Trans Caribbean Times News Letter - May


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Mayan Love Potion
No. 9

There is a well-kept secret in the Yucatan Peninsula—it is a small green plant known to the ancient Maya as Chay. Today we know it as Chaya. The ancient Maya believed that this plant had curative properties, and even today many natives of the Yucatan Peninsula believe Chaya to be a potent aphrodisiac! *Cnidoscolus Chayamansa (Chaya)* The Chaya plant is a leafy green vegetable-type shrub that grows in the dry regions of the tropics, most abundantly in the Yucatan Peninsula. The name comes from the Mayan ‘chay’, and other common names are tree spinach, chaya col, kikilchay, and chaykeken. The plant itself is a large leafy shrub reaching a height of about 6-8 feet. It somewhat resembles a vigorous hibiscus plant or a cassava plant. The simple dark-green leaves have a thick protective coating, and a fuzzy surface. They stick out in groups of three from the thin branches. Each leaf is 6-8 inches across and is connected to a long slender petiole (leaf stem), forming a fleshy cuplike shape. Chaya blooms frequently and both male and female flowers are borne together at the end of long flower stems. Both kinds of flowers are small, less than 10 mm long, though the white male flowers are much more abundant.		Chaya blooms frequently and both male and female flowers are borne together at the end of long flower stems. The flowers are small, less than 10 mm long, though the white male flowers are much more abundant Chaya was a favorite garden vegetable of the ancient Maya of the Yucatán Peninsula; they considered it to be not only the perfect food, but also one the most-used herbs to cure illness. Native to the Yucatan Peninsula, Chaya is described in the journals of European visitors to the Mexican Caribbean as a food staple and was a main dish offered to the Conquistadores when they first landed on the island of Cozumel. Cooking with Chaya You can eat the Chaya plain; put it in a salad with oil and vinegar, or use it as an herb in spaghetti. It is also frequently blended and added to citrus drinks, like orange or lemon juice. Prior to cooking it, boil the leaves in purified water for about 10 minutes to remove its outer protective layer. Chaya has more than twice the amount of vitamins of alfalfa and spinach, and is a good source of protein, calcium, and iron. According to the National Institute of Nutrition in Mexico City, including Chaya in your diet: Improves blood circulation Helps with digestion Improves vision Reduces inflammation of veins and hemorrhoids Helps lower cholesterol Helps reduce weight Prevents coughs Increases calcium in the bones Decongests and disinfects the lungs Andrew Synyshy For special predevelopment price and private viewing contact us at:
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