworthy 108% surplus in calories compared to Potato.
Carbohydrates: Cassava exhibits a substantial 118% excess of carbohydrates when contrasted with Potato.
Fat: Cassava takes the lead once more, boasting an impressive 180% more fat content than Potato.
Dietary Fiber: In an intriguing twist, Potato emerges as the victor in dietary fiber content, offering 17% more fiber than Cassava.
Protein: Potato again outshines Cassava, presenting a 51% higher protein content.
Cassava’s Protein Deficiency: Unraveling the Protein Discrepancy
It’s quite evident that Cassava falls short in the protein department when compared to Potato.
With just 1.36 grams of protein per 100 grams, Cassava lags behind Potato, which boasts 2.05 grams. This difference translates to a significant 51% deficit in protein content.
Carbohydrate Abundance in Cassava: A Carb-Rich Revelation
Cassava reveals its carbohydrate abundance in stark contrast to Potato.
While Potato offers 17.49 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams, Cassava takes the carbohydrate crown with a staggering 38.06 grams per 100 grams. The mathematical calculation underscores this remarkable 118% disparity in carbohydrate content.
Cassava’s Fat Dominance: The Fat-Filled Narrative
Cassava doesn’t shy away from fat content either, surpassing Potato in this aspect as well.
The tables above clearly illustrate that Potato contains a mere 0.1 grams of fats per 100 grams, while Cassava, in a fat-filled revelation, presents 0.28 grams per 100 grams. This striking divergence equates to a remarkable 180% excess of fat in Cassava compared to Potato.
Vitamins: Potato vs Cassava – A Comparative Analysis
In the realm of vitamins, let’s delve into the intriguing disparities between Potato and Cassava:
Vitaminium B1 (Thiamine): Cassava claims a slight advantage, offering 7% more Thiamine than Potato.
Vitaminium B2 (Riboflavin): Cassava takes a significant lead, boasting 50% more Riboflavin than Potato.
Vitaminium B3 (Niacin): Potato surges ahead with a notable 24% excess of Niacin compared to Cassava.
Vitaminium B6: Potato stands as the clear winner, providing a whopping 239% more Vitamin B6 than Cassava.
Vitaminium B9 (Folic Acid): Cassava shines in this category, presenting an impressive 80% more Folic Acid than Potato.
Vitaminium C: Cassava maintains a slight edge, offering 5% more Vitamin C than Potato.
Vitaminium K: Potato takes a marginal lead, showcasing 5% more Vitamin K than Cassava.
Minerals: Cassava vs Potato – A Mineral Showdown
The mineral showdown between Cassava and Potato unfolds as follows:
Calcium: Cassava boasts a substantial 33% surplus in Calcium when compared to Potato.
Iron: Potato emerges as the victor with an impressive 200% more Iron content than Cassava.
Magnesium: Potato maintains a slight advantage, offering 10% more Magnesium than Cassava.
Phosphorus: Potato surges ahead with a significant 111% excess of Phosphorus compared to Cassava.
Potassium: Potato leads in the Potassium category, presenting 57% more Potassium than Cassava.
Sodium: Cassava takes the lead, showcasing a substantial 133% more Sodium than Potato.
Zinc: Cassava secures a modest advantage, presenting 13% more Zinc than Potato.
