Chayote Squash
Get to know chayote squash — a light, low-calorie vegetable rich in vitamin C. Nutritional content, health benefits, and how to cook delicious chayote squash.
What Is Chayote?
Chayote (Sechium edule) is a light green fruit-vegetable with a distinctive rounded, ridged shape and a slightly wrinkled surface. Its texture is crisp when raw and turns soft and melty when cooked for a long time, with a mild and fairly neutral taste — this quality makes it easy to absorb seasoning and pair well with various dishes. Chayote grows as a vine and is fairly easy to cultivate in both highland and lowland areas of Indonesia.
Because of its mild taste and affordable price, chayote is often used as a "filler" vegetable in soupy dishes, especially sayur bening (clear vegetable soup) and lodeh (coconut milk vegetable stew), even though it's less popular than other green vegetables like spinach or water spinach.
Nutritional Content of Chayote
Per 100 grams of fresh chayote:
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| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~19 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | ~4.5 g |
| Fiber | ~1.7 g |
| Vitamin C | ~7.7 mg |
| Folate | ~93 mcg |
Chayote is one of the lowest-calorie vegetables among other root vegetables and fruit-vegetables, since most of its content is water.
Health Benefits
- Very low in calories — great for those watching their daily calorie intake without sacrificing a feeling of fullness.
- Rich in folate — supports red blood cell formation and is good for pregnant women to consume.
- Helps with hydration — its high water content helps meet daily fluid needs.
- Easy to digest — its soft texture after cooking makes it gentle on sensitive digestion.
Ways to Cook Chayote
- Sayur bening (clear vegetable soup) — simmered with simple seasonings like shallots, ginger, and a bit of salt for a fresh, light dish.
- Lodeh (coconut milk vegetable stew) — diced and cooked in coconut milk along with other vegetables like long beans and eggplant.
- Stir-fried chayote — thinly sliced then stir-fried with garlic and chili for a quick dish.
- Filling for sayur asem (tamarind vegetable soup) or soup — chayote pieces add soft texture to clear, soupy dishes.
How to Choose & Store
- pick ones with fresh light green skin, smooth, and slightly firm when pressed
- medium-sized ones are usually more tender and milder in taste than overly large ones
- avoid ones with yellowing skin, deep wrinkles, or a mushy feel
- store at cool room temperature if it will be used within 2-3 days
- for longer storage, keep it whole (unpeeled) in the fridge in a perforated bag
- whole chayote can last up to 1-2 weeks in the fridge thanks to its fairly thick skin
Practical Tips
- Wear gloves or rub oil on your hands when peeling — chayote's sap can feel sticky on your skin.
- Remove the seedy center if the chayote is a bit older, since its texture tends to be tougher than the flesh.
- Cut into uniform pieces so it cooks evenly, especially when cooked together with other vegetables that have different cooking times.
- Add it near the end of cooking for lodeh or soup, since chayote cooks quickly and can become too mushy if cooked too long.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my hands feel sticky after peeling chayote?
Can chayote be eaten raw?
Why does chayote taste bland compared to other vegetables?
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