Papaya Interesting facts, Nutritional value, and Health benefits

Fun facts about papaya

• Papaya is a popular exotic fruit with a sweet melon-like taste.
• Its scientific name is Carica papaya L.
• It belongs to the Caricaceae family and is the most economically important fruit of the family.
• While sometimes the names papaya and pawpaw are used as synonyms (e.g. in Australia), there is also another distinct plant that is called pawpaw (Asimina triloba) and is different than papaya. 
• Papaya is native to Central America and Mexico (tropical regions); pawpaw is mainly found in North America.
• Other common names of papaya are “tree melon”, malakor, loko, ma kuai thet (Thai), and du du (Vietnamese).
• While it is considered a tree, it is actually a herbaceous plant.
• Papaya fruit is a berry.
• The color of the fruit may vary from vivid orange to light yellow.
• The shape of papaya fruit varies from elongated-oval to roundish or pyre-shaped and can weigh between 1 to over 3 kg.
• Farmers like the papaya plant because it grows fast and can produce fruits within a very short period of time.
• Each fruit has on average 100-500, medium-size, black, round seeds gathered at its center. 
• It is considered a delicious, healthy fruit rich in antioxidants, vitamins A, B, and C.
• Different parts of the plant, like the fruit, the roots, the leaves, and the stems, have been used for medical purposes for boosting the immune system.
• The ripe papaya fruit can be consumed raw, sundried, as a jam, canned, or as juice. In some cases, the unripe fruits can be processed and picked. In some regions, the papaya seeds are used to extract the oil they contain or as a substitute for black pepper. 
• The unripe, immature fruit of papaya is rich in white milky latex.
• The biggest commercial producers of papayas are India, Brazil, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Mexico.
• Papaya is the 4th most traded tropical fruit. The first 3 are bananas, mangoes, and pineapples. 

Nutritional value of papaya 

How many calories does papaya have? 

One small papaya fruit of around 157 grams has:

• 67.5 kcal (energy)
• 138 g water
• 0.74 g protein
• 2.67 g fibre
• 31.4 g calcium (Ca)
• 33 mg Magnesium
• 268 mg potassium
• 12.6 mg Sodium (Na)
• 95. 6 mg Vitamin C (more that 100% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA))
• 73.8 μg Vitamine A
• 430 μg B-carotene

Health Benefits of Papaya

Is papaya healthy?

Papaya is famous not only for its nice taste but also for its medical properties. The papaya fruit and its juice have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory activities that can boost the immune system and protect the organism from cardiovascular and neurological disorders. Similarly, the leaves, the fruits, and the seeds have antimicrobial properties.

The green fruit and leaves are used in cosmetics as they contain papain (a thiol proteasis) and other enzymes. Papaya is beneficial for skin care and repair. Papaya contains vitamin A, which accelerates the formation of new cells and protects the external layers of the skin. The fruit is also very rich in vitamin C, an antioxidant that builds capillary strength. Papaya is used in skin products for a natural ‘face lift’ and rejuvenation. It can benefit the skin by improving its texture (more smooth, soft, and resilient). Papaya reduces the signs of premature aging and eliminates dead skin cells. Papaya tea and fruit contain an enzyme that dissolves surface cell debris, making it a great facial peel. Beta-carotene protects the skin and provides elasticity.  

For Further reading

Papaya Interesting facts, Nutritional value, and Health benefits

Papaya plant information

Papaya Soil Preparation, Planting, and Plant density

Papaya propagation and Pollination

Papaya Plant Care – Irrigation and Fertilization of Papaya plants

How to cultivate papayas for profit – Complete papaya production guide

Papaya Plant Major Pests, Diseases and Weed Management

Papaya Harvest,  Yield and Storage

Papaya Handling, Grading, and Packing

References

Morton, J. (1987). Papaya. Fruits of warm climates. Retrieved 2016, April 26 from Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University website: https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/papaya_ars.html

https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780857090904/postharvest-biology-and-technology-of-tropical-and-subtropical-fruits

https://www.sciencedirect.com/referencework/9780123849533/encyclopedia-of-food-and-health

https://edepot.wur.nl/10209

https://beeaware.org.au/pollination/pollinator-reliant-crops/papaya/

https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169926/nutrients

https://www.wifss.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Papayas_PDF.pdf

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG054

https://www.wwps.org/images/departments/nutrition_services/fruitsandveggies/papaya_fs.pdf

Carvalho FP. Agriculture, pesticides, food security and food safety. Environ Sci Policy. 2006; 9(7–8):685– 92. 

FAO. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation. Sustainable Food Systems. Concept and Framework. 2018. 

Kuhfuss L, Préget R, Thoyer S, Hanley N (2016) Nudging farmers to enrol land into agri-environmental schemes: the role of a collective bonus. Eur Rev Agric Econ 43:609–636. 

Lamichhane JR, Dachbrodt-Saaydeh S, Kudsk P, Messéan A (2015) Toward a reduced reliance on conventional pesticides in European agriculture. Plant Dis 100:10–24. 

Le Gal P-Y, Dugué P, Faure G, Novak S (2011) How does research address the design of innovative agricultural production systems at the farm level? A review. Agric Syst 104:714–728. 

Lechenet M, Bretagnolle V, Bockstaller C et al (2014) Reconciling pesticide reduction with economic and environmental sustainability in arable farming. PLoS ONE 9:e97922. 

Lefebvre M, Langrell SRH, Gomez-y-Paloma S (2015) Incentives and policies for integrated pest management in Europe: a review. Agron Sustain Dev 1:27–45 

Lesur-Dumoulin C, Malézieux E, Ben-Ari T et al (2017) Lower average yields but similar yield variability in organic versus conventional horticulture. A meta-analysis. Agron Sustain Dev 37:45. 

Liu B, Li R, Li H et al (2019) Crop/weed discrimination using a field imaging spectrometer system. Sensors 19:5154. 

MacMillan T, Benton TG (2014) Agriculture: engage farmers in research. Nat News 509:25. 

Mahlein A-K (2015) Plant disease detection by imaging sensors – parallels and specific demands for precision agriculture and plant phenotyping. Plant Dis 100:241–251. 

Maria K, Maria B, Andrea K (2021) Exploring actors, their constellations, and roles in digital agricultural innovations. Agric Syst 186:102952. 

Mariotte P, Mehrabi Z, Bezemer TM et al (2018) Plant–soil feedback: bridging natural and agricultural sciences. Trends Ecol Evol 33:129–142. 

Martinelli F, Scalenghe R, Davino S et al (2015) Advanced methods of plant disease detection. A review. Agron Sustain Dev 35:1–25. 

Sapkota, T.B.; Mazzoncini, M.; Bàrberi, P.; Antichi, D.; Silvestri, N. Fifteen years of no till increase soil organic matter, microbial biomass and arthropod diversity in cover crop-based arable cropping systems. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 2012, 32, 853–863. 

Muller, A.; Schader, C.; Scialabba, N.E.H.; Brüggemann, J.; Isensee, A.; Erb, K.; Smith, P.; Klocke, P.; Leiber, F.; Stolze, M.; et al. Strategies for feeding the world more sustainably with organic agriculture. Nat. Commun. 2017, 8, 1290. 

Seufert, V.; Ramankutty, N.; Foley, J.A. Comparing the yields of organic and conventional agriculture. Nature 2012, 485, 229–232. 

Tal, A. Making conventional agriculture environmentally friendly: Moving beyond the glorification of organic agriculture and the demonization of conventional agriculture. Sustainability 2018, 10, 1078.