THE FRUIT OF THE ANGELS

Papaya, or Carica papaya, is a perennial, tropical fruit plant, one of the 22 species included in the genus Carica of the Caricaceae family. It is also referred to as pawpaw or papaw in European countries and Australia, fruita bomba in Cuba and mamao in Brazil. The plant originated from Central America and Mexico. Typically, papaya grows in tropical areas all over the world. The plant is represented by a middle-sized tree (about 5-10 m tall). The leaves are big, about 50-70 cm, green and seven-lobed. They are spirally arranged on the trunk and are usually located on the top of the tree. The flowers are white and have 5 petals. The fruit is about 10-30 cm in diameter. You can distinguish ripe papaya by soft texture and bright yellow or orange colour.

Parts Used: leaves, fruits and seeds.

Interesting Papaya Facts

• Christopher Columbus called papaya “the fruit of the angels” for its wonderful taste.
• The papaya plant looks like a tree but in fact, it’s a gigantic herb.
• As a matter of fact, papaya fruit is a huge berry.
• Thai people often add immature papaya to meat and salads.  When added to meat, papaya makes its taste more delicate and tender.
• Papaya is extremely rich in vitamin C. One fruit of papaya can substitute a daily dose of vitamin C.
• Black seeds of papaya fruit have a pungent and a bit peppery flavor. In some countries ground papaya seeds used as a substitute for pepper.
• There are 2 types of papaya – Mexican and Hawaiian. By the way, Hawaii is the only state in the Unites States which produces papaya on an industrial scale.

Key Components

• Vitamins A, С, E, K
• Beta-carotene
• Folate
• Copper
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Fiber

Methods of Use

Papaya can be consumed as food, spice, tea or in the form of ointments, tablets, capsules, tinctures and extracts.

Papaya Smoothie Recipe

What you need:

• 1 cup of peeled and cubed papaya without seeds
• 1 banana
• 1 cup of almond milk
• Some cherries or pineapple to garnish the dish

Mix the banana, papaya and almond milk in a blender and puree until the mixture becomes smooth and homogeneous. Pour into glasses and decorate with the pineapple or cherries. Enjoy this wonderful drink and stay healthy!