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Papaya fruit nutrition facts

Exotic papaya fruit or pawpaw is jam-packed with numerous health benefiting nutrients. The fruit is one of the favorite of fruit lovers for its nutritional, digestive and medicinal properties. Papaya tree is grown extensively all over the tropical regions and cultivated for its fruits and latex papain, an enzyme that is used in food industry.

Botanically, the plant belongs to the family of Caricaceae of genus; Carica and scientifically named as Carica papaya.

Papaya fruit. Note for delicious pink color pulp with black color seeds.	Papaya plant. Note for ripe papaya below and young, immature fruits at the crown end. Photo courtesy: Kamoteus

Papaya tree bears many spherical or pear-shaped fruits that can have about 6-20 inches in length and 4-12 inches in diameter. The average sized papaya weighs about a pound. The fruit is said to ripen when it feels soft to thumb pressure and its skin has attained an amber to orange hue.

Inside, the fruit features numerous black seeds, encased in a mucin coat, in the hollow central cavity. The flesh is orange in color with either yellow or pink hues, soft in consistency and has deliciously sweet, musky taste with rich flavor.

Papaya fruit health benefits

• The fruit is very low in calories (just 39 cal/100 g) and contains no cholesterol; but is a rich source of phyto-nutrients, minerals and vitamins.

• Papayas contain soft, easily digestible pulp/flesh with good amount of soluble dietary fiber that helps to have normal bowel movements; thereby reducing constipation.

• Fresh, ripe fruit is one of the fruit with highest vitamin-C content (provides about 103% of DRA, more than in oranges, or lemons). Research studies have shown that vitamin C has many important functions like free radicals scavenging, immune booster and anti-inflammatory actions.

• It is also an excellent source of Vitamin-A (provides 1094 IU/100 g ) and flavonoids like beta carotenes, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthins. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is essential for vision. These compounds are known to have antioxidant properties; help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play role in aging and various disease processes. Consumption of natural fruits rich in carotenes known to protect body from lung and oral cavity cancers.

• Papaya fruit is also rich in many essential B-complex vitamins such as Folic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin, and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish and play vital role in metabolism.

• Fresh papaya also contains good amount of potassium (257 mg per 100 g) and calcium. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids and helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure countering effects of sodium.

• Papaya has been proven to be a natural remedy for many ailments. In traditional medicine, papaya seeds are anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, and analgesic, and they are used to treat stomach-ache and ringworm infections.

Selection and storage

Papaya is usually harvested when it shows signs of maturity; evident as skin slightly turning to yellow. Organic papayas usually left to ripen on the tree, however, care should be taken since over-ripen fruits actually falls off themselves and get spoiled.

In the store, papayas come with various sizes and maturity; therefore select the one based on the serving size and when you are going to eat it. Choose the one with intact skin without any bruises or cuts. Unripe fruits can be kept at room temperature for few days but ripen ones should be stored in the refrigerator. Bring back the fruit to normal temperature when it is to be eaten to get their natural taste and flavor.

Preparation and serving method

Wash papaya fruit thoroughly in cold running water to remove dust and any pesticide residues. Skin is bitter in taste and inedible. Remove skin with "peeling knife", cut the fruit longitudinally in to two equal halves. Gently remove seeds and thin slimy layer loosely adhering to the flesh. Cut the fruit longitudinally like melon or cut into small cubes.

Here are some serving tips:

• Ripe papaya fruit is usually eaten raw with a twist of lemon drops.

• Fresh papaya cubes are a great addition to fruit salads.

• Papaya juice with ice cubes is a popular drink.

• Unripe green papaya can be used as vegetable, either cooked, usually in curries, or soups.

Safety profile

Papayas contain white milk like latex substance which can cause irritation to skin and provoke allergic reaction in some sensitized persons. 

Ripe papaya can be safely used by pregnant women. Unripe green papaya should be avoided in pregnant women as it contains lot of papain, a proteolytic enzyme that used commercially to tenderize meat. Unripe papaya fruit, seeds, latex, and leaves also contain carpaine, an alkaloid which could be dangerous when eaten in high doses. Unripe papaya, however, used safely as cooked vegetable. (Medical disclaimer)

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