The papaya is a small, leafy tree with a hollow trunk, large webbed leaves, and oblong smooth-skinned fruits (melons). Melons are generally picked in a green state and allowed to ripen. When ripe, the flesh is sweet and juicy and tastes similar to other melons.
PAWPAW: WONDERFUL FRUIT!
How to Select and Store Papaya for Best Quality and Flavor Because papaya comes from Hawaii or Mexico, there’s a good chance you can find this fruit in a grocery store year-round, but only because papaya is available 12 months. after the year does not mean that all selections are perfect. For the best tasting papaya, only buy the fruit when it is ripe or do not eat the fruit until ripe. The immature papaya has a color that is a mixture of yellow and green. Ripe papaya, on the other hand, is bright yellow and firm (but can feel soft with gentle pressure). If you are buying a ripe papaya, avoid fruits that are too soft, unless you plan to use them in a smoothie or puree. A good papaya also has few or no blemishes. A green papaya from the grocery store should ripen in a couple of days. After it is ripe, store the fruit in the refrigerator to help slow the ripening process. If you have leftover papaya, you can store it in the freezer for up to 10 months. Remove the seeds first, and then cut the fruit into small pieces for storage.
In contrast to the methanolic extract of papaya seeds, we found that the aqueous extract of white papaya seeds surprisingly stimulated the proliferation of prostate cancer cells, while the aqueous extract of black seeds had no effect. Papaya seeds are rich in various types of phytochemicals, including saponins, tannins, polyphenols, flavonols, glycosides, alkaloids, triterpenes, amino acids, sugars, proteins, and vitamins. Some of the known phytochemicals identified by the LCMS-MS technique in the aqueous extract of papaya seeds include 5-hydroxy feruloyl quinic acid, acetyl p-coumaryl quinic acid, quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside, syringic acid hexoside, 5- caffeic hydroxy quinic acid, peonidin-3-O-glucoside, sinapic acid-O-hexoside, cyanidin-3-O-glucose, and methyl feruloyl glucoside. Again, it is not clear if these phytochemicals are present in the black seeds or the white seeds. It is evident from our study that some tumor promoting substance is present in the white seeds that is no longer present when the white seeds mature into black seeds when the papaya matures.
Clearly, further studies are required to resolve this issue. Papaya seeds can be eaten raw, ground, or crushed into salad dressings, milk, or honey. However, when eaten raw, the seeds have a strong, bitter, peppery taste. You should only eat small amounts at a time and not very often and should be completely avoided if you are pregnant. Thinking of losing a few kilos? If so, it doesn’t hurt to add papaya to your daily menu. Papaya is excellent for weight loss due to its low caloric content. Because the fruit is also a good source of fiber, papaya is not only physically satisfying, but it will also help keep you full longer. As a result, you may end up consuming fewer calories throughout the day. The fiber in papaya also promotes healthy digestion. With better digestion, you’ll feel and look less bloated, which can help flatten your stomach.