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Sunday 3 April 2016

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

28 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Hello, great ideas and uses for the papaya. I would like to try the salsa. Thanks for sharing.
Happy Sunday, enjoy your new week ahead!

Conniecrafter said...

Now there is something else I have not tried either, it's nice you share different ways of eating it, I guess that is my thing with new to me food, I just am not sure what to do with it.

Nikki (Sarah) said...

Great ideas how that inspire. Thanks. It's weird....but I've never eaten one of these.Maybe now is the time. Happy Sunday, Guys.

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello Eileen
Thanks for your comment.
I too liked the sound and look and taste of the salsa recipe and so simple:
Salsa: Chop papaya, tomatoes, onions and cilantro (coriander leaves), then add lime juice and mix well.

Enjoy your Sunday and all good wishes for the coming new week too ...

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello Connie
Thank you for your comment.
If trying new foods I often think try out a simple recipe idea first and then get more adventurous. Take the salad suggestion for example:
Salad: Chop papaya and avocado into cubes, add diced cooked chicken and dress with olive oil and vinegar... Yum!

Have a lovely Sunday and a good new week ahead.

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello Nikki (Sarah)
Thank you for your comment.
I think if you should see a papaya in your local store this week, you should strongly consider buying one. Then you could maybe enjoy the breakfast suggestion given in the article:
Breakfast: Cut it in half and fill each half with Greek yogurt, then top with a few blueberries and chopped nuts. Obviously make sure you have the other ingredients too!

Hope the remainder of the weekend is good for you... and next week too.

All the best Jan

Crafty Green Poet said...

When I lived in Malawi we had a papaya tree in the garden, We used to eat the fruit raw, sliced with ginger sprinkled on top of it. Delicious! The local Thai restaurant here in Edinburgh does a lovely papaya salad, very hot and spicy!

Anonymous said...

Hi, I was wondering myself while reading your post and knowing many things about papaya. Thanks for sharing them...

Bob Bushell said...

I love the fruit, it's taste is fantastic, yum yum yum.

Sara - Villa Emilia said...

Hello, such an interesting and inspiring post! I haven't eaten fresh papayas very often. We may not find them in our local (small) supermarket, but I definitely add them on my shopping list. The recipes sound all very inviting. :)
Have a great new week!

Phil Slade said...

Funny but I'm not a great fan of papaya as I find it a little bland. Much better a juicy mango stright from the tree (Sri Lanka).

Jo said...

I don't think I've ever tried papaya. The range of fruit and veg we have nowadays is wonderful, isn't it? Something like this would have seemed very exotic when I was a child.

Martha said...

I LOVE fruit! So delicious and healthy, too. And these are all such great ideas. Thanks for sharing them. I hope you have been enjoying a wonderful weekend.

Kezzie said...

I used to eat Papaya daily in Bali, it was so cheap!! We love the Thai Green papaya salad-- so tasty!x

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello 'CGP'
Thank you for your comment.
Fresh Papaya, from the tree, and ginger ... sounds wonderful.
Thai food can be so tasty. I believe 'The Hairy Bikers' cookbook Asian Adventure has many wonderful recipes in.

Hope you've had a good weekend.

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello 'Weekend-Windup'
Thank you for your comment
Papaya is a great fruit - hope you may enjoy some soon!

I hope your weekend has been a good one ...

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello Bob
Thank you for your comment.
Papaya is such a versatile fruit as well as tasty!

Enjoy the rest of Sunday evening and have a good week ahead.

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello Sara
Thank you for your comment.
Sometimes it may not be too easy to get hold of / buy fresh Papaya. The bigger stores will hopefully have some ... do look out for it and hopefully you can try one of the easy recipes soon!

Thanks for your good wishes - I hope the new week ahead is a good one for you to.

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello Phil
Thank you for your comment.
Fresh mango straight from a tree sounds wonderful.

Read more about them and their nutrients here
http://www.healthiestfoods.com/healthy-foods/fruits/mango/

I think this is a nice Mexican Mango Salad Recipe, see what you think ... http://www.healthiestfoods.com/recipes/mexican-mango-salad/

Have a great new week ahead

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello Jo
Thank you for your comment.
Yes, the number and variety of fruits (and vegetables) in recent years has grown enormously in our markets and supermarkets... we are quite fortunate to be able to try them out and include them in our recipes.
The salsa is good ...
Salsa: Chop papaya, tomatoes, onions and cilantro, then add lime juice and mix well.

Good wishes for the coming new week ahead.

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello Martha
Thank you for your comment.
Yes, there is a wonderful selection of fruits to choose from, and perhaps Papaya is not one we readily think of?
I really liked the easy recipe ideas featured in the article, something for everyone to try and enjoy ...

My weekend has been good, thank you. I'm looking forward to the week ahead.
Hope the new week will be a good one for you.

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

Kezzie
Thank you for your comment.
Fresh Papaya in Bali - now that sounds brilliant!
There are a lot of good nutrients in Papaya.

Glad that you like the Thai Green Papaya Salad.

Hope the new week ahead is a good one, you shouldn't have any 'get-ups' ...yet!

All the best Jan

Snowbird said...

Gosh, that Thai Green Papaya Salad does look scrumptious, I have love the Hairy bikers! You do come up with some fab ideas and recipes.xxx

Dewena said...

I'm ashamed to admit that I've never tried a papaya. I really must be more adventurous! They sound really nutritious, Jan.

Lowcarb team member said...

Snowbird
Thank you for your comment.
The Hairy Bikers do have a popular TV show, and of course their books are good too!
So many great whole fresh foods to eat, we are sometimes quite spoilt for choice.

I like the Salad idea shown in the original article ... Chop papaya and avocado into cubes, add diced cooked chicken and dress with olive oil and vinegar.

Hope this new week will be a good one for you.

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

Dewena
Thank you for your comment.
Yes, papaya's do contain a lot of good nutrients, and so nice to create a mix of good foods. Will you be trying a Papaya soon I wonder ...

Hope all is well with you, have a good week ahead.

All the best Jan

Lisa said...

I don't think I've ever eaten a papaya, maybe dried in one of those bags of dried fruit and nuts but I can honestly say I've never bought one.
Lisa x

Lowcarb team member said...

Lisa
Thank you for your comment.
Papaya may indeed be included in those dried fruit and nut bags, I'm not sure!
Fresh Papaya's do contain a lot of good nutrients, why not buy one soon and give it a try.
The breakfast idea is nice: Cut it in half and fill each half with Greek yogurt, then top with a few blueberries and chopped nuts.

Hope all is well with you and yours - take care

All the best Jan