The health and nutrition benefits of Pawpaw: The orange and green fruit most popularly known as papaya has the scientific name Carica papaya.
Many people enjoy the sweet flavour and soft texture of it. Although more bitter than the fruit itself, the seeds are also edible.
From Central America come papayas. They thrive in tropical climates with high rainfall but little long-term floods because they can grow there. A papaya crop may suffer from freezing conditions.
The health and nutrition benefits of Pawpaw
Papayas were both eaten and used medicinally by the local natives. The seeds were introduced to other tropical regions of the world, such as the Philippines and India, by Spanish and Portuguese invaders in the 1500s and 1600s.
Today, Hawaii, the Philippines, India, Ceylon, Australia, and tropical regions in Africa are the most fruitful papaya-producing regions. Smaller papaya-farming operations still exist in Central and South America.
Papaya has many different names all over the globe. In Australia, it’s called pawpaw. In southern Asia, it’s sometimes called a kepaya, lapaya, or tapaya. Its name in French is sometimes “figueir des iles,” or fig of the islands. Some Spanish names for papaya include “melon zapote,” “fruta bomba,” or “mamona.”
The health and nutrition benefits of Pawpaw
Other varieties of papaya, include:
- Kapaho solo (also known as puna solo)
- Waimanolo
- Higgins
- Wilder
- Hortus gold
- Honey gold
- Bettina
- Improved Peterson
- Sunnybank
- Guinea gold
- Coorg honeydew
- Washington
The health and nutrition benefits of Pawpaw
Health benefits
Digestion and Reduced Inflammation
Papain and chymopapain are two of the enzymes found in papaya fruit. Both enzymes can aid in digestion and lessen inflammation since they both break down proteins. Some over-the-counter digestive pills with papain as a component can assist with mild stomach trouble.
Chymopapain and papain both aid in reducing inflammation. They can assist with chronic inflammatory illnesses like arthritis and asthma as well as acute pain from burns or bruising.
Protection Against Heart Disease
Vitamins A, C, and E, which are powerful antioxidants, are abundant in papayas. Antioxidant-rich diets may lower the risk of heart disease. The antioxidants stop cholesterol from oxidising. Oxidizing cholesterol increases the risk of blockages, which result in heart disease.
The high fibre content of papaya may also lower the risk of heart disease. Diets high in fibre reduce cholesterol levels.
Folic acid, found in papaya, is necessary for transforming the dangerous amino acid homocysteine into other, less hazardous amino acids. Homocysteine is a risk factor for heart disease and is a common amino acid present in animal products.
To reduce this risk factor, eating papaya may lower homocysteine levels in the body.
The health and nutrition benefits of Pawpaw
Potentially Protects Against Prostate Cancer
Foods that are red or orange contain lycopene, a natural pigment. Lycopene may be found in abundance in tomatoes, watermelons, and papaya. There is substantial debate among specialists over whether eating more lycopene lowers the risk of prostate cancer.
However, in other trials, consuming a diet high in lycopene and drinking green tea greatly decreased the incidence of prostate cancer.
Immune System
By strengthening the immune system, vitamin C-rich meals can help the body fend against viral and bacterial infections. The antioxidant in papaya is abundant, making it a nutritious food for the immune system.
Another crucial vitamin for a strong and effective immune system is Vitamin A, which is found in abundance in papaya.
The health and nutrition benefits of Pawpaw
Nutrition
A medium-sized papaya contains more than 200% of the vitamin C you need per day, helping to reduce the risk of heart disease and boosting the immune system. It’s also a good source of:
- Folate
- Vitamin A
- Fiber
- Copper
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Pantothenic Acid
The health and nutrition benefits of Pawpaw
Nutrients per Serving
Medium-sized papaya (approximately 275 grams) contains about:
- 119 calories
- 1.3 grams of protein
- 30 grams of carbohydrates
- Less than 1 gram of fat
- 4.7 grams of dietary fibre
- 21.58 grams of sugar
The health and nutrition benefits of Pawpaw
How to consume a Papaya
Think about when and how you want to consume the papaya before selecting it at the shop. Due to their immaturity, green papayas lack a distinctive flavour and texture. Unripe papayas are nonetheless utilised in various culinary recipes and some types of salads, either raw or cooked.
Ripe papayas have skin colours of red and orange. A little bit of softness, but not too much, is what you want it to feel like.
If you do purchase papayas that are not quite ripe, store them at room temperature so they may mature before you eat them.
When the papaya is ready, just cut it open, remove the seeds, and consume the orange flesh. The majority of people avoid eating peel and seeds since they are not harmful.
Caution
Although papaya is typically safe to eat, some people may react negatively to it. Since papaya naturally contains sugars, if you must avoid sugar for whatever reason, eat only as much as is necessary for your health.
Many papaya recipes include:
- Papaya salsa
- Papaya jam
- Papaya smoothies
- Papaya relish
- Fruit bowls with papaya
- Papaya salads
The health and nutrition benefits of Pawpaw
Delicious and Versatile
Many people adore papaya because of its distinctive flavour. But ripeness is important.
The flavour of papaya can vary greatly depending on whether it is perfectly ripe or overripe.
Papaya should be yellow to orange-red in hue when fully ripe, however, a few green patches are acceptable. Its skin should give to slight pressure, much like an avocado.
When possible, keep it chilled because its flavour is at its peak when cold.
You may eat it out of the rind with a spoon, just like cantaloupe or melon, after thoroughly cleaning it, cutting it in half lengthwise, and scooping out the seeds.
It may also be paired with other dishes that enhance its flavour due to its extreme versatility.
Here are a few easy recipe ideas using one small papaya:
- Breakfast: Cut it in half and fill each half with Greek yoghurt, then top with a few blueberries and chopped nuts.
- Appetizer: Cut it into strips and wrap a slice of ham or prosciutto around each strip.
- Salsa: Chop papaya, tomatoes, onions and cilantro, then add lime juice and mix well.
- Smoothie: Combine the diced fruit with coconut milk and ice in a blender, then blend until smooth.
- Salad: Chop papaya and avocado into cubes, add diced cooked chicken and dress with olive oil and vinegar.
- Dessert: Combine the chopped fruit with 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of chia seeds, 1 cup (240 ml) of almond milk and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla. Mix well and refrigerate before eating.
