Papaya-The Powerful Friend

Native to southern Mexico and Central America, papaya is now cultivated in most tropical regions, including Hawaii, where it was introduced in the early 1800s. Today, Hawaii is still the only U.S. state where papaya is commercially grown. There are two main papaya varieties: Mexican, which can weigh as much as 10 pounds, and the much smaller Hawaiian type seen in grocery stores. Sometimes known as a tree melon or pawpaw, papaya is known not just for its rich sweet flavor, but also for its use as a meat tenderizer. Initially green and somewhat bitter in taste, papayas are butter-yellowa when fully ripe and shaped like a pear. Their pale-orange flesh has dozens of small, black, gelitonous seeds at the center, similar to a melon.

Mythbusters

Myth- You should not eat papayas during pregnancy because it may cause miscarriage. False!

Truth- As mentioned earlier, a miscarriage occurs because there is usually an abnormality in the fetus. A miscarriage is Nature’s way of preventing the further growth of an abnormal baby.

Papaya Fun Fact

Papayas were first referenced in 1526 by the Spanish chronicler Oviedo, after discovering this fruit on the Caribbean coasts of Panama and Colombia. Christopher Columbus is said to have called papayas the "fruit of the angels."