Papaya

The papaya does not get the credit it deserves. When you think of eating a piece of fruit you probably think of a banana, apple, grapes or an orange. All of these are wonderful fruits, but most of them don't have all of the benefits of eating a papaya. In the tropics, where Papaya is grown, it is referred to as the "medicine tree" or "melon of health". Papaya's are filled with nutrients. In fact, a single serving of papaya has 150 percent of your daily allowance of Vitamin C, one of the most effective antioxidants in blocking LDL oxidation. It's also associated with high levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Papayas are a great source of beta-carotene, an important antioxidant that helps fight free radicals, the beginning of disease. Papayas also supply about 2 percent of your RDA for iron, and 4 percent of your daily calcium allowance. It's also an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Folic Acid, Potassium, Copper, Phosphorus, Iron and Fiber.

Another wonderful attribute the papaya has over other fruit is papain. Papain is found in the unripe fruit as well as other parts of the plant. Papain is a powerful protein-digesting enzyme. Papain's action resembles that of two well-known digestive enzymes in the human stomach - pepsin and trypsin. The papain is a large part of what makes Papaya a recommended fruit and juice of practitioners of homeopathic medicine for people with stomach ailments. Practitioners believe Papaya helps treat heartburn, stomach distress, diarrhea, ulcers and even Montezuma's revenge. Eaten regularly, it lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, helps prevent strokes and fights heart and bowel disease, while clearing your complexion. Many also believe by consuming Papaya on a regular basis you can help to prevent or help heal from major illnesses such as cancer, arthritis, liver disease and celiac disease.

In case you've never seen a Papaya, here's what to look for. The Hawaiian varieties, most common in U.S. supermarkets, (Kamiya, Solo, Sunrise, Sunset, Vista Solo and Waimanalo) have a reddish-yellow, pear-shaped fruit about six inches long and one to two pounds in weight. The flesh of the Hawaiian variety is bright orange or pinkish, depending on variety, with small black seeds in the center. The Mexican varieties (Mexican Red and Mexican Yellow) are much larger- 15 inches long and up to 10 pounds. Papayas are grown all over the world in semitropical zones. The tree grows from seed to approximately 20 feet in height in less than 18 months with the fruit growing in clusters at the top. The Hawaiian variety has a more intense flavor (sweet, juicy and somewhat like a cantaloupe in flavor) than the Mexican. The seeds are usually discarded but can be eaten and are similar in flavor to black pepper.

Healthmate Papaya Concentrates are made from the Hawaiian variety Papaya. They contain only natural ingredients, have no fat, or cholesterol and are low in calories. The Creamed Papaya Concentrate is a pure Hawaiian papaya puree. The Hawaiian Blend Concentrate is naturally sweetened with fruit juice, but NO white grape juice. The Papaya Nectar Concentrate is sweetened with flavorful fruit juices and unrefined natural sugar, but NO white grape juice.