Caitlin Eats & Bakes: Chaya, the Mayan miracle plant

On my journey to Mexico during spring break, I had one alterior motive: find some cool, unique, interesting food that is only in Mexico.

This magical food presented itself as we took the 2.5 hour drive to Chichen Itza.

After a long, hot (and I mean HOT) morning of touring the beautiful Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, we cooled off in a nearby cenote. There are more than 6,000 cenotes (sen-oh-tays) in Yucatan peninsula, Ik Kil is a short drive from Chichen Itza.

A borrowed photo of the Ik Kil cenote near Chichen Itza. I was unable to take any photos due to risk of my camera going for a swim.

After a cooling swim in this cenote, we had a chance to sample some authentic Yucatan/Mayan cuisine at the historic hotel Mayaland. Mayaland is the world's oldest hotel inside an archaeological park, built in 1923 by the Barbachano family, who own and operate it to this day.

While at Mayaland, they had a full buffet of foods including hand made tortillas ( cooked on a hot stone), Mayan pork, churros, papaya as well as margartias.

It was at this buffet that I discovered this 'miracle plant' chaya.

I am unsure of how this drink was made. I believe it was a combonation of water, sugar and chaya leaves.

According to the National Institute of Nutrition in Mexico City, ingesting chaya will:

Improve blood circulation,
help digestion,
improve vision,
disinflame veins and hemorrhoids,
help lower cholesterol,
help reduce weight,
prevent coughs,
augment calcium in the bones,
decongest and disinfect the lungs,
prevent anemia by replacing iron in the blood,
improve memory and brain function and
combat arthritis and diabetes.

A nutritional analysis shows that chaya is richer in iron than spinach, and a powerful source of potassium and calcium.

For more information on the nutritional and health benefits of chaya, check out this website http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1996/v3-516.html

While Mexico didn't offer many familiar food options to me, I was obsessed with the fresh fruits that were always available. I can see why it is that Mexican's drink so many fruit based beverages, the fruit is everywhere!

The rest of my trip to Chichen Itza looked a like this:

A few of the homemade tortillas with Mayan pork. Rice and beans as the side.

Fresh watermelon and papaya. There was a lot of papaya available during my trip. Papaya has many digestive properties due to its enzyme, papain. You can purchase papain over the counter in chewable form. Eating papaya fresh is also a way of absorbing this enzyme.