It’s also a very powerful antioxidant, fighting off free radical damage that confronts your body every day. Potassium

Peakall R, Smouse PE. GenAlEx: genetic analysis in excel. Popul Genetic Software Teach Res. 2001;6(1):288–95. Folate is one of the B vitamins. It’s found in a wide variety of foods, which is good because it is essential for DNA and other genetic material that makes you who you are.Carotenoids such as β-carotene, lutein, and cryptoxanthin have been detected in most legumes though much lower compared to that of fruits and vegetables ( Tee etal., 1995). Carotenoids are widely distributed in legumes and have been reported to exhibit health-promoting benefits such as antioxidants, better visual function, and reduction of cardiovascular diseases ( Voutilainen etal., 2006; Ku etal., 2020; Maoka, 2020). In a study to evaluate bioactive components of selected underutilized legumes indigenous to Nigeria, James etal. (2020) found out that, fermentation and germination reduced carotenoid, anthocyanin, tannin, and flavonoid contents of the legumes.

The jícama vine can reach a height of 4–5 metres (13–16 feet) given suitable support. Its root can attain lengths up to 6 + 1⁄ 2ft) and weigh up to 20 kilograms (44 pounds). The heaviest jícama root ever recorded weighed 23kg (51lb) and was found in 2010 in the Philippines. [5] Jícama is frost-tender and requires nine months without frost for a good harvest of large tubers or to grow it commercially. It is worth growing in cooler areas that have at least five months without frost, as it will still produce tubers, but they will be smaller. Warm, temperate areas with at least five months without frost can start seed eight to ten weeks before the last spring frost. Bottom heat is recommended, as the seeds require warm temperatures to germinate, so the pots will need to be kept in a warm place. Jícama is unsuitable for areas with a short growing season unless cultured in a greenhouse. Growers in tropical areas can sow seed at any time of the year. Those in subtropical areas should sow seeds once the soil has warmed in the spring. [6] Taxonomy [ edit ] Liu K, Muse SV. PowerMarker: an integrated analysis environment for genetic marker analysis. Bioinformatics. 2005;21(9):2128–9. https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/bti282. The local marketing of the Andean bean during the religious festival Corpus Christi indicates a relationship with ancient religious uses. Today, the production is restricted to a few local villages and farmers. [2] Description [ edit ] Jicama is a nutrient-dense food. It contains a high number of nutrients but a relatively low number of calories ( 3).Leidi, E.O., Vidueira, J.M., Cobo, J., de Castro, A., Rodríguez-Navarro, D.N., 2004. Nutrient Requirements of Ahipa, Tuberous-Root Crop. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 27, p. 931-945 Studies in mice suggest that eating jicama may increase insulin sensitivity and decrease blood sugar levels ( 29, 30). The tubers of P. ahipa are harvested as soon as the tubers show a marketable weight, depending on consumer’s preferences. Mostly the preferred weight is minimally about 0.4kg. Harvest duration lasts between 10 and 30 days. The vegetative top is often left on the field to later incorporate it into the fields. If the tubers are not needed at the moment, they can even be left in the soil until needed. [2] Only the plant tops have to be cut off. The yields of the different organs are about 28-53 tonnes/ha for the tuberous roots, 18-36 tonnes/ha for the fruits, and 1.3-2.7 tonnes/ha for the dry seeds. [8] After harvest [ edit ] Most of its calories come from carbs. The rest are from very small amounts of protein and fat. Jicama contains many important vitamins and minerals, as well as a significant amount of fiber. Ingredients present in yam beans are essential and helpful for soaking the acid produced in the stomach, which prevents stomach problems and disease.

Jicama is a rich source of inulin which is a prebiotic fiber (in other words, a carbohydrate that your body can’t digest or absorb). Instead, inulin feeds the good bacteria in your digestive tract. A systematic review of studies found that inulin supports a healthy gut microbiome (the tiny microorganisms in your intestines that help with digestion).The species of legumes, the concentration of the extract, and the type of extractant (solvent) used are essential factors that affect the activity of underutilized legumes as antimicrobial agents ( Shelke etal., 2022). Kaundal etal. (2019) reported that when different solvents (dichloromethane, 1-butanol, water and ethyl acetate) were used to assess the antimicrobial properties of Horse gram against human pathogenic organisms ( Bacillus sp. , E.coli, Shigella sp. , Staphylococcus sp. and Salmonella sp.), ethyl acetate and dichloromethane extracts revealed antibacterial activities while the aqueous and 1-butanol extract showed no antibacterial properties ( Kaundal etal., 2019). Hence, it is essential to carry out further research on different underutilized legumes to unravel the best extractant that can be used to extract the active ingredients in different NULs to promote their potential in the discovery of new drugs. If you do not have enough folate in your body you may be at a greater risk for cancer, depression, heart disease and stroke, dementia and other cognitive issues. Choline

Before sowing, the soil must be loosened to a depth of 15–25cm. Further, the soil has to be thoroughly cleaned from weeds and stones. In Bolivia, P. ahipa is normally sown between August and October, depending on the rainy season. The seeding rate is between 40 and 65kg/ha. In determining the rate, preferred traits such as tuber size play an important role. Further, soil fertility and seed weight must be taken into account. The planting distance is 20–60cm between rows and 6–25cm between plants in the same row. Therefore, about six to 83 plants/m 2 are possible. It is planted on ridges, when it is flood irrigated, which is mostly the case in the Andean region. [2] Cultivation [ edit ] Although we both work for the University of Cambridge, I met Dr Curie Park during the WE Lead Food Programme ‘Leadership for Impact’ module in Madrid and her expertise combined with mine has made this project possible. A core part of the WE Lead Programme is the ability to network with, and share ideas with, like-minded women.” The root of the plant is edible and the remainder part contains toxics and is poisonous. According to the research done in Thailand a man consumed seeds of Jicama plant and suffered respiratory failure and death within 2 hours. There are plenty of easy ways to make jicama a staple in your kitchen. Experiment using (and benefiting from) jicama with these recipes:Paliwal R, Abberton M, Faloye B, Olaniyi O. Developing the role of legumes in West Africa under climate change. Curr Opin Plant Biol. 2020;56:242–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2020.05.002.