Chaya

The Mayans’ use of Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) traces back 4,000 years. Despite colonial shifts in diet, it is a staple of Yucatec Maya cuisine, valued for its nutritional richness and earthy flavor. This native leafy green, also known as “tree spinach or Mayan spinach,” is an important superfood in the Yucatán.

Its persistence in backyards throughout the Yucatán shows its enduring role as a household plant passed down and cultivated for generations.

Mayan Medicine

The Maya valued chaya as a nutrient-dense leafy green, rich in protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins. In traditional Mayan medicine, chaya was used for improving blood circulation, treating diabetes-like symptoms, supporting digestion, liver health and reducing swelling and inflammation.

Preparations included teas, decoctions, and poultices.

Mayan Spinach

Some of the most popular dishes in the Yucatán that use chaya are:

• Chaya con Huevo (Chaya with Eggs). Which is a simple, everyday dish of chaya sautéed with onions, garlic, and scrambled eggs and often served with tortillas and beans for breakfast or lunch.
• It is also used in a light green soup called Sopa de Chaya (Chaya Soup) made by boiling chopped chaya leaves and often includes garlic, onion, tomato, pumpkin seeds or local cheese. 
• During festivals and family gatherings chaya is used in traditional corn masa tamales stuffed with chopped chaya leaves called Tamales de Chaya. They are sometimes mixed with eggs, cheese, or local spices and wrapped in corn husks and steamed. 

In recent years, chaya is used in green smoothies, juices, and health drinks. It is usually blended with orange, pineapple, or lime, and is very popular in eco-conscious and health-oriented Yucatecan cafes.

Cooking Note:

Chaya leaves must always be cooked (boiled, steamed, or sautéed) before eating as raw leaves contain cyanogenic glycosides, which are mildly toxic and are neutralized through the cooking process. Cooking in aluminum pots should also be avoided. 

Chaya Lemonade

Step-by-Step Preparation

1. Clean the chaya
   Wash the leaves in a bowl with 3 cups of water and 1 tbsp white vinegar (or ½ tbsp chlorine). Remove dirt, small stems and let soak for 5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with clean water.
2. Cooking
   Blanch the chaya leaves for exactly 5 minutes in a non-reactive pot (Do not use aluminum pans). If overcooked, they will turn black and give a bitter taste. Drain and shock in ice water.
3. Prepare the lime juice
   Cut the limes in half and squeeze them. You should get about 3–4 cups of juice.
4. Blend the chaya
   Fill half the blender jar with water and add a portion of the cooked leaves. Blend until smooth and bright green. Pour into a large pot or pitcher. Repeat until all the leaves are blended.
5. Mix
   Add the lime juice and sugar to the chaya water. Stir well until the sugar dissolves. Add 1 extra liter of water to balance and soften the flavor.
6. Strain
   Pour the drink through a fine strainer into the serving pitcher to remove excess leaf fibers and any residue.
7. Serve
   Serve in glasses with ice cubes and lime slices. Best enjoyed cold.

Variations

• With cucumber: Blend cucumber together with the chaya.
• Fresh variation: Skip the lime juice and blend only cucumber with chaya.