Chayote belongs to the gourd family and is a perennial vine native to southern Mexico and Central America. The shape of the fruit is similar to the Buddha’s hand, so it is also called the fruit of the fruit tree. Chayote has a crunchy texture and a subtle sweetness, so it can be said that it has a taste similar to radish and cucumber. It is widely used as an ingredient in various dishes such as raw vegetables, salads, soups, pickles, etc.
In addition, chayote contains a large amount of essential nutrients such as vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, folic acid, and dietary fiber, and is well known to have various beneficial effects on the body. Due to the nature of the growing environment of growing in a subtropical climate, it was mainly cultivated in Southeast Asia and Central and South America in the past. Cultivation is actively carried out in various places. Now, let’s take a closer look at the main benefits of chayote.
Chayote main benefits
1. Improving immunity
Chayote has a high content of vitamin C, a nutritional component with excellent antioxidant power, which inhibits cell damage and prevents oxidation from oxidative stress caused by free radicals. They say it helps a lot. In addition, various mineral components such as magnesium, zinc, potassium, and manganese, which are evenly contained in chayote, are also said to have a good effect in enhancing the immune function of the body through metabolic activity.
2. Prevention of vascular disease
Oxidative stress caused by free radicals mentioned above not only reduces the elasticity of blood vessels, but also oxidizes LDL cholesterol, known as bad cholesterol, and acts as a cause of various vascular diseases. The rich vitamin C component in chayote is said to be effective in suppressing excess free radicals that cause deterioration of blood vessel health.
In addition, various mineral components such as magnesium and potassium also help to constrict and relax blood vessels and help maintain normal blood pressure, thereby helping to prevent various blood vessel-related diseases such as high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis.
3. Constipation improvement
It is said to be effective in improving constipation symptoms by helping smooth bowel movements by promoting intestinal peristalsis under the influence of dietary fiber and water, which are abundantly contained in chayote. In addition, abundant dietary fiber and water help to excrete harmful substances and toxins in the intestine, which are clogged on the wall of the large intestine and cannot be discharged, thereby improving the intestinal environment and promoting overall health of the intestine.
4. Diet
The calorie of chayote is very low, about 16Kcal per 100g, and the rich content of dietary fiber keeps the feeling of fullness as long as possible, which is beneficial for weight control. In addition, it does not contain saturated fat and cholesterol, and it is said that it helps to reduce nutritional imbalances that are likely to occur during diet due to various minerals and vitamins that are evenly contained.
5. Brain Health
It is known to help improve brain functions such as memory, concentration, and cognition by the complex action of folic acid including vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium. It is also known to have beneficial effects in the prevention of various cerebrovascular diseases by improving blood circulation and regulating normal blood pressure levels.
6. Pregnancy health
Chayote is a water-soluble vitamin belonging to the B vitamin group, and contains a lot of folic acid, which is known as an essential nutrient for women of childbearing age. It is known that this rich folic acid component not only plays an important role in cell division and growth, but also plays an important role in the cranial and spinal nerves of the fetus, thus helping the health of pregnant women and the fetus.
Other Benefits
Chayote is known to help prevent and improve diabetes by helping to control blood sugar, as well as many of the aforementioned benefits.
In addition, it is reported to have a beneficial effect in preventing skin aging based on its excellent antioxidant power that suppresses free radicals, as well as in recovering from fatigue and preventing osteoporosis due to its abundant vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin B6 ingredients.
