Super Food of the Week: Papaya

There may be no better way to start a day than with a bowl of ripe papaya cut into chunks! This bright orange fruit is easy to digest, tastes great, and has a ton of nutritional benefits! That’s why papaya just happens to be my super food of the week. 

Papaya  is a sweet fruit rich in vitamins C and A. A one-cup portion is fat free and provides around 60 calories and 3 grams of fiber. This fruit is so versatile and can be either eaten alone, added to cereal, or added to yogurt. 

Papaya is grown throughout the world’s tropical regions with most of the domestic crop comes from Hawaii, with lesser production from Florida, California, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Central and South America. Papaya trees produce fruit all year long and therefore, the supply is constant! Peak seasons are early summer and fall, so approaching us fast!

How do you prepare a papaya?

Preparing ripe papaya is very easy. Simply rinse with cold water, cut in half lengthwise, and remove the black seeds. Cut the flesh into wedges, slices or balls for fruit salads or eat plain.  It can also be baked to use in chutney. Although the seeds are usually discarded, some people eat them. These shiny black seeds look very much like peppercorns with a similar spicy flavor. To use the seeds as seasoning, rinse and dry them and then grind coarsely in a food processor.  

Asian Salad 

Ingredients:

1 papaya

1 guava

1 Asian pear

1 lb spring salad mix

4 tablespoon low-fat vinaigrette of your choice

Directions:

Cut papaya and guava into thin slices. Julienne the Asian pear. Put the spring mix salad in a large bowl. Toss with dressing. Mound on a platter. Place fruit slices on top and serve.

Yield: 4 servings 

Nutrition information per serving (1/4 of recipe):

100 calories; 3 grams fat; 190 milligrams sodium; 19 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams fiber; 10 grams sugar; 3 grams protein; 80% vitamin A; and 200% vitamin C.

Recipe courtesy of Fruit and Veggies More Matters