Siamese pumpkin or chayote is a kind of vegetables are widely consumed by the people of Indonesia. In the Java region, chayote is better known as jipang, while in the world of squash is called chayote. Chayote itself is not a native of Indonesia. As the name implies, the Siamese gourd comes from the Siam region in our neighboring country, Thailand.
With a fairly high water content, this vegetable has a very fresh taste. That is why many people are very fond of these vegetables with basic ingredients.
Chayote shaped like a pear fruit, but has a green color. Some studies have found that chayote is a green vegetable that has many nutrients needed by the body. Even a study conducted by the University of North Florida, USA, found that the chayote contained many vitamins. Chayote is also a vegetable that is very low in calories, high in fiber, and rich in minerals. Then, what are the benefits that can be given pumpkin?
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Nutrients in Chayote Squash
Chayote is a vegetable that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and is still a family with cucumber, and pumpkin. The scientific name for the squash is Sechium Edule. As for the nutrient content contained in the squash is as follows:
Siamese pumpkin (Sechium edule) in raw state
| In every 100 grams, contains:
Nutrition Value Presentase based on Presentation Suggestion Energy 19 Kcal <1% Carbohydrates 4.51 g 3.5% Protein 0.82 g 1.5% Total Fat 0.13 g <1% Cholesterol 0 mg 0% Fibers 1.7 g 4.5% Vitamin Folate 93 μg 23% Niacin 0.470 mg 3% Pantothenic acid 0.249 mg 5% Pyridoxine 0.076 mg 6% Riboflavin 0.029 mg 2% Thiamin 0.025 mg 2% Vitamin A 0 IU 0% Vitamin C 7.7 mg 13% Vitamin E 0.12 mg <1% Vitamin K 4.1 μg 4% Electrolyte Sodium 2 mg <1% Potassium 125 mg 2.5% Mineral Calcium 17 mg 1.7% Iron 0.34 mg 4% Magnesium 12 mg 3% Manganese 0.189 mg 8% Phosphorus 18 mg 2.5% Selenium 0.2 μg <1% Zinc 0.74 mg 7% |
The health benefits of chayote for health are sufficient to prevent disease until it helps the diet. This tree is a type of vines that have vine – vines which will become the growth of fruit chayote. Siamese pumpkin can grow on moist soil but not muddy and does not contain water. chayote squash can be harvested after 30 years of planting, fast enough indeed. Here are some health benefits of chayote squash:
1. Helps Lose Weight
Chayote like other pumpkins, is a vegetable that contains very low calories. Siamese pumpkin contains only 16 calories in every 100 grams. In addition, as can be seen in the nutritional content table above, the chayote contains no saturated fat and no cholesterol at all. Chayote also contains a high enough fiber. Thus, it is from these factors that make the Siamese pumpkin a recommended food for those who are trying to lose weight.
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2. Preventing Birth Infants Defects
Chayote is a vegetable that also has a complex B content that is good enough Folate. Folate content of 93μg in 100 grams of chayote or equivalent to 23% of the recommended folate. Folate itself is needed in the process of cell division, so that in pregnant women folate helps the growth of the fetus and prevent the baby from neurological defects.
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3. Helps Lower Cholesterol
In the nutrient content table, the chayote does not contain saturated fat, even for its caloric content alone in small amounts. Based on these factors, chayote can be used to control high cholesterol levels. And very good for consumption for people with high cholesterol.
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4. Prevent Cancer
Inside the chayote, there is antioxidant content of apigenin and luteolin. Two types of antioxidants are useful to fight and clean free radicals which is the cancer-causing in our body.
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5. As a Source of Stamina
Siamese pumpkin is also known to contain potassium which is one kind of electrolyte that useful as a source of stamina of our body. Potassium content in this siamese pumpkin as much as 125 mg per 100 grams.
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6. Prevent Premature Aging
Chayote is a vegetable with flavonoid content is good enough. Flavonoids in siamese pumpkin (Chayote) can help the body to fight off harmful substances such as Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), a substance that is derived from oxygen but is reactive that can be harmful to the body, and free radicals cause premature aging and other dangerous diseases.
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7. As a Source of Antioxidants
Chayote contains about 7.7 mg of vitamin C. Vitamin C itself is one of the antioxidants that can help preventing cell damage or to prevent the entry of free radicals into the body. By consuming 100 grams of squash, you will meet about 13 percent of the total body vitamin C requirement recommended every day.
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8. Treating Kidney Stones
Siamese pumpkin, especially the leaves can be used in the treatment of kidney stones. This is as revealed in the results of a study conducted at the University of North Florida. In addition, the chayote leaves are also useful for lowering high blood pressure.
9. Preventing Constipation
By adding chayote to the food menu, this means we also add the fiber intake our body needs. Fiber will help the digestion process in the body, so it can prevent the occurrence of constipation.
10. Lowering High Blood Pressure
Eating chayote is believed to be able to lower high blood pressure. This has been proven by a study conducted at Purdue University. In the study, chayote is used as tea or consumed in the form of beverages, and the results proved to lower blood pressure.
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11. Treating flatulence
Chayote is also useful for treating disorders of the stomach. For example, if you are experiencing flatulence, drink tea mixed with slices of chayote’s meat. This is because the chayote contains elements that are included in a diuretic substance that is one of its usefulness is to treat flatulence.
12. Prevent Heart Disease
Siamese pumpkin contains many essential vitamins that are very useful for the health of the body. One of them is vitamin C which is pretty much in the chayote. As an antioxidant, vitamin C can prevent the occurrence of diseases caused by free radicals such as one of them is heart disease.
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13. As a Source of Various Minerals
Various minerals such as potassium, iron, phosphorus and other minerals are needed by the body to maintain the immune system, maintain strength and bone and dental density, maintain metabolic health. And, the various minerals are also found inside the chayote.
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14. Preventing Anemia
Deficiency of vitamin B2 and iron can cause a person to have a red blood deficiency or anemia. Siamese pumpkin contains two elements that are able to stimulate the production of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the body, so as to prevent the occurrence of anemia.
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15. Reduce the Risk of Stroke
According to the study, excessive amounts of homocysteine in the blood will increase the risk of stroke to heart disease. Chayote can be a good source of folate for the body and help stabilize homocysteine in the blood.
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More Benefits of Chayote Squash
Indeed, there are many health benefits of chayote squash. Here are some more:
- Rich of Vitamin C
- Rich of Vitamin K
- Rich of Vitamin B
- Rich of Vitamin Antioxidant Sources
- Tasteful
Well, we can get those health benefits of chayote squash for sure in our daily menu.
Suggested Presentation of Chayote Squash
Abroad, the chayote is usually used as a mixture of the drink or salad. But not infrequently, in Indonesia alone chayote is used as a variety of cuisine that is very tempting, from starting as a mixture of ingredients to make Indonesian’s food or Indonesian’s traditional food or even other dishes. If you want to cook chayote, this is one of the recipe recommendations you can practice at home with ease:
- Prepare a piece of chayote. Then, wash the chayote and peel it.
- Cut squash with elongated shape, small in size with matches. Then drain.
- Prepare 150 grams of shrimp. Wash clean shrimp, then clean also shrimp shells. Can be cut or adjusted to taste.
- For the seasoning, prepare the red pepper for the spicy flavor and the amount can be adjusted to your taste. Also prepare garlic and onion two pieces for each. Other ingredients for the herbs are hazelnut, salam, turmeric, galangal, sugar and salt. Then, mash all the spices that have been prepared earlier.
- How to cook it by stir frying spices that have been mashed before. After the seasoning sprays the fragrant aroma, put the chayote squash and shrimp.
- The last step, enter the coconut liquid milk into the seasoning, shrimp and squash. Wait until boiling and pumpkin and shrimp are cooked.
- Serving the squash can be accompanied by long rice cake which usually called lontong.
You can also use chayote squash to get its health benefits by making the juice of chayote. Drinking chayote juice at least twice a week can help lower high blood pressure.
Side Effects of Chayote
Basically, consuming a chayote in a reasonable dose will not cause any side effects on health. However, there is one thing you should look at when you peel the chayote. In the chayote, if you peel chayote, in the peeling process, will emit a clear colored sap that can cause itching and hands or fingers that hold chayote that has been peeled and even can feel numb. This happens because in the sap of the pumpkin contains a kind of substance that is anesthetic.
The effects felt when peeling or holding the pumpkin are just temporary, so you do not have to worry. Wash hands thoroughly to ease the effect. In addition to the information, it may cause side effects if interactions with certain drugs such as aspirin and drugs are used in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Benefits of chayote can be used as a vegetable for daily consumption.
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