Learn How to Prepare a Papaya
Christopher Columbus gave papaya its’ reputable name “the fruit of the angels” and a well-deserved name it is indeed. It is a shame that not many people are aware that papaya is available all-year round. Let us find out how to prepare a papaya to take advantage of the fact that we can include it everyday in our daily meals and enjoy its many health benefits, apart from taking pleasure from its heavenly taste.
Nutritional Facts & Health Benefits
You would not think that something that tastes so delicious can be good for you. But papaya certainly is. It is packed-full of nutrition that contributes to your over all health. Papayas have zero fat and zero cholesterol contents. It is a good fruit to include in your daily diet if you are watching your weight or want to lose some. Apart from that, papaya is rich in antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin C, carotenes and flavanoids; folate, B vitamins and many minerals that promote cardiovascular health.
How to Prepare a Papaya – Meals and Snacks
Papaya selection is not that hard. Choose one that has a green skin with yellow streaks or one that has a yellow skin. The best ripe papaya should be firm but not overly hard. Do not buy papayas that are too squishy to handle, it means that the fruit is overripe. You can tell that the fruit is ripe or ready to be eaten when it gives out a distinct sweet smell.
Wash the fruit thoroughly and cut it in half. Make sure to be careful when halving the fruit especially if it’s a big one. (Papaya size ranges from 7 inches to 20 inches long!) The easiest way to peel the fruit is to cut it in wedges first so that you have smaller parts to handle. Be careful not to cut in too deeply with the knife when peeling or you will have less papaya to eat. It is advisable to use a peeler.
Ways you may enjoy papayas:
- You may want to include papaya in a nice healthy fruit salad together with your other favorite fruits as a dessert or snack
- Use a blender to make papaya juice. Combine it with your favorite fruit juice such as orange or apple juice (papaya juice is too thick on its own).
- There are many Asian recipes that include raw papayas; vegetable soups and dishes like Tinola from the Philippines.
How To Prepare a Papaya – Baby Foods
Ripe papayas make great baby food as well. Mash ripe papayas to the consistency that your baby can tolerate. You may want to blend papaya with peach puree and yogurt for other baby food recipe alternative.
Additional Information
Seeds of papaya can also be eaten. They can be included in salads if you like them peppery. Another famous use of papaya is for skin anti-aging. Many skin care companies include papaya extracts in their products.
References:
https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=47
https://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/papayababyfoodrecipes.htm
https://thaifood.about.com/od/thairecipesstepbystep/ss/howtocutapapaya.htm