National Papaya Month

National Papaya Month – Time to Get Tropical!

September is National Papaya Month, so it’s time to get acquainted with this delicious and nutrient-rich fruit! Native to Central America, papayas are now grown in many tropical regions around the world. The most common type of papaya found in grocery stores is the solo papaya, which has a pear-like shape and golden-yellow skin. When ripe, solo papayas can be eaten raw or used in a variety of sweet and savory dishes.

Papayas are often called the “fruit of the angels” because of their heavenly taste and nutritional value. A single papaya contains nearly 220% of your daily vitamin C needs, making it an excellent way to boost your immune system. Papayas are also a good source of fiber, vitamins A and E, and carotenes. Additionally, papayas contain enzymes that aids in digestion. No wonder this incredible fruit has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries!

How do you select a ripe papaya?

First, give the fruit a gentle squeeze. If it yields to pressure, it’s ripe and ready to eat. You can also tell by the color; ripe papayas will be mostly yellow with a bit of green at the stem end. If your papaya is still mostly green, let it ripen at room temperature for a day or two before eating. Once ripe, papayas should be eaten within a day or two for optimum flavor and nutrition.

Not sure what to do with a ripe papaya? Here are some ideas:

• Enjoy it as is! Slice up a papaya and enjoy it as a healthy snack or breakfast topping. Add a sprinkle of lime juice for extra flavor.
• Make a smoothie or milkshake. Simply combine diced papaya with milk or yogurt, ice cubes, and honey (or sugar) in a blender and blend until smooth. Add extra ingredients like bananas, mangos, or pineapple for even more flavor.
• Whip up a quick salad. Toss diced papaya with shredded carrots, diced red onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Serve on its own or atop grilled chicken or fish. Yum!
• Give your favorite recipe a tropical twist. Use papaya in place of mango in a grilled chicken salad with mango salsa. Or try pork tenderloin with papaya salsa.

Whether you enjoy it on its own or use it as ingredient to add flavor to your favorite dish, there are endless ways to enjoy delicious solo papayas during National Papaya Month (and year-round!). Before heading to the store, brush up on how to select and store papayas so you can bring home the best of the bunch. Happy National Papaya Month!