- “The Selenium Depot among Vegetables”
Chayote is renowned as the “selenium depot among vegetables” and contains a large amount of selenium. The selenium content in every 100 grams of chayote can reach 30-53 micrograms, which is much higher than that of other melons such as loofah and bitter melon.
Selenium is a well-known “cancer-preventing element” with a powerful antioxidant function. It enhances the ability of immune cells to recognize and eliminate cancer cells. Selenium also plays an important role in thyroid function and helps prevent thyroid diseases.

- Beneficial for Cardiovascular Diseases
Chayote is a vegetable with high potassium and low sodium content. Regular consumption of chayote can diurese and excrete sodium, and it has the effects of dilating blood vessels, reducing blood pressure, and promoting diuresis. It is a health-care vegetable for patients with cardiovascular diseases and kidney diseases. - Regulating Immune Function
Chayote is rich in calcium, iron, and zinc. Calcium, iron, and zinc are involved in the formation of various enzymes in the human body. When the body lacks these enzymes, it can lead to immune function weakening and disorder to varying degrees. Therefore, regular consumption of chayote can regulate the immune function of the human body. - Promoting the Intellectual Development of Children
In China, children generally have insufficient intake of elements such as calcium, iron, and zinc. Chayote is very beneficial to children’s health. Regular consumption of chayote by children can also improve their intelligence.
In the eyes of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, chayote is a traditional Chinese medicine with many effects, such as regulating qi and harmonizing the middle-jiao, soothing the liver and relieving cough.
“Folk Chinese Herbal Medicine in Southern Fujian” records that it “soothes the liver and regulates qi, harmonizes the middle-jiao and resolves phlegm, promotes qi circulation and relieves pain, and opens the chest and makes the diaphragm feel comfortable.”
Chayote has a certain dietary therapy effect on indigestion, thick and greasy tongue coating, chest tightness and abdominal distension, vomiting and cough, as well as nervous stomachache.
How to eat chayote?
There are many ways to eat chayote. The fresh melon can be sliced or shredded and used for stir-frying with meat or vegetables, making cold dishes, soups, hot pot ingredients, or dumpling fillings. Common homemade dishes include stir-fried chayote with eggs, cold chayote salad, stir-fried chayote, and stir-fried chayote with shrimps.
However, since chayote is a warm-natured food, people with yin deficiency and a weak constitution should eat it in moderation.