8 reasons to eat Chayote every day!

 

A wide range of nutritional literature never hesitated to prove how important consuming fruits and vegetables is on human life. 

Chayote (Sechium edule L) is amongst them. This is a perennial climbing vegetable crop that can be cultivated in almost all regions globally its high growth and productivity commonly happen in the warm season.

Moreover, this single-seeded vegetable plant is commonly known for its bland taste, mild flavor, and crispy texture that may limit some people’s interest in consuming it. 

Although the taste of S. edule may not seem fascinating, it contains several sorts of nutrients including essential vitamins, minerals, dietary fibers, low proteins, and many others that are indispensable in human health.

Like other million vegetables, chayote consumption has been proved to play a significant role in our healthy life. 

Some of those incredible health benefits that are going to surprise you are:

1. Minimizing cancer risks and chronic inflammation

The researchers reported that this vegetable exhibited antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that are associated with cancer risks reduction.

Chayote is a rich source of antioxidants such as vitamin E and C, selenium, and dietary fibers. Apart from antioxidants, the anti-inflammatory compounds named apigenin and luteolin can be obtained in it as well.

As a result, the combination of antioxidants and these compounds will help the body to destroy free radicals in the body and protect your cells from DNA damage and hence preventing cancer.  

2. Enhancing diabetes condition

On the other hand, by eating chayote, you will be improving your insulin sensitivity and reducing other diabetes complications.

S edule contains a high quantity of flavonoids namely; quercetin and epicatechin.

These are associated with lowering glucose plasma levels that result from the increase of insulin release, via the modification of calcium metabolism in Langerhans cells.

Consequently, ingesting this vegetable is thought to ameliorate diabetic condition due to insulin resistance reduction and hence improved blood sugar regulation.

 3. Reducing cardiovascular diseases

Eating chayote on a frequent basis be it; raw in salads, pickled in a sauce or their juice should be one of the better ways to prevent heart diseases.

This is based on the fact that in chayote extract there are polyphenols that help the body to regulate lipids metabolism in the liver. 

As a result, this contributes to decreased lipid synthesis and unhealthy cholesterol absorption. Moreover, chayote extract ingestion is also linked to reduced hypertension and improved blood flow.

4. Improving healthy kidney

Another, unbelievable Chayote health benefit, is the improvement of kidney function. 

Recent research has shown that this food consumption may generate a significant decrease in creatinine, urea, and uric acid concentrations in our body and in other animals respectively.

Once these chemicals are lessened in our blood, the improvement in renal histology of both tubules and glomeruli are assured indeed. 

Simultaneously, this food’s flavonoids are known to mitigate kidney damage that is caused by microstructure by various mechanisms such as oxidative stress and others.

Amazingly, both leaves and fruits of this chayote may act as a mild diuretic. 

But how?  Making you urinate more often, washing off, detoxifying your kidneys, and hence diminishing kidney stone risks.

5. Reduce the risks of liver damage

Not only kidney protection, chayote nutrients in form of antioxidants flavones such apigenin, quercetin, and naringenin may also prevent liver damage that is so-called hepatoprotective effects.

As long as you keep eating this fruit, its nutrients will be therapeutic agents against organs and tissues damage.

This happens through the prevention of oxidative damage and diminution of enzyme pro-inflammatory cytokine release and others that may lead to liver damage.

You should try to eat at least a piece or extract from chayote frequently regardless of its taste for the sake of healthy liver.

 6. Healthy food for pregnant women

Chayote contains complex B vitamins as well as folic acid vitamin B₉. 

Folic acid obtained from chayote is necessary for cell division and baby growth during the pregnancy process.

Pregnant women should consume it as a better source of this vitamin as it helps their baby's preventing growth specifically preventing it from any neurological defects.

Apart from eating a balanced diet, pregnant women should also add chayote to their meals for better pregnancy outcomes.

7. Diminishing premature aging

According to different aging theories, aging is normally caused by different body processes that lead to DNA oxidation hence its damage.

Chayote has quite a large number of flavonoids (quercetin) that can help the body fight any harmful substances such as reactive oxygen (ROS) that may accelerate aging gradually. 

Quercetin from S edule possesses anti-aging properties that prevent cells damage and promote senescence in abnormal cells.

A substance that is derived from oxygen is reactive and can be harmful to the body and free radicals can lead to premature aging as well as other dangerous diseases.

Antioxidants are thought to lessen the damage that may arise from reactive oxygen and oxidative stress by neutralizing them.       

8. Relieving constipation

If you experience constipation frequently, eating chayote may be among the ways to help you to solve it.

Adding chayote to your nutrition menu, you will be getting the required amount of high dietary fibers that help in facilitating bowel movement.

Concurrently, the high water content of 87-95% from chayote, may help in softening stools that may also ease bowel movement and then relieve constipation.

Bottom line

We are what we eat! Healthy life is determined by mainly consistent proper nutrition.

Chayote like other vegetables possesses a wide range of nutrients including antioxidants, dietary fiber, manganese, iron, potassium, zinc, phosphorus, copper, vitamins B1, B2, B6, and C that are helpful in an adult’s healthy life.

Besides, it has been proved to have health benefits including, enhancement of diabetes condition, relieving constipation, responsible for healthy heart, kidney and liver and many others.

It has a lot of fiber with no cholesterol and saturated fats at all while it is an incredible food for those people who are looking to lose weight.

As an adult, taking a piece of chayote daily would protect you from a metabolic syndrome that might lead to insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, inflammation, coagulation disorders, hypertension, and obesity.

 

How often do you consume chayote at home?

 

Sources

1. Islam, S., Kumar, A., Dash, K.K., and Alom, S. 2018. Physicochemical analysis and nutritional properties of fresh, osmo-dehydrated and dried chayote (Sechium edule L.). Journal of Postharvest Technology, 6 (2): 49-56.
2. Sangma, C, Kumar, V, Suri, S, Gat, Y, Kaushal, M, & Kumar, A. (2019). Preservation and evaluation of spiced chayote juice using hurdle technology. Brazilian Journal of Food Technology, 22, e2018122. https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-6723.12218. 
3. Rosado-p, J., Aguiñiga-s, I. and Santiago-osorio, E. (2019) ‘antioxidants E ff ect of Sechium edule var . nigrum spinosum ( Chayote ) on Oxidative Stress and Pro-Inflammatory Markers in Older Adults with Metabolic Syndrome : An Exploratory Study’, pp. 2–11.
4. Vela-g, G. (2017) ‘Chayote ( Sechium edule ) Phytochemical and pharmacological approaches’, (November).
5. https://worldhealth.net/news/quercetin-has-anti-aging-anti-anti-cancer-properties.html.