| Scientific name: | Carica papaya |
| German name: | Papaya |
| Other names: | Pawpaw |
| Classification: | Brassicales |
| Family: | Caricaceae |
| Genus: | Melon trees |
| Season: | All year |
There are various papaya varieties today that have been created by cross-breeding and as breeding with resistance to disease. As a result, the fruit became smaller and smaller and the most resistant specimens on the European, American and Asian markets are also the smallest. The name papaya is used in common parlance for the plant and fruit of a number of papaya varieties. It is believed that the name papaya comes from the language of the Arawak Indians who live in Central America. There the culturally important papaya was called “ababai“, which can be roughly translated as “tree of health“.
The milk juice (latex) of the papaya is obtained in complex processes to extract the papain from it. This enzyme is mainly used in industry, but also in medicine. More information about papain in the section "Things to know".
Quantity per 100 grams
| Calories | 32 |
| Fat content | 0 g |
| Saturated fatty acids | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 2 mg |
| Potassium | 191 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 7 g |
| Roughage | 2 g |
| Sugar | 7,1 g |
| Protein | 1 g |
The papaya tree is 6-8 meters high and is a finger-leaved fig plant originating in subtropical South America. Spanish sailors brought the fruits of the papaya tree to other parts of America and Asia in the 16th century.
With the settlement of the papaya in the Philippines, the Spaniards laid the foundation for the extensive spread of the fruit in Asia. Only much later did the papaya reach Europe via cultivation on the Antilles. The most important cultivation areas for this exotic berry fruit are in Africa, China, Florida, Hawaii, India, Japan, the Caribbean, Sri Lanka, Thailand and South America. In their countries of origin, papayas weigh up to 8 kg. However, specimens available in the European and North American fruit trade generally weigh no more than 500-1000 grams.
Since papayas are very low in acid and calories, stimulate digestion, neutralise gastric acid and have fat-reducing properties, they are ideal for diets and slimming cures. Papayae stimulate circulation and blood circulation, relieve rheumatic complaints and help with open wounds. A tea made from papaya blossoms can also be very beneficial for your health, as it combats diseases of the respiratory tract. Highly dosed papaya concentrate has very effective laxative properties, but should never be taken together with blood thinning medications.
In toxic disorders such as a hangover after too much alcohol consumption, the consumption of papaya can have a detoxifying effect. After a night of drinking, a smoothie of papaya and orange will help. Simply puree half a cored papaya with 200 ml freshly squeezed orange juice and a teaspoon of honey in a blender. A dash of lime juice brings the decisive kick for the taste and you can get rid of the hangover in no time at all.
Often one sees pictures of papayas which are scratched on the tree and lose a white substance which then drips into vessels under the tree. This is the milk of the papaya (the latex) which is needed to generate the enzyme papain. This process is very costly and only a little latex can be extracted per fruit, so products with and from papain are quite expensive. The areas of application of this enzyme include cleaning agents, depilation of animal skins during tanning, textiles to prevent felting of wool and silk, in the food industry as a "softener" of meat and to remove turbidity in beer. Papain is also used in medicine to support enzymatic digestion and wound cleansing.
Papain can be purchased in the form of capsules or tablets. Depending on the product, the effect is very beneficial for skin and cell problems such as cellulite (e.g. papain enzyme capsules) or also beneficial for digestion.
When taking enzymes, you should always make sure that the tablets are taken directly with meals (shortly before, during and immediately after) if you want to support digestion. If taken approximately 1.5 to 2 hours before or after a meal, the tablets have the optimal anti-inflammatory effect.
Papaya is usually consumed fresh or made into cocktails, ice cream, cheese side dishes or pespin wine. The papaya should be well chilled before consumption. The easiest way to prepare the papaya is to first cut it in half with a sharp knife, spoon out the seeds and then separate the flesh from the inside of the skin with a suitable knife. The taste of the flesh can be spiced up with raspberry syrup, lime juice, orange liqueur or brandy.
At an optimal room temperature of +10 degrees Celsius, ripe papayas can be stored for up to 4 weeks. They should always be stored away from sunlight and should not be stacked because of their weight, otherwise they will get pressure points which will spoil the fruit more quickly. Unusually, papayas can be frozen very well and their storage time can be increased many times over. But the papaya should be halved before and the seeds inside should be removed.