Papayas are large, pear-shaped, and all high in vitamin A, C and folate. It’s loaded with antioxidants that can reduce inflammation, fight disease and help keep you looking young. The papaya fruit is very low in calories (just 43 calories/100 g) and contains no cholesterol; nonetheless, it is a rich source of phytonutrients, minerals, and vitamins. It also contains an enzyme called papain, used to tenderize meat. Papayas contain soft, easily digestible flesh with a good amount of soluble dietary fibre that helps to have normal bowel movements, thereby reducing constipation problems. The fruit also has many black seeds, which are edible but bitter.
Did you know?
Papaya plants exist in one of three sex types: male, female, and hermaphrodite. Male plants have tubular flowers but bear no fruit. Female plants have round flowers and bear round fruits. Hermaphrodite plants have characteristics of both male and female flowers and produce the pear-shaped fruit that is preferred by consumers. Some plants produce flowers of more than one sex type, depending on climatic factors. High temperatures seem to favour male flowers. Papaya seeds can remain viable for years if storage conditions are dry and cool.
Storing Papayas
Papayas ripen in 3 to 5 days at room temperature, and ripe fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for a week. Because cold temperature permanently halts the ripening process, unripe fruits should not be refrigerated. If you can’t wait to use the papayas, store them in a paper bag to speed up the ripening process.
2002. Encyclopedia of foods. San Diego, Calif.: Academic Press
Nutrition And You.com. 2022. 7 unique Nutrition facts and Health benefits of Papaya fruit. [online] Available at: <https://www.nutrition-and-you.com/papaya-fruit.html> [Accessed June 2022].