Ordinary products-vegetables, fruits, nuts, juices and berries – are not just our taste preferences. That's what makes us who we are. It also enriches and enriches the elements necessary for life. But what if we make changes to our usual diet? After all, each product is a storehouse of certain substances that affect the body. Our health, well-being and mood depend on what we eat. And the task of each of us is to learn this information and learn how to use it.

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Chaiot

Mexican cucumber called chaiot-a plant that belongs to the family of Pumpkin. Stems and leaves of the plant are more like a vine. During the season, this vegetable can give up to 80 fruits having a pear shape. Chaiot reaches an average of 11-12 cm in length and weighs somewhere 600 grams. The skin of the fruit is thin, but strong, having a light Shine. It is yellow or green, may have irregularities, small growths and longitudinal grooves. The white flesh of the Mexican cucumber is quite juicy and sweet. It's a little like zucchini.

There are several varieties of this cucumber, which differ in form: ovate, elongated pear – shaped, spherical, but the most common-pear-shaped. They differ in the color of the fruit, the shade of which varies from dark green to white, and purple color.

The birthplace of chayote is considered Central America. Today this vegetable is widespread almost all over the world. In the homeland of the chayot, several species are known.

Fruits, most often not fully Mature, are used in stewed, boiled, baked, in raw form added to salads. In addition to fruits, other parts of the vegetable are also used for food: leaves, seeds with a nutty flavor, which are eaten fried, and young tops of shoots, used as asparagus. Also, the chayot grows edible root tubers weighing up to 10 kg, which have a color from light yellow to dark green. These tubers contain a lot of starch, they are similar to taste with potatoes, so in food it is used almost as well.

The only inedible part of the Mexican cucumber is the stem, but it is not thrown away – they are obtained after processing beautiful silver fibers that are used for weaving hats, boxes and other things.

How to choose

The food is advised to use young fruits with a shiny peel, as overripe vegetable will be hard. You can buy chaiot from June to the end of October.

In addition, in the shops you can find canned and pickled fruits.

How to store

Chaiot can be stored up to a month at a temperature of about +10C. They can be stored in a vacuum container in the refrigerator for the whole winter.

In cooking

Different parts of the vegetable are used in different ways. Young shoots of the chayot are boiled as asparagus, in salted water, and then used for soups, side dishes and salads. The roots can be boiled, but only while the chaiot is young. In the future, they are more often used as fodder for livestock. Green leaves can be a good ingredient in sauté or vegetable stew.

The taste of chaiot is a bit similar to potatoes, because the methods of its preparation are similar to the classic recipes of potato dishes. On the other hand, due to the fact that this vegetable is distributed mainly in countries with a different culinary culture, there are original recipes for its use. For example, the tender pulp of chaiot in the ground form often becomes the basis for different soups.

In raw form, the fruits are not eaten: unlike ordinary cucumbers, they are tougher. But in any other form, this vegetable is great, as it has a pleasant nutty taste. Dishes such as chayot soup, stewed, stuffed rice, meat or cottage cheese vegetables, boiled shoots, souffle, desserts with chocolate and honey are popular. Interesting and sauce, which is composed of chaiot, onion, eggplant and tomato. And fried shoots like fans of mushrooms-they have a similar taste.

One of the most popular recipes: peeled boiled chayot cut, add oil and serve hot. This vegetable goes well with tomatoes, eggplant, it turns out delicious mashed potatoes served as a side dish.

There are many different combinations of chayot with other products: because of its own neutral taste, it is perfectly combined with many vegetables. Traditional Mexican seasonings such as Cayenne pepper or Tabasco are added to these dishes. A large amount of oil helps to soften the sharpness of spices and enhance the juiciness of the overall taste, which gives the chaiot.

Unusual and a combination of Mexican cucumber with fruit. For example, it is used along with cinnamon and apples in pies – in this combination, the chaiot also becomes sweet.

The fruit contains a lot of starch, so it is often made of flour. In addition, chayot is possible pickling and canning.

For preservation are choosing good results without any damage, dipped in cool water to which a little diluted citric acid. If the fruit is too large, they should be cut. In cans stacked layers (layer chayota — layer of spices and so on). As seasonings use garlic, dill, horseradish leaves, black pepper, parsley roots. Then the vegetables are filled with brine (a liter of boiled chilled water-80 grams of salt), the banks are covered with lids, and then left for 2 weeks. As soon as the fermentation stops in the banks, they are twisted with hermetic covers.

In Asia, chaiot is considered a mandatory ingredient in many hot or vegetable salads. And in Mexico and Africa, its pulp is added to bakery products.

Calorific

Since the Mexican cucumber is a low-calorie food, containing only 19 kcal, it can be used during the period of therapeutic diets and weight loss.

Nutritional value in 100 grams:

Proteins, gr	Fat, gr	Carbohydrates, gr	Ash, gr	Water, gr	Calorific value, kcal
0.82	0.13	2.81	-	18	19

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The composition and availability of nutrients

The chayote contains 17 amino acids, including indispensable - arginine, leucine, valine, threonine, lysine, histidine, methionine, tryptophan, phenylalanine.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids, proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, sugar, carotene, starch, vitamins B, C, PP, various minerals, among which are potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, are found in the chemical composition of edible chayot.

Useful and therapeutic properties

The use of Mexican cucumber is appreciated by traditional medicine. Its leaves have a good diuretic effect, because the decoction of them is used for edema, urolithiasis.

Tubers are used in the treatment of atherosclerosis and help reduce pressure. Also, they are used in fried or boiled form for colds, as they are rich in vitamin C and have sweatshops properties.

The fruit of chaiot can be used when treatment of thyroid diseases, ulcers, hemorrhoids, pancreatitis and constipation is carried out. It is advisable to use Mexican cucumber and cardiovascular diseases. Fruits are able to increase pressure, remove cholesterol and kidney stones.

Useful properties of this vegetable are known in gynecological practice. Chaiot products are used for tumors in the mammary glands and mastopathy, fibroids, fibroids and uterine cancer, prostatitis and adenoma in men. Chaiot is recommended as a means for the prevention of cancer, used after cancer patients prescribed chemotherapy.

The lysine contained in the Mexican cucumber limits the nutritional value of almost all plant proteins, promotes the recovery, growth of collagen fibers and tissues, takes part in the production of enzymes, hormones, antibodies, controls the balance of nitrogen, reduces the likelihood of herpes and helps to reduce the level of triglycerides in the blood.

American nutritionists have found that chaiot is a low-calorie product that can be used for weight loss, solving problems with cellulite and obesity.

Harm chayot can only bring hypersensitive. Other contraindications in this vegetable is not found.