Cassava & Plantain: The Traditional Carbohydrates Redefining Modern Sports Fuelling
The carbohydrates humans have relied on for generations
Cassava and plantain are not new.
They are not experimental.
They are not a trend created by sports science or supplement culture.
They are traditional carbohydrate foundations that have supported communities for generations.
Across Africa, the Caribbean, and South America, cassava and plantain have been everyday staple foods used to support physically demanding lifestyles, movement, recovery and sustained energy needs.
And yet, in modern sports nutrition, they are rarely part of the conversation.
Instead, we often hear about oats, rice, pasta, gels, powders and engineered sports products.
But long before sports science existed, humans understood one simple principle:
To move, perform and recover, the body needs fuel.
And the body’s preferred fuel source for high-demand activity has always been carbohydrates.
The fuel system the body actually runs on
Cassava and plantain are naturally carbohydrate-rich foods.
The carbohydrates they provide are broken down into glucose, which is used by the body to fuel working muscles, support the brain and replenish glycogen stores.
Carbohydrates are essential for:
- Endurance performance
- High-intensity exercise
- Repeated efforts
- Training adaptation
- Recovery between sessions
When carbohydrate availability matches training demands, the body has the energy it needs to perform and recover.
When carbohydrate availability is too low, performance can suffer.
Athletes may experience:
- Reduced training quality
- Lower energy levels
- Poor concentration
- Slower recovery
- Increased fatigue
This is why carbohydrate fuelling is not just a performance strategy.
It is a foundation of supporting the body’s ability to train consistently.
Why cassava and plantain have lasted for generations
These foods did not become important because they were marketed.
They became important because they solved a fundamental human need:
reliable energy.
For generations, cassava and plantain have supported:
- Long working days
- Farming and physical labour
- Travel and movement
- Training and sport
- Recovery after repeated effort
They are not a performance hack.
They are not a new discovery.
They are examples of how cultures around the world have built food systems around providing enough energy to support active lives.
More than just carbohydrates
Cassava and plantain are often reduced to simply being “starch”.
But alongside their carbohydrate content, they naturally provide important nutrients.
Plantain
Plantain provides:
Potassium
Supports normal muscle function, fluid balance and nerve signalling.
Vitamin B6
Contributes to normal energy metabolism and nervous system function.
Magnesium
Supports normal muscle function and energy metabolism.
Vitamin C
Supports immune function and protection from oxidative stress.
Cassava
Cassava provides:
Manganese
Supports normal energy metabolism and protection from oxidative stress.
Folate
Contributes to normal cell division and red blood cell formation.
Trace minerals
Including nutrients such as copper, zinc and magnesium depending on growing conditions.
Together, cassava and plantain provide:
- A carbohydrate-rich energy source
- Support for glycogen replenishment
- Nutrients involved in energy metabolism
- Greater diversity within carbohydrate intake
These nutrients do not replace carbohydrates.
They support the systems that allow the body to use energy effectively.
Why carbohydrate diversity matters
Modern sports nutrition has created incredible tools, from gels to powders and specialised recovery products.
However, many athletes rely on a limited number of carbohydrate sources.
Rice.
Pasta.
Oats.
Bread.
Gels.
These foods can all play an important role.
But carbohydrate diversity matters because different foods provide different textures, nutrients and digestion experiences.
Cassava and plantain offer another option.
They provide athletes with a traditional, whole-food carbohydrate source that can be incorporated alongside existing fuelling strategies.
The goal is not to replace every other carbohydrate.
The goal is to give athletes more options.
Why gut tolerance matters when fuelling
Many athletes do not struggle because they do not understand the importance of fuelling.
They struggle because they cannot always tolerate the fuel they are trying to consume.
Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are common in sport.
Research has shown that approximately 30–50% of athletes experience GI symptoms during exercise, with prevalence reported even higher in endurance athletes.
Symptoms such as:
- Nausea
- Stomach cramps
- Bloating
- Diarrhoea
can reduce carbohydrate intake, affect performance and, in some cases, end a race.
During exercise, several factors contribute:
Physiological stress
Blood flow is redirected away from the digestive system towards working muscles, reducing digestion and absorption.
Mechanical stress
Running impact and cycling posture can increase pressure on the gastrointestinal tract.
Nutritional factors
The type, timing and concentration of food and fluids can influence tolerance.
Finding fuel your gut can handle
Not every carbohydrate source works the same for every athlete.
Some athletes tolerate higher-fibre foods well, while others find them harder to digest before exercise.
Before training or racing, many athletes benefit from choosing carbohydrate sources that are:
- Familiar
- Easy to digest
- Lower in fibre
- Appropriate for their individual tolerance
Traditional carbohydrate foods such as cassava and plantain are naturally carbohydrate-rich and are often used as lower-fibre alternatives compared with some wholegrain options.
This does not mean they work better for everyone.
Gut tolerance is individual.
The best fuel is the fuel that provides enough energy and that you can consistently consume.
The link between under-fuelling, LEA and RED-S
One of the biggest problems in sport is not eating too much.
It is not eating enough.
When athletes repeatedly fail to match their energy intake with their training demands, they can develop Low Energy Availability (LEA).
LEA means the body does not have enough energy remaining after exercise to support important functions such as:
- Hormone regulation
- Bone health
- Recovery
- Immunity
- Metabolism
Over time, LEA can contribute to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S).
RED-S affects much more than performance.
It can impact:
- Bone health
- Injury risk
- Hormonal function
- Recovery
- Immune function
- Mental wellbeing
A common response to gut issues or fear around fuelling is to eat less.
But reducing carbohydrate intake and overall energy availability can make the problem worse.
The goal is not restriction.
The goal is finding a fuelling strategy that allows athletes to meet their needs.
Why we created RED-SCUE
RED-SCUE was created because I experienced this challenge personally.
I struggled with IBS and gut issues around sports fuelling and found that many traditional sports nutrition products did not work well for me.
I wanted to create something different.
Not another highly processed fuel.
Not another product built around restriction.
A carbohydrate-first energy bar built around real-food ingredients.
RED-SCUE is the first energy bar built around cassava and plantain fufu as its carbohydrate foundation, bringing traditional carbohydrate sources into modern sports nutrition.
Inspired by staple foods used across Africa, the Caribbean and South America, RED-SCUE combines traditional carbohydrate knowledge with evidence-based fuelling principles.
Our aim is simple:
Create fuel that athletes can actually use.
Before training.
During longer sessions.
After exercise.
Because when fuel works with your gut, you are far more likely to consume enough of it.
Why cassava and plantain belong in modern sports nutrition
Cassava and plantain are not replacing the carbohydrates athletes already use.
They are expanding the conversation.
They represent:
- Real-food carbohydrate sources
- Greater carbohydrate diversity
- Traditional food systems meeting modern performance needs
- Fuel designed around consistency, not restriction
We combine cassava and plantain with functional whole-food ingredients such as baobab, moringa and beetroot to support a complete approach to performance nutrition.
The goal is not complexity.
The goal is usable energy that holds up under load.
The bigger picture
Sports nutrition continues to evolve.
But one thing has not changed.
The human body still needs carbohydrates to support movement, endurance and performance.
Cassava and plantain are not new discoveries.
They are reminders of a food system that existed long before sports science formalised fuelling strategies.
And they are still doing what they have always done:
providing reliable energy the body can actually use when it matters.
References
Oliveira EP, Burini RC, Jeukendrup AE.
Gastrointestinal Complaints During Exercise: Prevalence, Etiology, and Nutritional Recommendations. Sports Medicine, 2014.
Mountjoy M et al.
International Olympic Committee consensus statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). British Journal of Sports Medicine.
