June is National Papaya month. Not only are papayas beautiful to look at and delicious to eat, they’re packed with a bunch of health benefits, too!
Papaya, also called papaw or pawpaw, is a succulent fruit of a large plant of the family Caricaceae. Though its origin is rather obscure, the papaya may represent the fusion of two or more species of Carica native to Mexico and Central America. Today it is cultivated throughout the tropical world and into the warmest parts of the subtropics.
The papaya fruit is slightly sweet, with an agreeable musky tang, which is more pronounced in some varieties and in some climates than in others. It is a popular breakfast fruit in many countries and is also used in salads, pies, sherbets, juices, and confections. The unripe fruit can be cooked like squash. Ripe papaya is delicious in sweet or tropical dishes (like salsa or salads) whereas green (unripe) papaya is often used in Thai or other Asian cooking.
Healthy and low fat, papayas are rich in Vitamin C, A, Folacin and B6. Papaya also contains an enzyme called Papain that is used in meat tenderizers because of its ability to break down tough fibers. For this reason it’s considered a great natural digestive aid.
Did you know?
- Papayas were referred to as the “fruit of the angels” by Christopher Columbus.
- Papayas are grown on trees that have big, palm-like trunks.
- While papaya seeds are edible, they’re quite peppery and bitter so it’s best to remove them.
- The most popular papaya is the solo or Hawaiian variety. Most papayas are approximately 6 inches long and weigh between 1 and 1.5 pounds, but can range up to 20 pounds.
- They are greenish-yellow skinned but have a bright orangey red flesh. Ripe fruit has more yellow than green coloring and yields to gentle pressure.
- To ripen papayas, store at room temperature in a loosely closed paper bag. Cover and refrigerate ripe fruit for up to one week.
Papayas are great in everything from smoothies to salads to salsa and more! Here are some great recipes for you to try at home, courtesy Martha’s Best Tree Ripened Papaya.
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Photo Credit: itaci / Shutterstock.com