Vegetables and mushrooms · IFCT 2017
Chow chow (chayote): nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, raw chow chow gives 19 kcal, 0.7 g protein, 3.5 g carbohydrate and 1.6 g fibre, according to IFCT 2017, and it is 93.8 g water. Its strongest nutrient is folate: 63 micrograms per 100 g ranks 4th of 39 vegetables and covers 29 per cent of a woman's daily requirement. This pale, pear-shaped squash is a staple from Bengaluru to Darjeeling.
About chow chow (chayote)
Chow chow, or chayote, Sechium edule, is a climbing squash from Central America that settled happily in India's cooler, rainy hills. It grows over fences and roofs in the Nilgiris, Kodaikanal, around Bengaluru, and across Darjeeling, Sikkim, Meghalaya and Mizoram, where one vine can bear for months. IFCT 2017 records names in 9 languages, several of them simply the old English name cho-cho-marrow; others include chow-chow in Tamil, dasakusa in Manipuri, biskot in Khasi and squash in Assamese. Kannada speakers call it seeme badanekai and Darjeeling and Sikkim call it iskus.
Its flesh is crisp, watery and very mild, a little like a cross between cucumber and bottle gourd, so it takes on the flavour of whatever it is cooked with. South Indian cooks put it in kootu, poriyal, sambar and huli, while hill kitchens in the north-east cook it with pork, potatoes or dried fish. The tender shoots and leaves of the vine are cooked as a green in Darjeeling and Sikkim.
What chow chow (chayote) brings to a meal
- 01
Folate ranks 4th of 39
Chow chow carries 63 micrograms of folate per 100 g, 50th of 197 foods. In 100 g of chayote, a man gets 21 per cent of his folate need and a woman 29 per cent. Folate is needed for cell division and healthy pregnancy.
- 02
Vitamin C for a mild squash
With 20.2 mg vitamin C per 100 g, chow chow ranks 13th of 36 vegetables, covering 31 per cent of a woman's requirement. Light cooking keeps more of it.
- 03
Very light and watery
At 19 kcal, 0.1 g fat and 93.8 g water per 100 g, chow chow is one of the lighter vegetables in the tables. It makes kootu and sambar filling without adding energy.
- 04
Low in protein and minerals
Its protein, 0.7 g, and calcium, 19 mg per 100 g, are low, and its sodium is just 1 mg. Pair it with dal, as South Indian kootu does, for a more complete dish.
Chow chow (chayote) nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 19 kcal | 1% | 1% |
| Protein | 0.7 g | 1% | 2% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 3.5 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 1.6 g | ||
| Free sugars | 0.8 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.1 g | ||
| Water | 93.8 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.08 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.01 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.02 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 10 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 19 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Iron | 0.48 mg | 3% | 2% |
| Zinc | 0.1 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Magnesium | 13 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Phosphorus | 22 mg | ||
| Potassium | 120 mg | ||
| Sodium | 1 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.05 mg | ||
| Selenium | 0.2 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 20.2 mg | 25% | 31% |
| Beta-carotene | 2 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.01 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.03 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.23 mg | 1% | 2% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.07 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Folate (B9) | 63 µg | 21% | 29% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.01 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 1.8 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Chow chow (chayote): nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/vegetables/chow-chow-chayote/
Where chow chow (chayote) sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 38 vegetables and mushrooms and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In vegetables and mushrooms | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folate (B9) | 63 µg | 4th of 39 | 50th of 197 |
| Vitamin C | 20.2 mg | 13th of 36 | 63rd of 130 |
| Beta-carotene | 2 µg | 31st of 31 | 137th of 160 |
| Dietary fibre | 1.6 g | 39th of 39 | 173rd of 182 |
| Calcium | 19 mg | 27th of 39 | 175th of 242 |
How chow chow (chayote) is eaten
- Chow chow kootu in Tamil Nadu: cubes cooked with moong or chana dal and a coconut, cumin and green chilli paste.
- Seeme badanekai palya in Karnataka: diced chayote stir-fried with mustard seeds, urad dal and fresh coconut.
- Chow chow sambar: chunks simmered in toor dal and tamarind with sambar powder.
- Iskus ko tarkari in Darjeeling and Sikkim: chayote and potato cooked with turmeric, green chilli and a little tomato.
- Squash with pork in Meghalaya and Mizoram: chayote simmered with pork, ginger and chilli.
Before you plan around it
Raw chow chow releases a clear, sticky sap when peeled that can leave hands feeling stiff or tingling for a while. Peel it under running water, rub a little oil on your hands first, or wear gloves. The thin skin of young chayote is edible, so small ones can simply be scrubbed. Choose firm, unwrinkled fruits; older ones turn fibrous and may begin to sprout from the base. Because chow chow is mild and low in protein, it works best cooked with dal, meat or coconut.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about chow chow (chayote)
Is chow chow good for health?
Chow chow is a light, watery vegetable with 19 kcal per 100 g in IFCT 2017. Its main nutrients are folate, 63 micrograms, and vitamin C, 20.2 mg per 100 g. It is easy to digest and suits low-calorie and low-sodium diets.
Why do my hands feel sticky after peeling chow chow?
The peel releases a clear sap that dries into a tight, sticky film on the skin. It is harmless but uncomfortable. Oil your hands, wear gloves, or peel the vegetable under running water to avoid it.
What is chow chow called in Kannada and Hindi?
In Kannada it is widely called seeme badanekai, and IFCT 2017 records the old English name cho-cho-marrow for Kannada, Hindi and Malayalam. Other names include iskus in Darjeeling and Sikkim, squash in Assam and the north-east, and chow-chow in Tamil.
Can chow chow be eaten raw?
Young, tender chow chow can be eaten raw, thinly sliced into a salad or kosambari, where it tastes like a mild, crisp cucumber. Most Indian cooking uses it cooked, and older fruits are better cooked.
Related foods and tables
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Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Ash gourd (petha)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Cucumber
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Zucchini
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Pumpkin
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Folate (vitamin B9) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by folate (vitamin b9) per 100 g.
Vitamin C content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin c per 100 g.
Beta-carotene content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by beta-carotene per 100 g.
All vegetables and mushrooms
39 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
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