Jicama is a root vegetable indigenous to Mexico, Central and South America, where it is a dietary staple. It features crisp, white flesh and a delicate, slightly nutty flavor akin to that of the water chestnut. According to Ochef.com, jicama is becoming increasingly popular in both the United States and Asia. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for normal blood clotting and can reduce the effectiveness of blood-thinning medications such as warfarin. If you are taking blood thinners, your doctor may advise you to limit your vitamin K consumption.
Features
Jicama, which has a turnip-like appearance, is also known as the Mexican potato, ahipa, lo bok, Chinese potato and yam bean. This versatile root can be eaten cooked or peeled and used raw to add variety and crunch to salads, where its subtle flavor won't overwhelm other ingredients. Jicama has the advantage of not becoming discolored when exposed to air and makes an appealing visual accent in raw vegetable platters. Although the root is safe to eat, other parts of the plant may be toxic. Food Reference notes that jicama seeds contain rotenone, used in insecticides.
Vitamin K
Jicama contains minute amounts of vitamin K, which can be found in green leafy vegetables, meat and dairy products. The recommended daily allowance for vitamin K is 120 mcg for men and 90 mcg for women. According to MayoClinic.com, if you take blood thinners -- medically known as anticoagulants --, you should avoid eating large amounts of foods rich in vitamin K such as kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, chard and parsley. You should also limit your consumption of green tea, cranberry juice and alcohol. If you are watching your vitamin K intake, jicama should not be a cause for concern.
Specifics
The amount of vitamin K in a cup of sliced, raw jicama is 0.4 mcg, a negligible quantity. In contrast, a cup of diced cheddar cheese contains 3.7 mcg, while a cup of raw chopped carrots provides 16.9 mcg. Like many other green vegetables, broccoli contains very high levels, with a cup yielding a whopping 92.5 mcg. A cup of sliced jicama also provides 0.86 g of protein, 10.58 g of carbohydrates, 5.9 g of dietary fiber and 2.16 g of sugars. It contains a diet-friendly 46 calories per cup and is low in salt and free of fat and cholesterol.
Vitamins in Jicama
Although jicama is a very poor source of vitamin K, it does offer generous amounts of vitamin C, providing 24.2 mg -- roughly 33 percent of the daily recommended value -- per cup. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that is vital for the formation of collagen in the body; it also helps support immune function. Jicama is also a good source of folate, with 14 mcg per cup. Folate, a B-complex vitamin, is needed to make normal red blood cells.
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