Introduction
Jicama is often considered an excellent substitute for potatoes and water chestnuts in recipes calling for them. However, did one know it offers a wide array of nutrients? There are also safety concerns related to other parts of the plant, rather than the vegetable itself, which is safest for consumption. Read the article to learn more about its nutrition, safety considerations, contraindications, benefits, and optimal ways to incorporate it into a diet.
What Is Jicama?
Jicama is a popular root vegetable with thick brown-colored skin and a white, crisp inner flesh that boasts a juicy consistency. Colloquially known as the Mexican jam bean, and in some countries as the Mexican potato, sweet turnip, or Mexican turnip, all these names refer exclusively to the jicama vegetable. Jicama can be easily sliced and enjoyed raw. However, it is a versatile ingredient to experiment with in various recipes to reap its optimal nutritional benefits.
What Are the Nutritional Content of Jicama?
One cup, or approximately 4.232 ounces, of raw jicama, would yield only about 46 calories, 0.030 ounces of protein, and around 0.373 ounces of carbohydrates. This vegetable is negligible in fat content, hardly possessing 0.003 ounces of fat per 4.232 ounces serving. Jicamas are excellent sources of dietary fiber and immune-boosting vitamin C for the body's metabolism. The following nutrition information has been provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for 4.232 ounces (120 grams) of raw sliced jicama veggie:
- Fiber: 0.207 ounces.
- Sugar: 0.076 ounces.
- Starch: 0.105 ounces.
- Fat: 0.003 ounces.
- Sodium: 0.000 ounces.
- Carbohydrates: 0.373 ounces.
- Protein: 0.030 ounces.
- Total Calories: 46 kilocalories
As evidenced by the above nutrition information, this root vegetable is high in fiber content, making it an ideal low-glycemic food with a glycemic load of approximately 10, according to nutritionists. Consumption of jicama poses no issue for diabetics or prediabetic patients. Jicama, being naturally low in fat, contains less than 0.001 ounces of heart-healthy polyunsaturated fat per serving. Even the limited fat it contains is considered beneficial and cardioprotective, as it consists of polyunsaturated fat, contributing to cardiovascular health.
While jicamas are not significant sources of protein, they provide small amounts. However, the array of micronutrients present, apart from essential vitamin C, is known to aid in iron absorption and is deemed beneficial in the wound healing process. Small amounts of vitamin E (up to 0 ounces, approximately four percent of the reference daily intake), folate (up to four percent of recommended daily intake (RDI), vitamin B6 (up to three percent of RDI,), and smaller amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid (up to two percent of RDI each) can be derived from this vegetable.
What Are the Health Benefits of Jicama?
Jicama has promising health benefits according to current nutrition research.
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Research is investigating the use of prebiotic veggies like jicama, loaded with healthy fiber that supports beneficial bacteria in the mouth (promoting oral health) and aids in maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, thereby digestion. Preliminary research, including meta-analysis reports published in 2018, suggests that the dietary fiber present in jicama may potentially reduce the risk of colon cancers. While dietary fiber adds bulk to stools, its prebiotic compounds contribute to healthy bacterial colonization in the gut. Additionally, its high vitamin C content may boost antioxidant potential, thereby enhancing digestive immunity.
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Some research studies suggest a possible link between dietary fiber intake in jicama and a reduced inflammatory pathway (positively affecting neurotransmitters) in the body, which could potentially prevent depression.
What Are the Possible Contraindications of Jicama?
Jicama is also surprisingly a legume vegetable. However, if one of the few individuals predisposed to common allergens like peanuts or soy, then consuming this vegetable could trigger oral allergy syndrome. Symptoms of oral allergy may include mouth itching and oral mucosal or skin reactions. If someone's loved ones experience any symptoms after consuming jicama, it is important to immediately report the condition to a professional healthcare provider or allergist.
Are There Safety Concerns Regarding Other Parts of the Jicama Plant?
Though the flesh of jicama is considered safe for consumption, other parts of the jicama plant are typically deemed unsafe for both humans and animals. This is due to the presence of compounds, such as rotenone, found in its stems or seeds, which naturally act as insecticides. Rotenone is toxic and is commonly used to kill fish.
In animal models and animals themselves, exposure to rotenone has been linked to various adverse effects including vomiting, mental imbalance or incoordination, severe muscle tremors, and clonic convulsions. Additionally, rotenone may induce cardiovascular issues such as rapid heartbeat or tachycardia, and low blood pressure or hypotension. Severe exposure or consumption of this insecticide compound may result in life-threatening consequences, even leading to death in animals.
While research on humans regarding this compound is limited and may not necessarily lead to mortality, it is advisable to avoid exposure to even small quantities of rotenone. Therefore, any part of the yam bean or jicama plant, except for its root, is highly unsafe for consumption.
What Are the Considerations for Purchasing and Storing Jicama?
One would mainly come across two main varieties of jicama globally. The jicama de agua, characterized by a rounded large root, is deemed the most common root veggie grown and consumed in several parts of the United States. The other variety, jicama de leche, is equally popular, having a more elongated root with milky consistency juice inside.
When one buys the jicama vegetable, always make sure that it has smooth skin, and it should ideally feel heavy for its size. It is wiser to choose the medium-sized or smaller jicamas because the larger versions are usually much less flavorful. Jicama vegetables, when well refrigerated, would stay fresh for usually about two to a maximum of three weeks. One should always take care to cover any exposed areas of this vegetable when one stores it by using plastic wrap to minimize exposure to air.
What Are the Best Ways to Use Jicama in Culinary?
The best way to eliminate the tough brown skin of this vegetable is to use a paring knife or a vegetable peeler before one cooks it or consumes it raw. Jicama surprisingly, for a legume, resembles a potato uncannily, with its taste being extremely crisp and similar to that of savory red apples. It has a nutty flavor to it, and its crispiness makes it ideal for dips like hummus, salsa, or other savory veggie dips. Though raw jicama is equally delicious as the cooked form, one can experiment with it in versatile ways. It can be added to vegetable stir-fries, or one can sauté it with some onions, peppers, or fries.
One can incorporate jicama into a daily salad as a topper, or coleslaw, or use it like culinary experts commonly do in an Asian shrimp salad. Additionally, one can add this veggie to salsa, where it is best paired with corn and black beans. The veggie can also be stuffed into spring rolls for its nutty flavor.
Conclusion
Jicama is hence a safe, vitamin C-rich root vegetable to consume with an array of several micronutrients in it. It can be an excellent substitute for potato and water chestnut. Care should be taken by individuals to avoid consumption of other parts of the jicama plant like the stem or seeds that have insecticide compounds present in them. Individuals with allergies to legumes, peanuts, or soy should also refrain from consuming jicama.
