I don't know about you, but I absolutely adore papayas. Papayas (along with melons and blueberries) and my most favorite fruits of all time to the point that I could have them every single day and never get sick of them.
If you don't know much about this delicious fruit you might be surprised to learn that though papayas are summer fruits (growing in tropical climates) they aren't cooling at all. Quite the contrary, they actually have a heating effect on your body. However, in this case it doesn't mean that they will make you feel hot like a spicy chilli pepper might. It's more that you will not feel that cooling quality that you might find in melons for instance. This can be useful to your body for a ton of reasons, for instance if you have digestive problems due to low digestive fire or if you often get cold hands and feet. It's a great fruit to have in the summer when the weather isn't boiling hot but you still want to feel refreshed, yet the thought of eating a cooling melon makes your teeth chatter.
Here are some interesting facts about papayas.
They are packed with Vitamin C- a cup (about 140g) of papaya supplies you with 144% of your daily recommend (RDI) vitamin C intake! They also contain a lot of Vitamin A (31% RDI per cup) and are a good natural source of Vitamin B9- Folate (13% RDI per cup).
Papayas are also rich in Potassium (10% RDI per cup) and contain 2.5g of fiber per cup.
Papayas are loaded with carotenoids- super healthy antioxidants, which contribute to overall good health by helping your body fight inflammation.
Some studies* suggest that thanks to the antioxidant content, papayas may also have anticancer properties.
All of those wonderful properties of papayas mean that they may also positively impact your eye health, skin health, cardiovascular system, and your kidneys.
Papayas also contain an enzyme called papain which is known to aid digestion and help detoxify the body. I can tell your from my own experience that they always have a wonderfully gentle cleansing effect on my digestive system. They may also help you with excessive gas/bloating. But do keep in mind that every body is different, so don't take my word for it, try a little bit for yourself and observe the effect it has on your body.
Even though ripe papayas can be super sweet their Glycemic index is in the medium range (60) and their Glycemic load is actually in the low (below 10) range, as per 1 cup it's around 8! That means that it's a safe (in moderation, of course) fruit for diabetics. It can also be helpful in weight loss and preventing diabetes. That's because though it does raise your blood sugar level a bit, it doesn't make it drop rapidly and that, in case you don't know, is a very good thing. It means you will feel fuller for longer and the sugars supplied by the food (in this case papaya) will be used by your body for a longer period of time.
It's always best to eat fruits in their natural form- whole and with skin (if edible). But if you're going to process them in any way, making a smoothie is the best thing you can do as you still consume all the super beneficial fiber without which the fruit is kind of like table sugar sprinkled with some vitamins and minerals (not great). So unless you're treating a specific medical condition and you need to juice, don't make juices, drink smoothies instead:) If you prefer the runny consistency just add more water.
I feel like I come up with a new smoothie recipe every single time I make one (almost daily) because it really depends on what I have at hand and what I feel like having that day, but this one was particularly delicious, so I thought I'd write down the ingredients and share them with you.
In terms of appliances all you need here is a high speed blender. If yours isn't as powerful you might end up with a more lumpy smoothie, but I'm sure it will still taste great!
Papaya Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 papaya
1/2 apple
1/2 banana (fresh in the cooler months or frozen in the summer)
1/4 cup of sugar-free plant-based milk (I used almond milk)
squeeze of lemon juice (you can add more if you prefer)
about a thumb-size piece of fresh ginger (decrease or omit if it's super hot outside)
a dash of ground cardamom
a few fresh rosemary leaves
Method:
Scoop out the papaya seeds and discard them (you can compost them).
Scoop out the orange bits of papaya from it's skin- we don't eat the skin- and add to your blender.
Add the rest of the ingredients into the blender.
Blend until smooth.
Taste your smoothie and decide whether or not you may like a bit more lemon juice.. or anything else for that matter.
Enjoy the rich colors and flavors of this gorgeous drink!
