2.Papaya - Healthy Food

Papaya - Healthy Food
Papaya - Health

Paw Paw or Papaya is native to tropical America, but is now cultivated in most areas of tropical and subtropical world. The large pear shaped fruits grow to 8 inches in length approx. Some varieties remain green when ripe, but most turn deep yellow and orange. Papaya is the flesh of salmon pink, with an abundance of gray-black seeds in the central cavity that is edible. The soft, sweet juicy flesh tastes like a cross between melon and peaches.

The goodness of papaya

Papayas are rich in vitamin A and calcium and contain large amounts of the enzyme papain, which breaks down protein and can be used to tenderize the meat. Papain also helps the fruit easy to digest.

How to Buy

Choose uniformly yellow fruit. Sniff them should be delicate perfume. Do not buy papayas with dry or damaged skin, as they bruise easily. If fruits are not ripe, check the skin around the end of the rod, it should be yellow, otherwise the papaya will never mature. Ripe papaya should be eaten immediately. The fruits are not mature enough should not be left at room temperature until soft and yellow.

How To Cook

Simply cut the papaya in half and remove seeds from the cavity. You can eat the seeds (which have a spicy taste), but are not particularly pleasant. Squeeze some lime or lemon juice over the meat before serving. Papayas can be used in the same way as melons, served alone with a touch of lemon and sprinkled with ginger and served with meat. Meat cubes can be added to fruit salads, ice cream and drinks made with fruit or served with yogurt. The papaya is perfect with finely chopped peppers in sweet sauce. The skin can be used to soften the cheaper cuts of meat. Papain, however, prevents gelatin from setting, so do not try to make a fresh fruit gel or foam blowing cold papaya. Unripened papaya can be used in salads, fruit is still hard is ideal for sauces and jams.

Medicinal Benefits

1. The consumption of ripe fruit is good for treating ringworm, green fruits treat high blood pressure and is used as an aphrodisiac.

2. The fruit can be directly applied topically to skin wounds.

3. The seeds are anti-inflammatory and pain and are treated with abdominal pain, and fungal infections.

4. The leaves are used as a heart tonic, analgesic and to treat stomach aches.

5. The roots are used as an analgesic.