Harvest of the Month: Papaya
A nutrient-packed fruit – well, botanically speaking, berry – the papaya was once considered a rare treat, but has in the past century become one of the globe’s most popular foods.
As far as researchers can tell, the papaya originated in Central America and found its way across the globe with explorers and adventurous indigenous peoples who introduced its cultivation first to the Caribbean and South America and then on to Africa and the Far East. Today, the papaya is grown in areas near the equator all over the world, with Mexico, Brazil and Belize being the leading exporters. In the U.S., only Hawaii produces papaya.
You typically find papayas in stores year-round, but they’ll be freshest between June and September. When shopping, look for papayas with soft skin, and avoid those with dark areas, overly soft spots or skin that looks shriveled.
Once you get a papaya home, the clock is ticking, as papayas won’t last long once they ripen. Putting the fruit in the refrigerator can slow the process, but you still won’t be able to keep a papaya more than a week or two, at best.
You’ll find plenty of recipes for cooking with papayas, but most people enjoy them raw. Peeled, seeded and sliced, they make a great side dish, and many people put them in smoothies or freeze cubed papaya to put in drinks.
Regardless of how you consumer you papaya, you’ll do yourself a favor: A cup of raw papaya provides 150% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, as well as other vitamins and minerals, and some researchers say the papaya can be helpful in treating or preventing Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease and more.
Try this Mango Papaya Salsa recipe
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Tags: harvest of the month, Papaya, recipe