Papaya is the good for you food of the week. As summer winds down and cooler temperatures begin to fill the Treasure Valley, you can still experience a bit of a tropical escape with this delicious fruit. Look for them in Treasure Valley markets like WinCo for $3.28 each for a small papaya. Larger papayas are priced at $1.58 per pound. And of course, they wouldn’t qualify for the good for you food of the week if they didn’t provide some nutritional benefits.
A single papaya provides more than three times your daily requirement for vitamin C. You’ll also get vitamins A, E, and K, potassium, folate, and dietary fiber, for about 120 calories.
Papayas are sweet, with a buttery texture. Their flesh is an orange color, but the outer peel will be light green to yellow to red, depending on the type and how ripe they are. They contain an enzyme called papain, which helps our bodies digest protein. Their unique combination of nutrients may be helpful in fighting colon cancer.
The ripest papayas have a darker peel, usually in the red tones. They should be soft to the touch. If they are still yellow, they’ll need to ripen a little longer before they taste best. They are at their peak in the summer and fall, so this is a good time of year to buy them.
Try slicing up papayas and serving on a fruit plate during dinner, or add them to a fruit salad. You may also enjoy them over a bed of greens, with grilled chicken or fish. Add chunks of papaya and other fruits to your post-workout protein smoothie. Toss cubes of papaya with banana, pineapple and coconut and layer it in a dessert glass with yogurt and sprinkle with coconut and macadamia nuts for a tropical treat. Or whip up a delicious salsa with papaya, mango, jalapeno, and ginger to accompany your favorite grilled seafood.
Talk it up:
Do you like papayas?
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