In addition to being low in calories, a half-cup serving of raw jicama provides 20 percent of your daily vitamin C and 3 grams of dietary fiber. The texture of jicama is crunchy and slightly moist, much like a crisp apple.

So jicama builds these chemicals to keep itself guarded from mice, insects and other animals that want to ingest it.Wow, guess Max isn't kidding when he calls jicama a superfood!As always, check with your doctor before adding new foods to your diet.By signing up, I agree to the Terms & to receive emails from the “Rachael Ray” show Jicama is a starchy root vegetable similar to a potato or turnip. // Leaf Group Lifestyle Genius Foods Author Max Lugavere On What Jicama Tastes Like + How To Eat It Genius Foods Author Max Lugavere On What Jicama Tastes Like + How To Eat It "The leaves that grow above are actually toxic, as is the skin. What Does Jicama Taste Like? This easy flourless chocolate cake with almond whipped cream is the answer.

If you come across an entire jicama plant, do not eat any of the above-ground portion; the stem, leaves, flowers and seed pods are poisonous.The most common way to use jicama is as a raw garnish or main salad ingredient. To retain its crunchy texture, wait until the last three to five minutes of cooking to add the jicama. Jicama is a very crisp, refreshing root vegetable most frequently eaten raw. Jicama is a root vegetable with thick, brown skin. It's slightly sweet and crunchy and has actually been nicknamed the "Mexican potato" because of its mild flavor and versatility. Jicama can also be baked, fried or mashed as an alternative to potatoes.Because a poor quality jicama has poor flavor, choose the best one from your grocer's produce section.

A 1/2 cup of raw jicama is 25 calories with less than 6 … (Rach chimed in to say that she thinks it's crisp and refreshing and tastes like "celery root and an apple. Although jicama is gaining popularity in the United States, some cooks are still unfamiliar with how to select and use this flavorful and nutritious tuber.Although jicama looks like a potato, the flesh of this starchy vegetable has a lightly sweet and nutty flavor. Although it may be tempting to get the biggest jicama available, the flavor and texture will be better if you choose medium-size roots that weigh less than 4 pounds. The taste of jicama is sort of nutty and maybe even a little sweet. Nutritionally speaking, jicama is much lower in carbohydrates than a potato. Jicama Flavor and Texture Although jicama looks like a potato, the flesh of this starchy vegetable has a lightly sweet and nutty flavor. Although jicama tastes sweet, it has only 1 gram of sugar per half-cup portion.Based in Portland, Ore., Tammie Painter has been writing garden, fitness, science and travel articles since 2008. Native to Mexico and Central and South America, jicama is a root vegetable that is low in calories and full of nutrients. This video is unavailable because we were unable to load a message from our sponsors. 55+ Creative Ways To Use Up Leftovers (Bread, Rice, Veggies + More)Use up your leftovers with these creative recipe ideas that turn day-old bread, rice, cooked meat + more into new dishes for lunch, dinner & dessert.We take you behind Rachael's set kitchen + inside our backstage kitchen, where ingredients and "ta da" finished dishes are prepped for cooking segments.Remembering Our Friend Regis Philbin + His Moments On Our ShowWe are heartbroken over the passing of our friend Regis Philbin — but we are so grateful to have these amazing memories with him to look back on.Rach's cheesy chorizo quesadillas are delish for breakfast, lunch or dinner.4 Kitchen Gadgets That Rach Is Most Proud Of DesigningRach says she's not a big kitchen gadget lover, BUT she has designed a few handy ones herself — and she has some favorites, including her oval pasta pot.Gluten-Free Dessert: Flourless Chocolate Cake + Almond Whipped CreamFeel like all your friends + family have gone gluten-free?

"[Plants] can't run away from predators so what they do is become brilliant chemists." "People describe the taste as being somewhere between a carrot and an apple," Max notes. Jicama can be stored in the refrigerator, but the sweetness will diminish the longer you keep it.A half-cup serving of jicama contains only 25 calories and no fat or cholesterol. Jicama is a widely available and very versatile root vegetable that is a source of prebiotic fiber, Max says. To add a flavorful crunch to your next salad, consider tossing in some jicama. Painter earned her Bachelor of Science in biology from Portland State University. The jicama peel is edible, but because of its tough, fibrous texture, it is usually discarded.

It’s a bit like a potato but with a lot fewer carbs.

You can also eat raw jicama as a snack as you would carrots or radishes. ")"The interesting thing about jicama, though, is that you can only eat what grows below the ground," Max explains. And the crunch can’t be beaten. I like to compare it to a non-sweet apple — a little watery and neutral in taste but so crunchy.

© 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The jicama peel is edible, but because of its tough, fibrous texture, it … You might think of it as having the texture of an uncooked potato with the flavor of a pear. Her articles have appeared in magazines such as "Herb Companion" and "Northwest Travel" and she is the author of six books.

"People describe the taste as being somewhere between a carrot and an apple," Max notes.