All food contains all of the nutrients we need to be healthy, it is necessary to eat various foods in sufficient amounts. A good diet will include many different foods, and sufficient in quantity and quality to meet an individual’s need for food energy and other micro nutrients.

Seaweed

Shellfish

Soft Drinks

Soy

Spinach

PAPAYAS

Typical serving size:

1 medium-size papaya (10
8 oz or 304 g)

HOW THEY HARM

Allergies

WHAT THEY HEAL

Heart disease

Colon cancer Inflammation Arthritis Macular degeneration PAPAYA FACTS

Papayas contain papain, an enzyme similar to the digestive juice pepsin; papain extract is marketed as a meat tenderizer

Papayas should not be confused with the North American pawpaw—although often called by the same name, the two are unrelated
Native to Central America, papayas are now grown in tropical climates around the world
Like most yellow-orange fruits, papayas are high in vitamin C and beta-carotene, the plant form of vitamin A
One medium-size papaya supplies more than twice the adult Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin C, almost 30% of the RDA of folate, and 800 mg of potassium

Health Benefits

Helps fight heart disease
In addition to Vitamin C and beta-carotene, papayas are a good source of vitamins E and A; these antioxidants help limit the oxidization of cholesterol in the bloodstream, which is associated with a lower risk for heart attack and stroke
Protects against colon cancer
Papaya’s fiber is able to bind to cancer-causing toxins in the colon and keep them away from the healthy colon cells
In addition, papayas are high in folate and beta- carotene, which are also associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer
Reduces the effects of inflammation
Papaya contains several protein-digesting enzymes that may help lower inflammation and improve healing from burns
Some research has found that these enzymes may also help reduce the severity of inflammation-related symptoms for people living with asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis
Keeps arthritis at bay
A study of more than 20,000 people found that those who consumed the lowest amounts of vitamin C–rich foods were more than three times likely to develop arthritis than those who consumed higher amounts
One papaya provides more than twice the daily dose
Protects against macular degeneration
Eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day, such as papayas, may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration, the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1
5 servings of fruit daily
Health Risk Allergic reaction
Papayas are one of several fruits that have been associated with allergic reaction in people who are sensitive to latex
If you are latex-sensitive, choose organic papayas as these have not been treated with ethylene gas, which may increase the amount of enzymes that trigger the allergic reaction

Allergies

Green papaya is the unripe fruit
In Southeast Asian cuisines, it is often used raw in salads or cooked in curries or stews

Papaya seeds are thrown away, but they can be dried and used like peppercorns; sprinkle them over baked catfish

Toss chunks with lime juice and coconut

Serve shrimp salad on a bed of sliced papaya

Buying Tip

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Choose fruits with reddish-orange skin that are slightly soft to the touch

Yellow patches indicate the fruit needs more time to ripen

Storing Tips

Store at room temperature and use within a day of purchase unless further ripening is required

To speed ripening, place in a paper bag with a banana

Uncut ripe fruit can be stored in a paper or plastic bag for up to 3 days