Jicama

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McMehu
McMehu Posts: 103 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Has anyone ever tried a Jicama?

Are they better raw or cooked.. it says 1 cup is 46 calories.. but a whole one is 250 calories.. how are they measuring a cup of it?

Replies

  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    i havent had any since i started counting calories so not sure how they measure one cup - i would probably just weigh it.
    ive also never eaten it cooked - always raw. i <3 it!
  • Saffyra
    Saffyra Posts: 607 Member
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    Jicama is tasty.

    Its a root vegetable and can vary in size so I would try to see if there is a weighted version in MFP instead of by the cup.

    It's like crunchy, sweet water tasting. Which doesnt make sense until you try it.

    I eat it raw, sliced up with dip or even just plain if I get a really good one.

    Its also excellent in stir frys. It keeps its crunch really well and sucks up the flavors that its cooked with.

    I have no idea how they would measure a cup of it unless it was chopped/sliced up small for a stir fry type dish.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    Mmm - I love Jicama. Tastes a bit like apple to me. I've never eaten it cooked, just raw. I like it in salads, but can also eat it by itself.
    it says 1 cup is 46 calories.. but a whole one is 250 calories.. how are they measuring a cup of it?
    I'd never eat a whole jicama - they're huge! It's very filling and low-cal for the size, because it has lots of fiber and water in it. I measure my fruits and veggies with a food scale. You should be able to find nutrition info for jicama in terms of grams (weight).
  • aimster23
    aimster23 Posts: 6
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    Jicama is great in a slaw or just with some cucumber or apple. Never had it cooked so not sure how that is. I havnt had it since counting calories either so not sure how it is measured. It's very tasty though.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    I've only had it raw. Where are you finding the calorie data? On here? Because I can't imagine that you'd get more then two cups out of one of them which would be way less than 250 calories! I would look for more info on it. It is tasty though. I've had it plain and also as jicama slaw, google for a recipe
  • vegansara
    vegansara Posts: 192 Member
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    I love jicama! I use it to eat with dips or I'll sprinkle cayenne paper and lemon juice on it. I always slice it up so I just eyeball a cup of it and call it good. Lots of fiber I think, but anyway it makes me feel full!
  • McMehu
    McMehu Posts: 103 Member
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    they are calling a cup 120 g
  • RagtimeLady
    RagtimeLady Posts: 172 Member
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    I love jicama! It's usually eaten raw. My favorite way to prepare it is in a Mexican salad. Peel the jicama - cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Squeeze a couple limes over it. You can add chili powder, or I like to add finely sliced serrano peppers or Thai hot peppers. If you want, add a little powdered cumin and coriander. Add some chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, toss well. Marinate for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Delicious!
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    they are calling a cup 120 g

    The "official" entry in the food database for jicama has a variety of measurement units, including weight. It's under "Yambean (jicama) - Raw" and has no star next to it (that's how you know it's MFP-entered, not user-entered).
  • kantone999
    kantone999 Posts: 174
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    Probably measured diced or shredded. It's good in salads and a GREAT lo-cal snack. I sometime carry a bag of them when I'm walking since it's very watery--almost like taking a drink but with a satisfying crunch. It molds REALLY fast if you don't peel it. I rub mine with apple cider vinegar if I don't have time to peel and store it when I buy it.
  • McMehu
    McMehu Posts: 103 Member
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    thanks :)
  • miracleminded1
    miracleminded1 Posts: 171
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    I like Jicama. I've never had it cooked. It can be very refreshing!!

    And they vary in size, so I don't know how a whole one can be measured as 250 calories.
  • McMehu
    McMehu Posts: 103 Member
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    I ended up cutting it up into fourths and using that as a serving size. I cut up my fourth into small strips like french fries..

    pretty good.. tastes like fresh out of the garden type veggies.. I added a little lemon juice

    thanks for the help guys!
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    I think it's wonderful. I've only used it raw to this point. But to me it has a very mild, slightly sweetish/almost a hint of an undertone of citrus. I dice it for salads or dice it up as a crunchy element in a shrimp or tuna salad. I also slice it into sticks and take it as a snack.

    I weigh mine by the gram and typically use 75-85 grams depending on how much I slice off. Last night I diced up about 75 grams of it pretty small and sitting on the cutting board it looked like about 3/4 of a cup or so. But I never use measuring cups for fruits or veggies because it's ridiculously variable on the amount per cup depending on the size of the pieces.

    Also, I've seen jicama that are smaller than my fist and some that are nearly the size of my head, so NEVER use an entry that is for a "whole" jicama.

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