Fruit is known as “nature’s own desserts”.  What a fitting name.  Fruit is a delicious, sweet snack that is low in fat and high in vitamins and other nutritional value.  Recent studies show that more fruit is eaten today than it was one year ago.  Some of the most popular fruits include bananas, apples and grapes.  A fruit that is often ignored is the papaya, also called the pawpaw.

It is ironic that September is National Papaya Month, because the peak months for the papaya is March through July.  The papaya, however, is available year round.  It is mostly imported from Brazil and Mexico and the majority of U.S. grown papaya coming from Hawaii.

There are three different varieties of papayas.  The Kapoho Solo is high in sugar and has a peach-melon flavor.  The Rainbow Papaya has a gold flesh.  The Sunrise or Sun Up Papaya is very juicy.  All three types have a green-yellow skin that becomes yellow as it ripens.  The Sunrise variety also has freckles on its skin.

The papaya also has numerous health benefits.  It is rich in fiber, vitamin C, folate and carotenes.  The papaya is known to aid in digestion and prevent constipation.  It helps in the prevention of some cancers including colon cancer.  It contributes largely to preventing nausea, including morning sickness and motion sickness. Papaya seeds together with honey help rid the body of parasitic worms.  It is recommended that people take two teaspoons of papaya seeds after each meal.  Eaten regularly, papayas can restore a person’s strength and health.  there are many other health benefits that accompany the papaya.  It has a positive impact on high cholesterol, heart disease and menopause.

The papaya is not just a great food, however.  It can be applied directly to skin sores.  It can even be used as a cleanser.  It can be put in bath soaps, hand washes and astringents, where it serves as a bleaching agent.  Perhaps this is why the fruit’s tree has been given the nickname “the medicinal tree”. Papayas are also thought to help control early aging.

So when you have a craving for a tasty treat or when your sweet tooth is needing a boost, leave that calorie-filled donut on the table and choose a more sensible snack, one that will contribute to your recommended daily allowance of necessary vitamins and minerals.  Consider all that you are gaining by choosing the healthier alternative.  Soon, you won’t even miss the sugary, more fatty choices.

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