The 3 Best Jicama Substitutes

Most of us have developed certain habits when shopping. Our list of products rarely changes, we know the supermarket aisles like our hands, and therefore we often don’t look at the most intriguing vegetables or products that we could try.

Although jicama is not a widely available vegetable, if you are on this page, it is either part of your diet or you need a substitute, as it is not available in your country.

With that being said, what are the best substitutes for jicama?

If you’re looking for a raw substitute for jicama, try daikon radish or Jerusalem artichokes. If you need a substitute for a cooked meal, try water chestnuts, as they are nearly identical both cooked and raw, although they are slightly sweeter. 

Read on to find out everything you need to know about jicama and the best jicama substitutes.

What is jicama?

Jicama is a root vegetable that many people describe as a combination of apple and turnip. Originally, it was grown in the warm climate of the Mexican peninsula, but today it is cultivated in various regions of the world.

Jicama is a starchy vegetable , similar to potatoes and turnips. It tastes slightly sweet, but is low in sugar, making it a good choice for people with diabetes or on a low-sugar diet.

This vegetable is also known as the Mexican radish . The root is safe to eat , but other parts of the plant are highly toxic.

Unfortunately, jicama is not available worldwide, and not everyone can take advantage of its many benefits. The good news is that there are many suitable substitutes for jicama that you can use to achieve a similar flavor or texture in cooking. 

Jicama Health Benefits

Jicama’s health benefits derive primarily from the unique combination of vitamins, minerals, and organic compounds, including (but not limited to)

• Dietary Fiber - One of the most important elements of this vegetable is the high levels of dietary fiber it contains. They favor the work of the digestive system and avoid constipation.
• Vitamin C - A large amount of vitamin C has been found in jicama. It is an essential part of the health of our immune system and stimulates white blood cells, which are the body’s main first line against disease.
• Vitamin B6 - Vitamin B6 is associated with increased brain function and cognitive abilities, and jicama has this vitamin in significant amounts.
• Minerals - The levels of minerals such as manganese, magnesium, iron and copper contained in this root vegetable are sufficient to maintain our bone mineral density. They are essential for building strong bones and healing any damage associated with them.

Plus, its antioxidant potential means it helps fight cancer by neutralizing the effects of free radicals.

In general, jicama is the right choice for people who have chosen to be healthy and strong.

Last but not least, this vegetable also helps increase blood circulation, lower blood pressure, and boost brain function.

It is usually eaten raw, but it can also be used in soups and meals, although this reduces some of its health benefits.

The 3 Best Jicama Substitutes

Ideally, substitute any relatively sweet vegetable with a similar texture and crunch for the jicama.

People even substitute crisp green apples and Asian pears, which are fruits with significantly different properties. 

While experimenting is always fun, here are three jicama substitutes that have proven to suffice and that we safely recommend. 

1. Jerusalem artichoke

The Jerusalem artichoke has many names depending on the place and is a vegetable that today is available everywhere. Originally cultivated in Central America (more specifically, in Mexico, like jicama), it is now also cultivated in Europe, Asia and Australia.

This vegetable can be eaten raw, baked or boiled . The tubers are slightly reminiscent of potatoes, although, with their number of small growths, they are more like ginger roots.

Taste-wise, it resembles a pear or a drier version of sweet potatoes . It’s not overly sweet, which makes it a perfect substitute for jicama, which also tastes similar.

2. Water chestnuts

Water chestnuts are one of the most common products in Chinese cuisine. They produce bulbs that have firm white flesh and a light aroma.

Water chestnuts have a pleasant taste and texture , as well as many health benefits for the human body. They are rich in vitamins and minerals and low in sodium and fat.

Including water chestnuts in your diet can help improve your overall health and encourage weight loss.

Water chestnuts are considered the most suitable substitute for jicama , although they literally have almost nothing in common as plants and in appearance. However, both taste sweet, although water chestnuts are significantly sweeter.

Also, both have a similar texture that stays crunchy even when cooked.

3. Daikon radish

Daikon is a type of turnip with a long white root that resembles a thicker carrot. It is juicy and has great taste qualities.

It is widely used in traditional Japanese medicine for its incredible healing properties and is another vegetable that we highly recommend for its long list of benefits.

Despite the obvious differences in appearance, we believe that daikon radish is one of the best substitutes for jicama, as it is just as sweet, juicy, and crunchy as jicama.  The ideal is to substitute each of them for the other in fresh dishes such as salads.

The only major difference is that daikon has some heat in addition to its sweetness. In general, it is not conspicuously spicy, but there are types of daikon radish that have a stronger flavor.

Last but not least, there are, in fact, six types of daikon radish and you may be wondering which one to use as a substitute. Taken together, each of those types tastes sweet, though they differ in sweetness, giving you several viable options.

In other words, you can use any type of Daikon radish, but it depends on your personal preferences . If it were up to us, we wouldn’t recommend two of the types: the Alpine and the Shunkyo.

The former is the sweeter type of Daikon radish, while the latter is quite spicy yet still sweet.

The Best Jicama Substitutes: Nutrition Chart

Now that we have given you our recommendations, we must look at the nutritional values of each vegetable. If you follow a special diet or count calories, here is a small table to make your choice easier.

As you can see in the table, the substitutes differ mainly in calories and carbohydrates, but this also means that they can be really suitable for different diets.

If you need to cut calories and carbs, try Daikon radish .  If you want to add some calories and carbs to your daily diet, aim for Jerusalem artichokes or water chestnuts.

Related questions

Is it necessary to peel the jicama?

First of all, you should know that the only edible part of the jicama is the root. You should never try to eat the remaining parts, such as the leaves or flowers, as they contain rotenone.

If you are not familiar, it is an insecticide that certain plants develop as a defense mechanism. 

As for the root, never try to eat it unpeeled . Not only will you hardly succeed due to the thick skin, but it also contains rotenone, which is highly toxic.

You will need a sharp vegetable peeler because the skin is really tough.

Can you eat raw water chestnuts?

Although we have mentioned that we highly recommend water chestnuts as a substitute for jicama in cooking, you can certainly eat them raw.

In fact, raw water chestnuts are much sweeter than canned or cooked ones. This is also why we don’t recommend them as a raw substitute: their sweetness goes too far from that of jicama. Be sure to wash them well and peel them before eating them raw.

Last but not least, make sure you consume water chestnuts or use them immediately after peeling them, because they don’t keep for very long . If you leave them out in the open for a long time, they become the home of parasites that you want to get rid of your body.

If you need them for later, it is best to put them in water, but even so, you should not leave them for more than a couple of hours.

Do Jerusalem artichokes cause gas and bloating?

Jerusalem artichokes can’t boast the best reputation, as they can really cause gas and bloating. This is because Jerusalem artichokes are extremely high in inulin , which is a carbohydrate that causes these effects.

Although this is very individual and does not apply to everyone, you should not overuse these artichokes on the first few tries. Gas and bloating are usually caused by the raw vegetables that we put in salads, so it is rare when cooked.