Ever try papaya? If you haven’t, you are missing out! This fruit used to be considered exotic and limited but as its popularity is rising it has become available at pretty much any market throughout the year. Christopher Columbus called it the “fruit of the angels” because of its deliciously sweet taste and butter-like consistency. If Christopher Columbus thought it was angelic, you know it’s gotta be good!
Papayas are spherical or pear-shaped and they have orange flesh with yellow or pink hues. In the inner cavity, there are black round seeds that, believe or not, are beneficial to our health, these will be addressed later.
The papaya fruit itself contains antioxidant nutrients including carotenes, vitamin C and flavonoids; the B vitamins, folate and pantothenic acid; the minerals, potassium, copper and magnesium and of course, a ton of fiber. This fruit provides protection against colon cancer and promotes digestive health. Papayas also contain the digestive enzyme papain, which is exceptionally good at breaking down protein fibers. If that’s not a lot to offer than I don’t know what is!
Now onto the seeds…
These little black seeds do have a strong flavor, a mix between mustard and black peppercorns so unless you can handle it, I would recommend blending a spoonful or so into a smoothie so that the flavor isn’t so strong. These seeds have an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect on our digestive systems and also studies have shown that they are effective in killing E coli, Salmonella, Staph and other dangerous bacterial infections. However, pregnant or nursing women should not consume the seeds because they may be too powerful for a young child’s gastrointestinal tract.
Here is a great recipe from Teresa Kennedy for you to try!
Papaya Strawberry Cleanser
Ingredients – Yields 1 ¼ cups
2 papayas
1 cup of strawberries, hull intact
Directions:
1. Process the papayas and strawberries through your electronic juicer according to the manufacturer’s directions.
2. Stir together and enjoy!
Tip 1: Don’t have a juicer? Use 1 papaya, a handful of strawberries, a cup of water, and blend it up!
Tip 2: To super-charge it, add: chia seeds and aloe vera!
Sources:
http://superfoodprofiles.com/health-benefits-papaya-seeds
The Everything Giant book of Juicing by Teresa Kennedy (recipe)