The uses of chayote fruit

Chayote (Sechium edule (Jacq.) Swartz) is also called vegetable pear, mirliton, chocho or custard marrow, is a vegetable and a member of the Cucurbitaceae family. It is mainly produced as a non-traditional export crop.

Chayote is basically used for human consumption, not just in the Americas but in many other countries. The consumption of the fruit is much appreciated using conventional cooking methods, such as simply boiled or used in stews and desserts, whereas the peel and leaves are usually poorly consumed, presenting however promising health properties, such as a diuretic or kidney stones dissolving capacity.

In Mexican and Latin American households and restaurants, the fruit may be boiled, baked, stuffed, mashed, fried, scalloped, or pickled, but the main method of consumption is in a broth. In some cases it can be eaten raw in salads and salsas.

Chayote have a crisp texture when raw, and a very mild flavor. They can be peeled, cut into cubes (after removing the central seed and seed area), and used as summer squash – steamed or cooked in side dishes.

In France, chayote fruit is served as a substitute for artichoke hearts. In Jamaica and Puerto Rico, the matured fruit are halved, boiled, and served; the seeds are also consumed. In New Zealand, chayote is preserved in the same manner as dill pickles.

In India, chayote is eaten together with other vegetables in a curried dish. In India, as in the Americas, the fruit and roots are not only used as food but also as fodder for cattle. In southeastern Asia, chayote is consumed similarly to French fries.

The softness of the fruit flesh makes it particularly suitable for giving consistency to baby foods, juices, sauces and pastes. Moreover, chayote has been processed into jams, sweet and pickles and sauce, to be used as a substitute for apple in pies and tarts.

Additionally, chayote starch is a good substitute for wheat flours in diverse products, which can be used by people with special nutritional requirements, such as those with celiac disease.

Medicinal use of chayote has also been documented in the literature. Data compiled in recent studies highlight the use of decoctions made from the leaves or fruits to relieve urine retention and burning during urination or to dissolve kidney stones, and as a complementary treatment for arteriosclerosis and hypertension.
The uses of chayote fruit

Chayote fruit

Chayote is grown in Southeast Asia, Central and West Africa, Mexico, Central America and South America, primarily for local consumption.

This tropical plant, which is a member of the gourd and melon family (Cucurbitaceae), bears edible fruit which is similar in taste and texture to summer squash.

The skin of the fruit can be smooth, deeply fissured or even wrinkled and prickly. Colors range from light-green to almost white. The opaque flesh has cucumber-like texture and varies in color.

Edible, tuberous roots are also formed in tropical regions where there is an extended dry season. Also, people sometimes use the young shoots for greens.

Chayote fruit is a low calorie food making ii a good choice in diets of weight-conscious individuals. The fruit is most like scallop summer squash and is prepared and used in the same general way.
Chayote fruit