Medicinal Benefits of Papaya - The Healthy Food
The papaya or paw paw is native to tropical America, but it is now grown in most tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. The large pear shaped fruits grow up to 8 inches in length approximately. Some varieties remain green when ripe, but most turn deep yellow and orange. Papayas have deep salmon pink flesh, with an abundance of grey-black seeds in the central cavity, which are edible. The soft, juicy sweet flesh tastes like a cross between melons and peaches.
The Goodness of Papaya
Papayas are rich in Vitamin A and Calcium and contain large quantities of the enzyme papain, which breaks down protein and can be used to tenderize meat. Papain also makes this fruit very easy to digest.
How to Buy
Choose uniformly yellow fruit. Sniff them, the scent should be delicate. Do not buy papayas with damaged or shriveled skins since they bruise easily. If the fruit is not ripe, check the skin around the stem end, it should be yellow, otherwise thepapaya will never ripen. Ripe papayas should be eaten immediately. Fruit that is not quite ripe should be left at room temperature until soft and yellow.