ph: 361-935-1556
nancyk
May 21, 2021
by Gail Farquhar/Victoria County Master Gardener
Edited by Suzanne LaBrecque/Victoria County Master Gardener
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER GAIL FARQUHAR
Chaya Leaf
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER GAIL FARQUHAR
Chaya Plant
In a stainless steel or iron skillet cook the bacon in the oil until done and remove it from the skillet. Reduce heat and add garlic, onion and pepper and cook until they are softened. Add the chaya and cover the skillet, then cook for at least 20 minutes until chaya is very tender. Add bacon and season to taste with salt, and red or black pepper to taste. Serves six. Enjoy!
What is chaya? Chaya is a perennial shrub or small tree, Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (or perhaps C. chayamansa, opinions differ) native to the Yucatan Peninsula and now grows in Florida and far South Texas. It is root-hardy to at least 25 degrees. Wild Chaya has stinging hairs but the best cultivated varieties do not.
Why grow and eat chaya?
Chaya is easy to grow and is heat-, drought- and humidity-tolerant. The large, deep green leaves have a substantial, meaty texture and a mild pleasant flavor that can be used in a variety of dishes. It is extremely nutritious.
According to USAID, 3.5 ounces of Chaya leaves provide the following recommended daily requirements: 12-15% protein, 20-33% calcium (more than any other vegetable), 42-52% iron (two times the iron of spinach), 27% vitamin A and 275-342% vitamin C. Chaya is widely used in developing countries to provide vital nutrients for mothers and children.
Many unsubstantiated claims are made for Chaya as a medicinal plant but have not been sufficiently studied or validated.
Texas A&M-Kingsville did participate in a small rabbit study that demonstrated the anti-diabetic properties of boiled Chaya tea, but people are not rabbits. It is important not to believe the overly glowing claims that have been made for Chaya as a “miracle medicine.”
Simply enjoy it as a very nutritious, delicious and easy-to-grow green vegetable.
Some tips for growing Chaya are to choose rooted cuttings of a nonstinging variety and to plant cuttings in full sun to dense shade. Chaya is drought-tolerant but grows better with occasional watering. Select a spacious area because Chaya is a large plant and can grow 8-9 feet tall in a season. For easier harvesting, it can be cut back during the season.
It is wise to start a few cuttings before winter every year and bring them into shelter if necessary. Do mulch the roots well to prevent freezing.
Are you asking yourself how to use Chaya?
Cook it like cooking lima beans, cassava, cocoyams, chickpeas, flaxseeds and bamboo shoots. Raw chaya contains hydrocyanic glycosides, so boil or fry young tender leaves for at least five minutes; and boil older tough ones for 10 to 15 minutes to mitigate this problem. Some vitamin C and other nutrients will leach into the liquid during cooking. This nutrient-rich cooking liquid can be added to soups and stews or drunk as a tea.
Although some people eat chaya raw or even use it raw in smoothies with no apparent ill effects, raw chaya is never recommended. Do avoid cooking chaya in aluminum pots or pans as a mildly toxic chemical reaction may occur.
Pre-cooked chaya can be used in any recipe that calls for spinach or added to any food that is going to be cooked for long enough to destroy the cyanide-producing glycosides. It goes particularly well in egg dishes, soups, stews and casseroles.
My family’s favorite recipe is Chaya Frita.
The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.
ph: 361-935-1556
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