Is cassava flour gluten free? Yes. Cassava is a root, not a grain, and it has no gluten. Coeliac UK lists cassava (manioc) and tapioca as gluten free. If you need to avoid gluten for medical reasons, there is one more thing to check: the label.
Why the label still matters
Cassava itself has no gluten, but flour can pick up traces of wheat in fields, mills or packing plants. In the US, a food can only be labeled gluten free if it has less than 20 parts per million of gluten, under the FDA gluten free labeling rule.
If you have celiac disease, look for a gluten free label on the bag, and ask your doctor or dietitian if you are unsure.
Cassava flour vs wheat flour
- Wheat flour contains gluten, the protein that gives bread its stretch.
- Cassava flour has no gluten, so doughs are softer and less stretchy.
Read cassava flour vs wheat flour.
What about organic?
Gluten free and organic are two different things. Gluten free is about what is in the flour. Organic is about how the cassava was grown. If organic matters to you, look for a USDA Organic seal on the bag.
What you can make with cassava flour
- Pancakes, flatbreads and tortillas
- Cookies and brownies
- Thickened soups and sauces
- Swallow, stirred into hot water
See how to cook with cassava flour.
Never eat raw cassava
Raw cassava root contains natural compounds that proper processing removes. A 2009 review in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety reports that making cassava into flour removes 96 to 99 percent of them. Buy cassava flour from a seller you trust.
Questions people ask
Is cassava gluten free? Yes. Cassava is a root and has no gluten.
Is tapioca gluten free? Yes. Tapioca is the starch from cassava, and Coeliac UK lists it as gluten free.
Is cassava flour safe for celiac disease? Cassava has no gluten, but check for a gluten free label and ask your doctor.
Is cassava flour healthy? We make no health claims. It is a useful gluten free flour for cooking and baking.
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