For many parents, cassava leaves—locally known as isombe—are among the essential items they rarely leave the market without buying. Once purchased, the leaves are mixed with various vegetables, pounded, cooked, and can last for several days.

Some families say they can spend an entire week simply reheating isombe, only needing to prepare rice or ubugari (maize or cassava flour).

Mukamana Verdiane, a resident of Gisozi in the City of Kigali, a mother of six, says she spends between 5,000 and 8,000 Rwandan francs on cassava leaves, which can sustain her household for about four days without buying other vegetables.

To ensure her family gets adequate nutrients, she enriches cassava leaves with a variety of green vegetables, including onions, leeks, celery, garlic, ginger, spinach, green pepper and beetroot. She adds groundnuts flour, and when her budget allows, meat-bones is added.

The dish is seasoned with common spices such as goût, isombe seasoning, and stock cubes, then cooked using palm oil.

“Although we call it isombe, cassava leaves alone are not enough,” Mukamana explains. “The real meal comes from combining them with other vegetables. These days, I can go nearly four days without buying vegetables—when I get home, I just reheat the isombe and cook ubugari.”

Another parent buying cassava leaves at the Gisozi market, near the sector office, says isombe helps her manage a clear and stable household budget. Beyond reducing the need to cook fresh vegetables daily, it enables her to plan monthly food expenses more accurately.

“It’s easy to budget,” she says. “I buy cassava leaves worth 8,000 francs and they last a week. That means 32,000 francs per month on isombe. Then I spend about 2,500 francs per day on rice or ubugari, totaling around 75,000 francs per month.”

She adds that although the family does not rely exclusively on cassava leaves, this method of planning helps her keep food expenses under control. Overall, her household survives on food costing no more than 110,000 francs per month, excluding beverages.

Cassava leaves are rich in nutrients – Nutrition Experts

A mother who came to buy cassava leaves while carrying her baby, says she enjoys isombe for its taste and because it helps her produce enough breast milk.

Nutritionist Dr. Réné Tabaro explains that cassava leaves are rich in protein, which helps build and repair body tissues. “It’s not only about increasing breast milk,” he says. “Cassava leaves also contain essential minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium, which strengthen bones and teeth, support muscle function, and enhance brain performance.”

Research supported by modern technology, including AI-assisted nutrition studies, shows that minerals found in cassava leaves help boost immunity, protect against heart-related diseases, and maintain proper fluid balance in the body.

Dr. Tabaro adds that isombe also contains important vitamins, and its nutritional value increases significantly when cooked, mixed with a variety of vegetables.

“These vegetables contain antioxidants that fight harmful substances in the body, helping to prevent diseases. They also provide minerals, while the oils used in cooking supply energy,” he explains.

However, Dr. Tabaro cautions that cassava leaves naturally contain a toxic compound known as hydrocyanic acid. If isombe is cooked while tightly covered, this substance can pose health risks.

“Cassava leaves must be cooked uncovered,” he advises. “When cooked this way, the toxic acid evaporates into the air. Cooking them covered can be dangerous—there are cases where animals die after consuming cassava leaves in farms.”

He adds that while the toxin may not cause severe effects in humans, some people may experience headaches or stomach pain if isombe is cooked incorrectly.