Chayote Miracle Fruit/Vegetable Helps Lower Blood Pressure: Claims
Is Chayote the miracle fruit/vegetable? Studies claim that the whole Chayote or sayote plant including the fruit, stem and leaves contains multiple nutrients and has anti-inflammatory properties that can aid in the treatment of high-blood pressure, kidney stones and indigestion.
There have been cases cited of how effective Chayote is in combating hypertension:
Many people with hypertension claim to have benefited from chayote. The late noted man of culture Umar Kayam was one of them. Before he died of stroke last March, he ate chayote to lower his blood pressure. Once he jokingly told his colleague at Gadjah Mada University, short-story writer Bakdi Sumanto, that he should changed his name to Raden Mas Haryo Jipang because he ate a dish containing chayote every day.
There have been many stories about how chayote can lower blood pressure.
Bardono, 50, a resident of Pogungrejo, Yogyakarta, was diagnosed with hypertension as far back as 2000. A batik vendor at Beringhardjo market, Bardono once had his blood pressure soar to as high as 240/130 mm Hg, far above the normal level.
With his hypertension at that level, he not only suffered some pain in the nape of his neck but his heart beat faster and his entire body felt painfully stiff.
Dr. Suwijio Pramono, a pharmacist of the School of Pharmacy of UGM, said:
“The chayote juice contains flavonoid, saponin and polifenol, three chemicals which can effectively function as diuretics. Then the chayote also contains alkaloid, which helps break through obstructed blood vessels. Therefore, I’d rather believe that the chayote is good for hypertension because of its alkaloid content. This substance is good to take with the chayote being eaten raw. Unlike other traditional medicinal herbs which need boiling, the chayote, or its juice, can be taken without being boiled first,” Suwijio said.
Provides Essential Vitamins
Chayote is an abundant source of folate and vitamin C. Folate is a water-soluble vitamin that is essential for female fertility and cancer prevention.
High in Fiber
A high-fiber diet helps treat constipation and normalize bowel movements. Eating chayote is a good way to increase your fiber consumption. One chayote contains 3.5 grams of fiber, which contributes 14 percent of your daily value of 25 grams.