Jicama is a calorie-counter's dream. The Latin American tuber has a texture along the lines of water chestnuts, and is described as having a "sweet, nutty" taste. It keeps its texture whether cooked or raw.
Nutritionally, a cup of sliced raw jicama (about 4-1/2 ounces or 130 grams) has no fat, no cholesterol, few calories, little protein, yet meaningful amounts of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium. Specifically, the numbers work out this way:
- 50 calories
- 1 g protein
- 6 mg sodium
- 12 g carbohydrates
- 195 mg potassium
- 2 g dietary fiber
- 16 mg calcium
- 23 mg phosphorus
- 26 mg vitamin C
- and trace amounts of iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin A.
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