Jicama

Jicama is one species in the genus Pachyrhizus. Plants in this genus are commonly referred to as yam bean, although the term "yam bean" can be another name for jicama. The other major species of yam beans are also indigenous within the Americas. Its sweet flavor comes from the oligofructose inulin (also called fructo-oligosaccharide) which is a prebiotic.

Jicama is often paired with chili powder, cilantro, ginger, lemon, lime, oranges, red onion, salsa, sesame oil, grilled fish and soy sauce. It can be cut into thin wedges and dipped in salsa. In Mexico, it is popular in salads, fresh fruit combos, fruit bars, soups, and other cooked dishes.Very high levels of oil and fat In contrast to the root, the remainder of the jicama plant is very poisonous; the seeds contain the toxin rotenone, which is used to poison insects and fish.

Jicama Nutrition Facts: Calories, Carbs, and Health Benefits

Jicama is 90.07% water, 8.82% carbohydrates, 0.72% protein, and contains negligible fat. One medium jicama supplies you with 58.124 grams of carbohydrates, which is 44.71 percent of the minimum of 130 grams of carbohydrates you should have daily. That same a 100 gram reference serving of jicama provides 38 calories and has a high content of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), containing 26.93% of the Daily Value (DV) per 100-gram amount (right table of USDA nutrient values). This means if your diet contains jicama, it helps your body to absorb iron from food and defend itself more naturally since vitamin C is an antioxidant, reduce probability of heart disease by fighting cholesterol, improve the efficiency of lymphocytes (or white blood cells) to heal wounds and it is effective against gout (a type of arthritis) attacks by reducing blood uric acid levelsdementia since vitamin C impacts memory positivelythe occurrence of cancer. It contains low amount of minerals.