Papaya is thought to have originated in Central America, possibly Mexico where it first began to be cultivated. As it fruit is was held in high regard by the native Indians of central America, and then equally cherished by Spanish and Portuguese explorers that brought it back to Europe. Once considered an exotic fruit, an influx of Latin Americans into the United States in recent years has brought Papaya to immense popularity, to the point that it is scarce in some areas of the country!
Papaya can be prepared in numerous ways. It is often mixed into salads or served as a complementary item to meat, poultry or fish. One interesting adaptation of papaya, known as the “papaya boat”, is to slice the fruit in half and stuff it with yogurt, nuts, raisins and various other types of food. Papaya can also be liquidated and turned either into a smoothie or a versatile dressing that taste excellent on almost any sort of food.
Finally, we give you the nutrition facts of a portion of papaya: a diced cup gives you 55 calories, 2.5 g dietary fiber, 8.5 g sugar, 1 g protein, an excellent contribution potassium (useful for your heart) and over 100% of your Vitamin C daily requirements. more