What is the Chaya plant good for?
Medicinal: Chaya is traditionally used in Mexico and Central America to prevent and treat such diverse conditions as inflammation, diabetes (there is strong evidence for this benefit), obesity, heart disease (it lowers LDL-cholesterol and high blood pressure), fever, kidney stones, varicose veins, gastro-intestinal …
How do you eat Chaya leaves?
Chaya is also traditionally prepared with eggs, rice, soup, stir-fries, and other traditional Mayan dishes. The leaves must not be eaten raw, but must be cooked before being eaten, because the raw leaves contain hydrocyanic glycosides, which is easily neutralized once cooked.
Is Chaya poisonous?
Chaya is a good source of protein, vitamins, calcium, and iron. However, raw chaya leaves are highly poisonous. They contain a high content of hydrocyanic acid.
Are Chaya leaves edible?
Its leaves are edible cooked. In fact, it’s an outstanding green generally twice as nutritious as spinach, Chinese cabbage or amaranth. The leaves are very high in protein, calcium, iron, carotene, and vitamins A, B and C. In fact, Chaya can have 10 times as much vitamin C as the orange.
What is chaya Leaf?
Cnidoscolus aconitifolius, commonly known as chaya, tree spinach, or spinach tree, is a large, fast-growing and leafy perennial shrub that is believed to have originated in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. The specific epithet, aconitifolius, means “Aconitum-like leaves”.
How do you grow a chaya plant?
Chaya plants grow well in shady spots, especially under fruit or nut trees. Add aged manure or compost to the planting hole, so that the nutrients can get through. Chaya plants grow well if you can keep the soil moist constantly. So, water the plants regularly.
What is Chaya Leaf?
What is Chaya juice?
Chaya is a bush-type plant native to the Yucatan that has edible leaves much like spinach and is used widely by Maya natives in Mexico. Wash all the green leaves thoroughly and put in blender with juices. Blend until it reaches a smooth consistency, then pass through a fine colander to remove pulp and fiber.
How do you harvest chaya?
Chaya is easily propagated by stem cuttings. Make a 6-12 inches cutting from a woody part of the stem and be sure that there are at least a few nodes on the cutting. Remove all leaves and let the cutting air dry for a 2-3 days. This will allow the cut ends to seal, making them less susceptible to rotting.
What is chaya juice?
Does Chaya need full sun?
You should plant Chaya during the early spring as the warm weather rolls in. Chaya is most productive when grown in full sun with rich soil. However, Chaya is a tough plant and can be grown in less than optimal conditions, it just won’t be as productive.
How do you drink chaya?
All that being said, chaya makes a refreshing and delicious drink, especially in the tropical heat. Wash all the green leaves thoroughly and put in blender with juices. Blend until it reaches a smooth consistency, then pass through a fine colander to remove pulp and fiber. Chill and serve.
What are the health benefits of Chaya?
Some of the popular health benefits of chaya are: Improved blood circulation. Aids in digestion. Improved vision. Dis-inflammation of veins and hemorrhoids. Help to lower cholesterol. Help to reduce weight. Prevent coughs.
What is Chaya plant?
The leaves and shoots of the spinach plants are harvested young and then used as spinach which also has some benefits of chaya plant. Chaya is a very common food in Mexico and can be cooked just like spinach and it pairs excellently with stir-fries.
Is Chaya The Superfood of the future?
An ancient food source for the Maya, chaya may just turn out to be a superfood of the future thanks to its vitamin-rich content and the ease with which and can be cultivated and regenerates. There are many benefits to drinking and eating chaya.
Is it safe to eat chaya leaves?
Even though some people tend to eat raw chaya leaves, it is risky to do so. Chaya is a monoecious, much branched, large, fast-growing leafy perennial shrub that often grow to 3 m (10 ft.) in height, and 2 m (6.5 ft.) in width but some may reach up to five or six meters tall.