Health benefits of chayote

• Chayote like pumpkin is one of the vegetables which is very low calories; provide just 16 calories per 100 g and contain no saturated fats or cholesterol. However, it is rich a source of dietary fiber, anti-oxidants, minerals, vitamins. Being a low-calorie and fiber-rich vegetable; the dieticians often recommend it in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs.
• They are relatively good sources of the B-complex vitamin, folates. 100 g fresh mirliton carries 93 µg or 23% of daily recommended intake. Folates are essential for cell division, and DNA synthesis. When taken adequately before and during early pregnancy, this vitamin can help prevent neural tube defects in the newborn babies.
• As in other gourd family vegetables like zucchini, chayote too provides moderate levels of potassium. 100 g fresh fruit contains 125 mg or 2.5% of recommended daily requirements of this electrolyte.
• Furthermore, chayote contain small levels of aglycone flavonoid polyphenolic antioxidants such as apigenin and luteolin. These compounds help scavenge harmful oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) from the body that play a role in cancer, aging, and various disease processes.
• Fresh mirliton-pears are adequate sources of antioxidant vitamin-C. Provide about 7.7 mg or 13% of RDA per 100g.
• Further, they are also good in a B-complex group of vitamins like thiamin, pyridoxine, riboflavin, and minerals like iron, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, and copper.
  

  Energy	19 Kcal	<1 td="">
  Carbohydrates	4.51 g	3.5%
  Protein	0.82 g	1.5%
  Total Fat	0.13 g	<1 td="">
  Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
  Dietary Fiber	1.7 g	4.5%
  Vitamins
  Folates	93 µg	23%
  Niacin	0.470 mg	3%
  Pantothenic acid	0.249 mg	5%
  Pyridoxine	0.076 mg	6%
  Riboflavin	0.029 mg	2%
  Thiamin	0.025 mg	2%
  Vitamin A	0 IU	0%
  Vitamin C	7.7 mg	13%
  Vitamin E	0.12 mg	<1 td="">
  Vitamin K	4.1 µg	4%
  Electrolytes
  Sodium	2 mg	<1 td="">
  Potassium	125 mg	2.5%
  Minerals
  Calcium	17 mg	1.7%
  Iron	0.34 mg	4%
  Magnesium	12 mg	3%
  Manganese	0.189 mg	8%
  Phosphorus	18 mg	2.5%
  Selenium	0.2 µg	<1 td="">
  Zinc	0.74 mg	7%
  Phyto-nutrients
  Carotene-ß	0 µg	--
  Crypto-xanthin-ß	0 µg	--
  Lutein-zeaxanthin	0 µg	--