Chaya

Quick verdict

Status: OK

Concern

Chaya can be harmful if eaten raw or undercooked.

The main issue is that raw chaya leaves contain cyanogenic glycosides, which can release hydrogen cyanide. Cooking greatly reduces this risk. A Thailand-based study found boiling/drying reduced hydrocyanic acid from 1121.72 mg/kg dry weight in raw leaves to 1.71 mg/kg cooked (Kongphapa, J., Chupanit, P., Anutrakulchai, S., Cha’on, U., & Pasuwan, P. (2022). Nutritional and phytochemical properties of Chaya leaves (Cnidoscolus chayamansa Mc Vaugh) planted in Northeastern Thailand. Asia-Pacific Journal of Science and Technology, 27(1). DOI: 10.14456/apst.2022.5.).