PAPAYA

Found abundantly in India almost through the year, this fruit is a nutritional goldmine. It is considered an exotic tropical treat
in most countries.

Having papaya in breakfast provides the required daily levels of ACE vitamins, giving you antioxidant protection. The hearty dose of folic acid keeps your arteries in good shape. The fibre-rich papaya helps keep your chlesterol levels down.

Enzymes like papain and chemopapain are believed to have anti-inflammatory effects.

It makes a delicious salsa to go with grilled fish. Combine finely diced papaya with some grated ginger, chillies and coriander
and your salsa is ready. Diced papaya in fresh yoghurt can be served as raita.

Papaya is better than

Pineapple
Dietry fibre- 1.8gm/cup
(papaya- 2.8gm/cup)
Vitamin C- 24mg/cup
(papya- 94mg/cup)

Cantaloupe

Folic acid- 27mcg/cup
(papaya- 57mcg/cup)
Vitanin C- 55 mg/cup
(papaya- 94 mg/cup)

Watermelon

Vitamin C- 14.5mg/cup
(papaya- 94mg/cup)
Potassium- 176mg/cup
(papaya- 390mg/cup)

Interesting little bit of information you got there, but what is the actual definition of a super food? When is the line placed at just good food and SUPER food? I heard a super food is a food that has no negative things in it. Like porridge. Apparently there is nothing bad at all in porridge...

Hmm, i didn't know much about "papaya's", thanks for the info

Thanks for the info, even though it is not much useful to me, I don't like the taste of papaya, I guess this goes with the common concept that all that is good tastes bad.

Papaya is really a good fruit, but I do not think it is a super food. Papaya is very low in protein, also low in energy. But it can ensure a good supply of vitamin A and C, helps in digestion, speed up healing. It is also an ideal food for invalids. Papaya contains 90.8% moisture, 7.2% carbohydrates 0.6% protein, 0.1% fat, 0.8% fiber and 0.5% minerals. Main minerals are Calcium, Phosphorus and Iron. Main vitamins are Vitamin C and small amount of Vitamin B complex.

Ripe papaya and green papaya both are used as food. 1 kg ripe papaya contain 6 gms Protein, 1g fat, 5 gm minerals, 8 gms fiber, 72 gms carbohydrates, 320 kcal energy, 8800 micro gs Beta carotene, 570 mgs Vitamin C, 60 mgs sodium, 690 mgs potassium and 5 mg iron. On the other hand 1 kg green papaya contains 7 gms protein, 2 gms fat, 5 gms minerals, 9 gms fiber, 57 gms carbohydrates, no beta carotene but 120 mgs vitamin C, 230 mgs sodium, 2150 mgs potassium, and 9 mgs iron.

There are a lot of health benefits of papaya. Papaya and Green Tea can prevent prostate cancer. Papaya can promote lung health. It can gives protection against rheumatoid arthritis and macular degeneration. It also gives us immune support and has anti-inflammatory effects. It can promote digestive health. It has also an effect to protect Heart Disease.

Papaya has also few medicinal virtues. Raw papaya is beneficial in intestinal disorders like deficiency of gastric juice, excess of unhealthy mucus in the stomach, dyspepsia, intestinal irritation etc. Papaya seed is useful in dyspepsia and bleeding piles. Papaya has also an anthelmintic effect. The digestive enzyme papain is a powerful anthelmintic for roundworms. Papaya seeds are also useful. The juice of the raw papaya is useful in several skin disorders. Paste of papaya seeds is useful in skin diseases like ringworm. The unripe papaya helps the contraction of the muscle fibres of the womb which is beneficial in securing proper menstrual flow. Liver cirrhosis caused by alcoholism, malnutriton etc may be treated by black seeds of papaya. Papaya has also beneficial effect in Spleen Enlargement and Throat Disorders.

Blargh. All those are . . . gross. I don't really care how healthy they are . . . I'd reather be ill, honestly, than eat those.
(Maybe I'd try the watermelon.)

But the papaya . . . I've never tried it before, but I think you'd have to forcedly feed me to get me to eat it. *shudders*

papaya i good to eat when it is ripe..it has a yellow color meaning it is ready to eat..

when it is not yet mature, the color is green,,when it is unripe you can use it in dishes for lunch or supper..
i believe it has a natural enzyme named papain that tenderizes meats..