What Are the Health Benefits of Raw Chayote Squash Juice?

Although the history of its cultivation is nebulous, chayote squash, or chayote fruit, has long made up a part of Mexican cuisine. Its soft texture makes chayote squash delicious eaten whole, and it can also be juiced for a nutrient-packed beverage. Raw chayote squash juice boosts your intake of vitamins and minerals, offering a range of health benefits thanks to its nutrient content.

Each 1-cup serving of raw chayote squash juice contains just 48 calories -- less than 3 percent of your daily energy intake, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. It's low in sugar, with each serving providing just 4.2 grams of naturally occurring sugar. For comparison, orange juice contains 21 grams per cup. This sugar promotes healthy intestinal function, helps fuel your brain cells, muscle and liver and also provides energy for your other tissues.

Adding raw chayote juice to your diet helps you consume more folate. Each cup of juice contains 233 micrograms of folate, or 58 percent of your recommended daily folate intake, set by the Institute of Medicine. Your cells rely on folate to aid in metabolizing DNA and protein, and it benefits your cardiovascular system. Folate breaks down homocysteine, an amino acid that would otherwise increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Low folate levels also benefit your brain and reduce your risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Raw chayote squash boosts your intake of zinc, an essential mineral. Zinc activates proteins in your body, including enzymes that carry out chemical reactions in your cells, proteins that regulate gene activity and proteins that keep your cell membranes healthy. Getting enough zinc in your diet also fights disease, while low zinc levels cripple your immune system and leave you open to infection. Each cup of raw chayote squash juice provides 1.9 milligrams of zinc -- 17 percent of the recommended daily intake for men and 24 percent for women, according to the Institute of Medicine.

Juice raw chayote squash for a beverage rich in vitamin C. A diet rich in vitamin C keeps you healthy as you age, reducing your risk of stroke, heart disease, cataracts and some types of cancer, explains the Linus Pauling Institute. It also plays a role in brain function, supports your immune system and strengthens your connective tissues. Each cup of raw chayote squash juice contains 19 milligrams of vitamin C -- 21 percent of the recommended daily intake for men and 25 percent for women, according to the Institute of Medicine.