What is Jicama?

What kind of vegetable is it?

Jicama is a legume, even though it may not look like a bean. It’s cultivated by its tuber roots. These roots supply fiber, vitamins, carbohydrates, and minerals to one’s diet. They resemble a potato, more so than a bean.

Are there different types?

There are two types of jicama. The most common one, called jicama de agua, is widely available at markets across North America. In contrast, jicama de leche is less common to find and eat.

The main difference between the two is that jicama de agua is round and squat with translucent watery color, hence aqua, Spanish for water. Leche in Spanish means milk, and jicama de leche is more tapered in shape with a milky juice coloring.

What does it look like?

The vegetable itself is brown on the outside with a white interior. The plant can grow up to 20 feet in length, sprouting leaves and seed pods. The roots develop underground and are the only edible portion. The flowers on the plant are blue and white. The legumes, or seed pods, produce fruit, which is removed to allow the tubers to grow. The tube itself is irregularly globular.

Generally, where is it grown?

Since jicama can only grow in warmer climates, it is typically grown in South America, Mexico, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. It originated from the Aztecs and Mayans and is a Spanish vegetable native to Mexico and Central America.

How is it harvested?

Jicama is grown as a perennial vine but is treated as an annual because the plant is killed during harvest. It’s planted into the soil and begins to grow like a pole bean. The vine grows where white and blue flowers bloom, but the root itself is slow-growing and can take up to 6 months to develop.

When the vine dies back some, that’s when you know it’s time to harvest. Farmers carefully follow the vine back down to the tuber in the soil, and use a shovel or fork to lift the jicama out, then cut the vine off.

When is the season?

Because jicama requires warm temperatures, summer is the best time for it to grow. It requires a lot of sun because it’s considered a tropical plant. The growing season is long and needs to be undisturbed throughout.

What does it taste like?

When eating jicama, most people compare it to an apple, such as a Honey Crisp or Red Delicious. It’s crisp and juicy. But it’s also somewhat watery and resembles a water chestnut. It’s sweet and starchy, with a smooth feel in the mouth.

Can you eat the skin?

Unfortunately, unlike other fruits and vegetables, whose edible skins contain nutrients, the skin of the jicama is actually toxic. The exposed seeds and stems contain a natural isoflavone compound called rotenone. This insecticide protects the plant from predators. However, rotenone is toxic to humans, fish, and, of course, insects.

This insecticide crosses the blood-brain barrier and cell membranes, where it can generate free radicals and damage DNA, fatty acids, and other mitochondrial components. The seed pods can be consumed, but only when they are young. The mature ones develop the rotenone and become toxic. So, honestly, only eat the fleshy root portion.

What to look for at the market

As with most fruits and vegetables, you look for a firm, unbruised exterior. The jicama should be dry, and the skin should not appear shriveled, bruised, or blemished. It should not be discolored or molded.

Select jicama that are either 4 pounds or under; they provide better quality, whereas larger ones may seem like you’re getting more, but in reality, they’re more fibrous and starchier and not as crisp or sweet.

How do you store it at home?

Keep unpeeled jicama in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. This ensures their lifetime of about 2 to 3 weeks. If you cut the jicama, wrap it in plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge in a drawer, it will last for about a week.

Be careful not to store at too low a temperature, or you risk chilling injury, which causes decay, discoloration, and loss of texture. The vegetable needs to remain dry at all times.

Ways to use Jicama

• Cut into cubes, toss with avocado, chopped fennel, and add red onion for a salad. Accompanied by olive oil, lime juice, and cilantro to add some freshness.
• Create a fruit salad by adding apples, pineapple, pear, and other fruits you prefer—slice or dice them to add a crunchy, fresh element.
• Use it to replace cabbage in a coleslaw by shredding it.
• Pickle and ferment it with sweet bell peppers, sliced onion, vinegar, and spices.
• Diced jicama, sweet peppers, hot pepper flakes, and pickling spices combine to create a nice, spicy jicama relish.

The health benefits

Jicama is extremely rich in vitamin C and vitamin A. It also contains folate, iron, potassium, and magnesium. The roots have omega-3 and D-6 fatty acids as well. Oligofructose inulin is a prebiotic fiber found in jicama, and this helps to stimulate the growth of “good” bacteria in your gut. Inulin has also been shown to help the body absorb more calcium from the foods we eat, which supports bone health.

Jicama is also extremely fiber-forward and is low in calories. The high fiber content is great for the digestive system, helping normalize bowel function and prevent constipation. However, consuming too much fiber can bind to other vital minerals, such as calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium.

Is it a superfood?

Jicama is the new superfood, replacing chia seeds. It contains 3 times the fiber found in oatmeal and includes the prebiotic fibers oligofructose and inulin. It’s 40% of the calories and carbs of a potato with only 1/10^th of the glycemic load, while also containing 43% of vitamin C.

A recommended 1 cup (130 grams) of raw jicama provides 6.4 g of dietary fiber. Jicama is healthy, but too much of it can cause a loss of other nutrients and minerals due to its high fiber content. The fiber absorbs other nutrients and minerals your body is absorbing.

Recommended serving size

If you are on a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet, one cup of fresh jicama would be the best. Honestly, any more than 1 cup is overboard for your body and too much fiber since it’s already 24% of your daily value.