Jicama: Nutrients, What Research Shows and Safety

Jicama (Pachyrhizus erosus), also called yam bean or Mexican turnip, is a legume plant in the pea family (Fabaceae). The part people eat is the large, round storage root, peeled and usually eaten raw, crisp and lightly sweet. People eat it for fiber and vitamin C, and because the root contains inulin-type fibers. This page keeps the whole food apart from supplements and from hype, and it says clearly which parts of the plant are not food. It is information, not a plan for what to eat.

Read this first

• Eat only the peeled root. The seeds of the plant contain rotenone, a natural poison. A case report describes a woman who fell into a coma after eating cooked yam bean seeds, and a 2024 review found rotenone poisoning from plants can be fatal. Do not eat the seeds, pods, leaves or stems. [8][9]
• Allergy: any food can cause an allergic reaction. For trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat, call 911. See food allergy basics and emergency signs.
• Gas and bloating: jicama contains inulin and related fibers that gut bacteria ferment. Some people notice gas or bloating, mainly if they are not used to a lot of fiber or have a sensitive gut such as IBS. [5][7]
• Evidence in one line: jicama is a good source of fiber and vitamin C (USDA). We found no human trial testing jicama itself for any disease; the other claims come from lab and animal work.

What is in it (USDA values)

Source: USDA FoodData Central, yambean (jicama), raw (SR Legacy, item 170073). [1] % Daily Value uses the FDA 2016 Daily Values; values vary with variety, ripeness and storage. Per-serving figures are our arithmetic from the USDA per-100 g values.

A lab analysis of jicama roots grown to four stages of maturity found inulin and other fructooligosaccharides (short chains of fructose sugar that people do not digest), plus pectin and starch. Inulin was higher in younger roots and fell as they matured. The same study measured a low glycemic index (under 25) in the roots tested. [5] Another study found isoflavones and phenolic acids (plant compounds) mainly in the peel, which is not eaten, and measured them in cells, not in people. [10] A 2021 review found more than 50 compounds reported in the plant and said well-designed clinical studies are still lacking. [6]

What research says

Eaten as food vs taken as a supplement or extract. The vitamin C and fiber facts are about the food (USDA). The bowel-regularity finding is from trials of purified inulin-type fibers, usually as supplements, so it does not tell us what a cup of jicama does. The blood sugar and antioxidant results come from extracts and cells. We do not cover jicama supplements or powders.

How much is a normal serving

• NHS: 80 g of fresh, canned or frozen vegetables is one portion of the 5 A DAY. [3] The USDA household portion for jicama is 1 cup of slices, 120 g. [1]
• WHO: at least 400 g of fruits and vegetables a day for people older than 10 (fact sheet date 26 January 2026). [4]
• These are official figures, information only, not a prescription.
• Raw or cooked: jicama is usually eaten raw. We did not find a source on how cooking changes its vitamin C: Proper evidence not found.

Safety, allergy and medicines

• Seeds, leaves, pods and stems are poisonous. Eat only the root. Rotenone blocks the energy-making machinery inside cells. A scoping review of 11 case reports (18 people, 5 died) found vomiting and acidosis (too much acid in the blood) most common, with no antidote, only supportive hospital care. [8] One reported case followed eating 80 cooked yam bean seeds; the cooked seeds still contained high rotenone. [9] Seeds also appear in yam bean crop research as toxic. [12] We could not open an official food-safety agency page listing every toxic part, so the guidance to avoid pods, leaves and stems is based on the plant's rotenone chemistry, not a regulator statement. If someone has eaten seeds or other plant parts, call poison control (1-800-222-1222 in the US) or 911.
• The edible root: in a 2025 lab study of jicama roots, no rotenone was detected in the flesh or peel. [10] That is one study; peel the root anyway, as is usual for eating.
• Gas, bloating and IBS: inulin-type fibers are fermented by gut bacteria. [7] We did not find a source we read that rates jicama on a FODMAP list (FODMAPs are fermentable carbohydrates that can trigger symptoms in some people with IBS). Fructooligosaccharides from a related root (yacon syrup) caused mild stomach discomfort in trials. [13] The low-FODMAP diet is recommended by clinical guidelines for IBS but is best done with a dietitian. [14][15] See how much fiber per day and fiber side effects.
• Diabetes medicines: we found no human study of jicama with diabetes medicines. The mouse result [11] is not a reason to change treatment.
• Kidney disease and potassium: jicama has modest potassium (150 mg per 100 g, USDA). [1] People on a restricted diet should follow their care team's plan. See kidney disease, potassium and oxalates.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Proper evidence not found in the sources we read. Peeled root as an ordinary food is not described as a concern in the sources, but we make no claim either way.
• Medicines: vitamin K is almost zero (USDA), so no warfarin issue arises from the root's vitamin K content. [1]

Choosing, storing and food safety

• Wash and scrub the skin under running water before peeling and cutting, and skip soap or produce wash. [16]
• Keep cut jicama refrigerated at 40 F or below. [16]
• Cut away damaged areas and throw out anything that looks rotten. [16]

Related pages

• Prebiotic foods: inulin, onions, garlic and more
• How much fiber per day and fiber side effects
• Foods for gut health and bloating
• Foods for blood sugar control
• Food allergy basics and emergency signs
• Turnips