Xincheng Chayote

Xincheng Chayote

　　Chayote seedlings are a type of pollution-free vegetable recently developed in Xincheng County. Currently, the county has a total planting area of 10,100 mu (approximately 673 hectares) of chayote, making it the leading producer of chayote seedlings in Guangxi.

　　Chayote is a climbing plant that can be seeded and planted in both autumn and winter. It has a long growth cycle and requires trellising during cultivation. The plant bears fruit twice a year, once in July and again in September. When mature, the average yield is about 7,000 jin (approximately 3,500 kg) per mu, with high-yield fields reaching up to 10,000 jin. Except during winter and the hot dog days of summer, chayote seedlings can be harvested year-round, with the highest yield occurring in late spring and early summer. In recent years, Xincheng County has prioritized chayote as a key industry, establishing a 10,000-mu chayote corridor along the Liuzhou-Nanning Highway in Datang and Silian towns.

　　Eating chayote is common practice, but it was the people of Xincheng who pioneered the consumption of chayote seedlings. These seedlings can be stir-fried in oil or cooked in soup, and they are highly nutritious, rich in vitamins and essential trace elements needed by the human body. Laboratory tests show that every 100 grams of fresh chayote seedlings contain 1.8 grams of protein, 0.5 grams of fat, 4.3 grams of carbohydrates, 20 milligrams of calcium, 10 milligrams of phosphorus, 1.4 milligrams of iron, and especially 30.5–53.01 micrograms of selenium—an amount unmatched by most other vegetables. Modern medicine has proven that selenium is an indispensable trace element for the human body, with an adult daily intake requirement of 30–50 micrograms. Selenium has strong antioxidant properties, protecting cell membrane structure and function from damage. It also participates in the biosynthesis of coenzyme A and coenzyme Q. Within organisms, selenium helps resist and reduce the toxicity of many heavy metals, such as silver, cadmium, mercury, and lead, by sequestering them. Selenium can also inhibit the formation of lymphosarcoma, reduce tumor size, and is used in the treatment of Keshan disease, Kashin-Beck disease, and chronic leukemia.

　　The best way to prepare chayote seedlings is to first blanch them in boiling water, then stir-fry them over high heat. The cooked seedlings retain a color and shape similar to fresh ones, and their taste is extremely fresh and particularly palatable. Other cooking methods are less ideal.