Short Answer: Jicama is good for acid reflux. Because it has vitamin C, folate, potassium, iron, and dietary fiber and they can protect, heal, balance, and improve your esophagus, stomach, and digestion.
Acid reflux is a condition that affects your esophagus, the tube that connects your mouth and stomach.
In acid reflux, your body produces too much stomach acid or the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a muscle that prevents acid from flowing back into your esophagus, does not work properly.
This causes acid to flow back into your esophagus, irritating its lining and causing a burning sensation called heartburn.
This can lead to various health problems, such as esophagitis, esophageal ulcers, Barrett’s esophagus, and esophageal cancer.
One of the key factors in managing acid reflux is diet.
What you consume can affect your stomach acidity, which can impact your acid reflux symptoms and overall health.
To effectively manage acid reflux, you should consume alkaline-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds and avoid acidic-rich foods like citrus, tomato, chocolate, mint, garlic, onions, spicy or fatty foods, alcohol, carbonated drinks, coffee, or tea.
Now, jicama is a root vegetable with a starchy white interior and a papery, golden-brown skin.
It is native to Mexico and used in Mexican cuisine, where it is peeled and eaten raw or steamed.
People usually eat jicama as a snack, salad ingredient, or side dish.
Jicama is good for acid reflux because it contains vitamin C, folate, potassium, iron, and dietary fiber.
Vitamin C and folate are antioxidants that can protect your esophagus from oxidative damage caused by acid reflux.
Potassium and iron are minerals that can help balance your stomach acidity and prevent anemia, a common complication of acid reflux.
Dietary fiber can help improve your digestion and prevent constipation, which can worsen acid reflux.
One cup (130 grams) of raw jicama can give you 26.3 mg of vitamin C (29% of your daily needs), 12 mcg of folate (3% of your daily needs), 195 mg of potassium (4% of your daily needs), 0.6 mg of iron (3% of your daily needs), and 6.4 grams of dietary fiber (23% of your daily needs).
Vitamin C can reduce inflammation and heal your esophageal lining from acid reflux.
Folate can prevent DNA damage and abnormal cell growth in your esophagus from acid reflux.
Potassium can neutralize excess stomach acid and regulate your muscle contractions, including the LES.
Iron can prevent anemia, a condition where you have low red blood cells or hemoglobin, which can be caused by chronic bleeding from your esophagus due to acid reflux.
Dietary fiber can promote bowel movements and prevent constipation, which can increase the pressure on your stomach and LES, causing acid reflux.
Furthermore, jicama is a low-calorie and low-fat food and these types of foods are good for acid reflux.
Because, they can help you maintain a healthy weight and prevent obesity, a major risk factor for acid reflux.
You can eat one to two cups of raw or cooked jicama per day safely.
More than that can cause bloating, gas, or diarrhea, which can aggravate acid reflux.
Also, you shouldn’t eat jicama if you have a latex allergy to prevent an allergic reaction.
Because, jicama contains a protein that is similar to the one found in latex.
You can buy fresh jicama in your local market or can order it from online.
Always choose firm, smooth, and dry jicama with no bruises or cracks.
Because, these indicate freshness and quality.
You can store them in a cool, dark, and dry place for up to two weeks or in the refrigerator for up to four weeks.
Finally, remember, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management and essential medical care is key to managing acid reflux effectively.
I always recommend my acid reflux patients to follow an acid reflux-friendly diet to improve their overall well-being, and enjoy a longer and healthier life.