 The five benefits of adding jicama to your diet. All right, what the heck is jicama? Well, it's actually a root vegetable that originates from South America. Some people know it as the Mexican potato. So what the heck does it taste like? It's actually crisp with a starchy, sweet flavor. It almost tastes to me like a cross between a potato and an apple. Some people think it tastes very similar to a Japanese pear. Now, it's got an impressive list of benefits that you really need to get it into your diet. So one cup of jicama contains just 49 calories. Now, it has 12 grams of carbohydrates, but six and a half of those grams are actually prebiotic fiber. So that means that little over half the carbohydrates are prebiotic fiber that feeds your gut bacteria. Also, jicama is loaded with folate, iron, and magnesium and potassium. Magnesium and potassium are two of the vitamins that most people are really profoundly deficient in. Best of all, it's loaded with antioxidants. One cup has 44% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C. It also contains vitamin E, selenium, and beta carotene. Now, it may support a healthy heart. As I mentioned, it's a great source of potassium, which aids in heart health. One study showed that potassium decreased blood pressure and protected it against heart disease and stroke. Jicama is also a natural source of nitrate. Studies have linked nitrate consumption from vegetables to increased circulation and better exercise performance by making nitric oxide. So what a great way. You don't have to eat your beetroot extract, have a jicama instead. The fiber in jicama contains a lot of inulin, and you've heard me talk about inulin before. Inulin probably is the best prebiotic fiber to feed friendly gut bacteria. In fact, most of your bowel movement is actually made up of bacteria. Strange to say, it's not waste. It's actually bacteria. So studies have shown that inulin can increase the frequency of bowel movements by up to 31% in those studied with constipation. Why? Because you're actually giving gut bacteria what they want to eat. And they make lots of little baby gut bacteria. They reproduce. That actually makes you have bigger and more frequent stools, which is phenomenal for you in multiple ways. It can actually support healthy weight loss. It's very high in water and this fiber. So it's actually quite satisfying. And studies in mice suggest that eating jicama may actually decrease blood sugar levels. Nice. The other great thing about jicama is extremely versatile. They can be used in other health-wrecking foods like potatoes, making them great for staying on track with a lectin-free diet. Now I personally love jicama fries. Once cooked and seasoned, they get a very similar taste to regular old French fries, but are so much better for you because of the inulin they contain and the lack of lectins. Now here's how to do it. First peel the jicama and then cut it into thick fry-like slices. Or use pre-sliced jicama strips. They're available at Whole Foods. They're often at Trader Joe's and many other supermarkets. Now already have the jicama peeled in a stick form. Boil the jicama on the stove for about 5 to 10 minutes. Drain them. Dry them off and put them in a large bowl and drizzle them with olive oil and spices. Then put them in an oven for 40 minutes until they're tender and crisp about 25 minutes. Or they work great in an air fryer just as if you were going to do French fries in an air fryer or sweet potato fries. The benefit of these over sweet potato fries is you're actually going to have that potato-like flavor and you're going to get a whole lot more inulin than you would have even gotten in the sweet potato fries. Need some other ideas? I got plenty. Jicama chips are also great. Play around with the flavors like you would potato chips. Use jicama as breakfast hash browns. Shred them and cook them exactly like you would any hash browns. I think shredded on salad is a great way to add an extra crunch. Cut it into thick slices or use the pre-sliced sticks and serve it as a dip with guacamole. Now when you're buying guacamole just remember get the tomato less guacamole. It's easy to find. Tomatoes have no place in guacamole. Add them to a vegetable platter. You'll be amazed. This will be one of the most popular items on the vegetable platter. Even if people don't know what it is, one taste and they're usually coming back for more. Another fun way to do it is stir fry it with sesame oil or olive oil. How about sprinkling it with fresh lime juice and chili powder for a spicy refreshing snack. And if you have got a spiralizer, this is really fun. Make jicama noodles for a healthy pasta alternative. You'll be amazed at the texture and flavor it absorbs from whatever sauce you're going to put with it. Okay so how do you store and select your jicama? Well first of all look for one that's firm and free of soft spots. Choose one smaller in size. As the root goes larger the flavor kind of dissipates and its texture becomes pretty tough and it loses that appealing Christmas. The smaller ones are also a whole lot easier to cut and handle. Now keep it in a cool dry place like you used to store potatoes or you store sweet potatoes. Leave them down under the sink or put them in the cabinet and try not to store it in the refrigerator. So that's how to use jicama. Get it into your life. There's so many ways. Let me know in the comments section if you like the taste and your favorite way to prepare it. Get jicama into your life. You will be proud and happy that you did. This next one is sure to surprise you. Marketing by these big cereal companies actually is what convinces that cereal is the healthy way to start your day.