Papaya's - Fruit of the Angels

Did you know that Christopher Columbus, an Italian voyager reputably once referred to papayas as the fruit of the angels. The fruit which is extremely rich in Vitamin C has a wide range of health benefits making it a great fruit option to include in your diet.

One small papaya (152 grams) contains:
Calories: 59.
Carbohydrates: 15 grams.
Fiber: 3 grams.
Protein: 1 gram.
Vitamin C: 157% of the RDI.
Vitamin A: 33% of the RDI.
Folate (Vitamin B9): 14% of the RDI.
Potassium: 11% of the RDI.
Trace amounts of calcium, magnesium and vitamins B1, B3, B5, E and K.

Papayas also contain healthy antioxidants called carotenoids. They are especially high in a type of carotenoid called lycopene.

What’s more, these beneficial antioxidants are better absorbed from papayas than from other fruits and vegetables

Read more about Papaya's and their health benefits here

If the papaya is ripe, it can be eaten raw. However, unripe papaya should always be cooked before eating, especially during pregnancy. That’s because the unripe fruit has a high latex content, which can stimulate contractions.

Papayas are shaped similar to a pear, and can be up to 20 inches long. The skin is green when unripe, and orange when ripe. The flesh inside is yellow, orange or red.

The fruit also has many black seeds inside the center. These are edible, but do have a bitter flavor.

Here are a few easy recipe ideas using 1 small ripe papaya:

Breakfast: Cut it in half and fill each half with Greek yogurt, 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 of chia seeds, 1 cup of almond milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well and refrigerate before eating.

These easy recipe ideas above are taken from article here

If you are looking for something different ... David Myers, and Simon King more often known as 'The Hairy Bikers' have a lovely looking salad recipe using a green papaya, it is called:

 Thai green papaya salad (som tum) 

This is a substantial salad that is tasty, sharp and spicy. It is great on its own or as a side dish with curry. Lime juice is an important ingredient so here is a top tip: roll the lime firmly with the palm of your hand over a work surface a few times before squeezing it and you will get more juice. And always cut the lime through the middle, not end to end.

You can see this recipe idea here

The Worlds Healthiest Foods here also has interesting details about this fruit.

We try and bring a variety of recipe ideas to this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan