Jicama

Jicama is a crispy, sweet, edible root. It resembles a turnip in physical appearance and has been cultivated in South America for centuries. Jicama grows best in warm and dry climates, as it requires abundant sunlight and moderate rainfall (Food Reference, 2010). Jicama, as a vegetable is quite popular in Mexican cuisine.

Latin American households use it as a dietary staple. It is high in carbohydrates in the form of dietary fiber and is composed of 86-90% water. It contains only trace amounts of protein and lipids. Jicama is a good source of potassium and Vitamin C and is low in sodium, has no fat. One serving (1 cup raw) 120g, cubed) contains only about 46 calories.  Its sweet flavor comes from the oligofructose inulin (also called fructo-oligosaccharide), which is a prebiotic. Only the root is cooked. Before eating, the coarse brown outer layer of the Jicama should be peeled to reveal the white portion inside. It is excellent raw and is sometimes eaten plain. Jicama has a unique flavor that lends itself well to salads, salsas, and vegetable platters (Self Nutrition Data, 2010).  

Jicama is also used in stews, juiced drinks, stuffing, and a variety of other recipes. Nutrient analysis shows that 1/2 cup Jicama (raw) provides 23 calories, fat less than 1 g, cholesterol zero mg, protein less than 1 g, carbohydrate 5 g, sodium 2 mg, fiber 3 g, vitamin C 12mg, folate 7 mcg and  calcium 7 mg.  (ISUE Food Highlights, 2009). Mexicans recognize Jicama as one of the four elements used for "The Festival of the Dead," celebrated on November 1. The Mexican Festival of the Dead has four elements, Jicama, peanuts (Arachis), tangerines (Citrus), and sugar cane (Saccharum). Among four, Jicama is the only native plant of Mexico (UCLA, n.d.).

References:

Self Nutrition Data (2010). Jicama Nutrition facts.  

ISUE Food highlights (2009). Food Nutrition and Health.

UCLA. Retrieved from, http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/economicbotany/Pachyrhizus/index.html