Noticed some jicama in two difderent grocery stores this week, and decided it was the universe telling me to tell you more about this tasty vegetable. We do have one post about using it – our “Roots & Fruits Salad.”
What is Jicama
Jicama is a big tan root that is sweet and (IMHO) quite tasty. The name jícama is Spanish and comes from the Nahuatl “xīcamatl.” Jícama is botanically called Pachyrhizus. Three species are Pachyrhizus erosus, P. tuberosus, and P. ahipa. They are vines in the Bean Family (Leguminosae or Fabaceae). The plant is in the bean family, but you don’t eat the beans – you eat the root. And just the inner root, not the peel.
Spaniards spread cultivation of jícama from Mexico to the Philippines, where it is known as “singkamas.” It also went into China and other parts of Southeast Asia. At this point it is often a celebrated food in those Asian countries and deeply rooted (pardon the pun) in the culture and foodways.
Why Eat Jicama?
Well, it tastes good. But more than that, it turns out that it helps feed our gut bacteria.
Why should gut bacteria matter? The scientific community is finding out more and more about how critical a healthy suite of gut bacteria can be. Not just the common bacteria that can be found in store-bought probiotics and prebiotics either. There are all manner of other gut bacteria that – as research is showing – help us avoid or reduce depression, eliminate anxiety, reduce ADHD, reduce some types of tinnitus, and even reduce some forms of autism.
Diversity in Food
But back to jicama – our topic this week. Why jicama? Because research has shown that if you eat over 30 different plants per week you may have the healthiest gut there is. Here is the article encouraging 30 plants per week, and a chart of the various gut bacteria that I am reposting from their site. Note that these are the deep gut bacteria that are used as wellness indicators. 
Shop Around
It just so happened that I was in four different grocery stores this week. The two stores catering to international tastes had jicama. The two mass market stores catering to mainstream America had the same 30 or so vegetables and fruits that you find 24/7 and 365 – and no jicama. This means that if live near a big city, you are in luck when it comes to eating healthy, but otherwise, maybe you need to start growing some vegetables and fruits to help feed your gut. Gardening with Soule can help with the growing.
How to Eat Jicama?
The best way to eat jicama is just to peel it – removing the tough, brownish peel – and discarding it. The inner white flesh can be cut into slices, cubes, or matchsticks. A classic way to eat it is to dip the matchsticks in lime juice, and a blend of chili powder and salt.
Jicama can be eaten raw or cooked. It is most often eaten raw for the crunch. When you cook it, you lose some of that crunch.
Jicama Taste
Remember I said it is in the bean family? Ito me it tastes like edible pod peas. Other people say that is tastes like a cross between an apple and fresh peas. The texture is somewhat like a water chestnut. Because it’s mild and starchy, it blends well with other flavors, especially in its raw form. It also easily takes on the flavor of whatever it’s cooked with.
Flavors to Go With Jicama?
In my Roots & Fruits Salad, I said “I made up this salad one day from what was on hand in the kitchen. Everyone loved the blend of flavors, so I have since made this dish many more times!” But you don’t need to make things up, here is the key to pairing jicama.
Jicama goes well with acidic fruits and juices such as lime, lemon, and grapefruit juices. It is also complemented by ground chili pepper and even hot pepper or Tabasco sauce. Jicama is also a natural fit for Mexican cuisine and goes well with avocado, cilantro, cucumber and grapefruit.
Potato versus Jicama
Jicama cooks like a potato and can be boiled, baked, steamed, and fried. If cooked briefly it will retain its starchy but apple-like texture. Jicama can be used as a substitute for water chestnuts in Asian cooking.
People often compare jicama to potatoes because their flesh is similar. But jicama has more vitamins and far fewer carbohydrates. Also, because it is not in the deadly nightshade family, jicama could be substituted for potatoes for people that are sensitive. I find it works well as a potato substitute.
How Much Jicama to Eat
Jicama is also a good source of vitamin C, as well as soluable fiber. But you can eat too much jicama. Jicama because of that fiber, excessive consumption could lead to digestive distress. Also – there is the chemical called inulin which is an issue for some people. It is not advisable for people to eat the outer peels of jicama! It protects itself from beaning eaten by hungry animals with a highly toxic compound in the peels.
Storing Jicama
It is essential that jicama remain dry. It’s best to store them unwrapped at cool room temperatures, where they can last 2 to 3 months. They are a tropical plant so they are not too happy in the refrigerator, lasting only 2 to 3 week in the cold.
Enjoy!
Jícama, raw Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) Energy 38 kcal Carbohydrates 8.82 g Sugars 1.8 g Dietary fiber 4.9 g Fat 0.09 g Protein 0.72 g Vitamins Quantity %DV † Thiamine (B1) 2% 0.02 mg Riboflavin (B2) 2% 0.029 mg Niacin (B3) 1% 0.2 mg Pantothenic acid (B5) 3% 0.135 mg Vitamin B6 3% 0.042 mg Folate (B9) 3% 12 μg Choline 3% 13.6 mg Vitamin C 24% 20.2 mg Calcium 1% 12 mg Iron 5% 0.6 mg Magnesium 3% 12 mg Manganese 3% 0.06 mg Phosphorus 3% 18 mg Potassium 3% 150 mg Sodium 0% 4 mg Zinc 2% 0.16 mg μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams IU = International units †Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA FoodData Central
Thanks for Reading!
“Olde Style” Canning Guide
Ball Brothers has been publishing their “Ball Blue Book of Canning and Preserving Recipes” for many years. The “modern” USDA has not tested some of the methods in this guide. That means they do not “approve” of them. If you are an experienced canner there are some tasty recipes in here to make.
This is a downloadable PDF offered for sale on my Gardening With Soule classes site. You may see some other classes in there that interest you.
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Disclaimer
The authors of this website have researched the edibility of the materials we discuss, however, humans vary in their ability to tolerate different foods, drinks, and herbs. Individuals consuming flowers, plants, animals, or derivatives mentioned in this blog do so entirely at their own risk. The authors on this site cannot be held responsible for any adverse reaction. In case of doubt please consult your medical practitioner.
“Deadly” nightshade family? EXPLAIN.
This is similar to the common name for the Compositae or Asteraceae – which is sunflower family or daisy family, or even lettuce family. Common name for the Solanaceae is the deadly nightshade family, or you can call it potato, tomato, eggplant, and pepper family. There are some truly deadly members of the family. Fact is – from the plants point of view – the deadly nightshade fruits are not meant to be consumed in excess. Eat a few, spread the seeds and leave the rest of the fruits for someone else to eat and spread the seeds. While we can eat a few of the fruits – the green parts of the plants (leaves, stems) themselves are toxic. The tomato horn worm eats tomato plants and fruits to make itself toxic to predators – just like the monarch eats milkweed.
May I suggest that you add a bit about how to pronounce the name? I grew up in Tucson (and eating jicama) but non-natives might not know. Hee ka ma – does that look right?
other words that newbies get wrong:
haav a lean a
sa waar oh
choy ah (but no “ah” if it sticks you! more like *&%$#!)