Papaya, a short, slender tree with a thin, devoid
branches with a trunk 5-10 meters high, topped with an umbrella
from finger-dissected leaves on long petioles.
The leaves are large, 50-70 centimeters in diameter. Flowers
develop in the axils of the petioles, turning into large
fruits with a diameter of 10-30 cm and a length of 15-45 cm. Ripe
the fruit is soft and amber to yellow in color.
Papaya fruit can vary greatly in shape and size.
The peel of the ripe fruit is red-orange in color, and the flesh
– reddish, firm and sweet in taste.
Papaya trees can be male or female.
“Men” pollinate flowers, and trees – “women” give
fruit. Sometimes it happens that trees are “men” too
give fruit, and the fruit grows on them in the form of a long
chains. This is considered a mystery of nature. Papaya seedlings
grow very quickly – the first crop can be harvested already
in 6 months. Papaya ripens very quickly, peel
fruit, when ripe, changes its color from green to
golden orange. Papaya is usually harvested for sale
in the markets when the fruit is still green.
Ripe fruit should be firm to the touch, greenish orange
the skin should be smooth and slightly soft. If the fruit
not ripe enough, put it on dry
dark place. Peel papaya, peeled fruit
cut lengthwise, remove seeds from chopped rings
fruit. Papaya should be refrigerated, ripe
the fruit is stored for no more than 5-7 days.
Useful properties of papaya
Fresh papaya contains (per 100 g):
Calories 43 Kcal
Vitamin C 60,9 Potassium, K 182 Vitamin
B4 6,1 Magnesium, Mg 21 Vitamin
B3 0,357 Calcium, Ca 20 Vitamin E 0,3 Phosphorus,
P 10 Vitamin B5 0,191 Sodium,
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Full composition
Papaya is sweet and tasty, and yet this fruit is great
low-calorie food for people on a diet.
Papaya contains proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins
groups B, A, C,
D, as well as potassium,
phosphorus,
iron,
calcium,
sodium
and the enzyme albumin. Papaya is as useful as a melon,
one would think that the yellow color gives carotene, but in the case
with papaya – this substance is caricaxanthin.
The healing properties of papaya have been recognized since ancient times.
This fruit is extremely beneficial for digestion because
the papain it contains helps the body to extract
maximum nutrients from food. Papaya juice sometimes
used to treat insect bites and relieve pain
with burns. Papaya is also actively used in production
cosmetics around the world. This fruit is used to produce
skin exfoliators and papaya juice is used
for the treatment of skin diseases.
Papaya is recommended for peptic ulcer disease
intestines, with colitis, bronchial asthma. This fruit normalizes
liver function, blood sugar. With help
papayas cleanse the intestines, it gives strength and vigor
organism.
Papaya can neutralize the effects of excess
acids in the stomach of a person, and therefore it is useful for those
who suffer from heartburn, hernia or gastritis. Recommended by
also for pregnant women.
Easy-to-digest, mashed papaya is an ideal food for
babies and an excellent tonic for growing
children.
Papaya juice is very healthy. In some tropical countries
it is used in the treatment of the spine, gastric diseases
and eczema. But this is not the end of its useful properties:
papaya juice is an excellent anthelmintic.
Papain is also used externally: in medicine – for
treatment of burns, and in cosmetology – to remove unwanted
hair and for removing freckles. Its mechanism of action
on the hair is simple: it destroys keratin, thus
weakening the grown hair and preventing the appearance of new ones.
From the peel of the still unripe papaya fruit, the milky
juice, which, when dried, by modern medicine
is used to cure eczema, as well as various
gastric diseases.
Dangerous properties of papaya
Despite the fact that papaya is a healthy dietary fruit, it has
and certain features, ignorance of which can harm the body.
In unripe fruits, papaya juice is poisonous and dangerous.
The composition, more precisely, in the juice of the plant, includes the alkaloid caripain, which
called juice latex. In large quantities, it is a dangerous poison that causes
allergies, skin irritation, indigestion, poisoning,
stomach ache. If you bought a papaya and saw that its juice is colorless
and watery, this means that poisonous qualities are present, due to
why you can not use the fruit for food. Good quality juice should
have a uniform white color. Therefore, when choosing papaya, you must choose
ripe fruits, which should be soft and smooth, have a bright yellow
color. If there are doubts about maturity, then it is worth putting out
the pulp of the fruit, and serve as a stew.
Avoid using papaya for people who are prone to allergies
or have an intolerance to this fruit.
Papaya is quite an exotic fruit for us, so including it
in your diet, try to stick to the measure.
This video will show you how to choose and eat a delicious exotic fruit like papaya.
