Can Babies Eat Jicama?

Jicama or pachyrhuzus erosus is a Mexican yam bean or Mexican turnip, cultivated for its edible tuberous roots. There are two types of yam bean popular in the world: the jicama de agua and the jicama de leche, both being named for the texture of their juice. The agua form is more watery, and has a translucent juice, while the leche has a milky juice.

Jicama has a sweet flavor, reminding of apples or raw green beans, and it is usually consumed in raw form, sometimes accompanied by salt, lemon or lime juice, and chili powder. You can frequently find jicama in soups, stir-fried dishes, or cut into thin layers and dipped in salsa, or simply as an ingredient in salads. Jicama seeds are poisonous, so consume just the roots.

The origins of jicama are in Mexico, from where it spread to the Philippines, China and to Southeast Asia.

Jicama is high in carbs, dietary fibers, protein, vitamin C, folate, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, and it also has small amounts of vitamins B6 and E, zinc, phosphorus, calcium and copper.

Is Jicama Healthy For Babies?

Jicama is rich in antioxidants, aiding hearth functions, lowering blood pressure, due to its significant amount of dietary fiber content. Thanks to these fibers, jicama helps digestion. It also has inulin, which helps to increase the frequency of bowel movement, easing constipation. Inulin is a probiotic fiber, which is good for gut bacteria. Jicama aids increasing insulin sensitivity and decreasing blood sugar level, leading to weight loss and avoiding weight gain. Its vitamin B6 content increases brain function and cognition, it is also necessary for breaking down of proteins into amino acids, and helps increasing the efficiency of organs.

Feel free to add jicama to your baby’s diet, as soon as she starts eating solids, at the age of 6 months. Jicama has many benefits, which help your baby’s healthy growth.

Jicama Fries

Ingredients: 2 medium jicamas, 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ tsp chipotle powder.

Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Peel and slice the jicamas and place them into a bowl. Pour in the olive oil and the seasonings, and stir to coat the jicamas. Put the jicama sticks onto a parchment paper. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, tossing half way through baking time.