Nutritional Benefits and Potential Risks of Jicama

Jicama is a versatile root vegetable. It has a crisp, juicy texture and numerous nutritional benefits.

Eating parts of the plant other than the bulb-like root, however, can be toxic.

What Is Jicama?

Jicama (pronounced “he-cama”), also known as singkamas or jambean, is grown in Mexico, explains the University of California. The above-ground part of the plant is a vigorous spreading vine that can reach several feet in diameter and produce blue or white flowers and pods similar to lima beans.

Underground, the globe-shaped, golden brown starchy root of jicama is about the size of a turnip. It has white flesh that’s most commonly eaten raw. Fresh jicama tastes very similar to apples: light, crisp, and sweet.

You can dice, slice, or cut jicama into strips for use in salads, with dips, or as a garnish.

Nutritional Benefits of Jicama

One cup of raw jicama, sliced, contains 46 calories and no fat or cholesterol, according to MyFoodData.

Most of the calories in jicama come from its carbohydrate content, with 10.6 grams (g) in each cup of the raw vegetable. Your body needs carbs for energy required to fuel your muscles, brain, heart, and nervous system.

Although jicama is not a particularly good source of protein, providing only 0.9 g per cup, the tuber provides a variety of minerals. According to MyFoodData, the daily values (DV) of some of the key nutrients in jicama are:

• 6 percent DV for copper
• 4 percent DV for iron and potassium
• 3 percent DV for magnesium and manganese
• 2 percent DV for phosphorus and zinc

A cup of sliced raw jicama also provides an abundance of vitamins, especially vitamin C. According to MyFoodData, some of these include:

• 27 percent DV for vitamin C
• 4 percent DV for folate and vitamin E
• 3 percent DV for choline

In addition, jicama also contains many of the B vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and vitamin B6.

Fiber Content of Jicama

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that people get a certain amount of fiber per day, depending on their age and sex. For adult females, it’s between 22 and 28 g, and for adult males, it’s 28 to 34 g.

A cup of fresh jicama contains 5.9 g of fiber, or roughly 24 percent of the DV on a 2,000-calorie per day diet.

Fiber is important for digestion, as it normalizes bowel function and prevents constipation. (Too much fiber, however, can cause diarrhea and digestive upset.)

What to Know About Jicama Toxicity

Only the fleshy root portion of the jicama plant is safe to eat. The seeds and stems of the plant contain a natural isoflavone compound called rotenone. Rotenone acts as a natural pesticide to protect the plant, but it can be toxic to humans in large amounts, according to Cleveland Clinic.

To be safe, only eat the tuber, and be sure to peel off the thick, fibrous outer skin.