History

PapayasPapaya from its scientific name Carica papaya is native to southern Mexico. It was cultivated by Native Americans before colonization. It is also during colonization that is introduced into Martinique. It is found today in all the tropical countries.

Varieties

Papaya for sale at Fort-de-France marketThere are many varieties of papaya according to the flesh color (light, yellow to dark red). There are male papaya tree and female papaya tree but only the female papaya tree bears fruit. Papaya has a green trunk and closely resembles the palm tree. It has large palmate leaves and fruits are grouped along the trunk. He needs a strong rainfall for fruit.

Papaya treeThe papaya is a shrub of 3 to 7 meters high. Its lifespan is short, three to five years, but he constantly produces from the first year of planting. When the main trunk is cut or broken, it is common for secondary branches are formed; they can also occur naturally without altering the main trunk. The hollow trunk of 20 cm in diameter is covered with a greenish or grayish bark, marked leaf scars.

Health benefits

Papaya contains a specific enzyme, papain, which is found in the latex of unripe fruit. Papain activates digestion. Its seeds are used as an anthelmintic. It is a low-energy fruit. Its regular consumption does not lead to calorie overload. It is rich in vitamin C and carotene, two protective antioxidants.

Uses

Papaya in piecesThe papaya is eaten raw when the bay when it arrived at maturity, but also as a vegetable, like a squash. In the Caribbean, we consume green papaya in gratin or stew. The ripe papaya can be used to design jam. Sometimes it is also found in tropical fruit salads. Its flowers, roots and dried or ground seeds are used in the preparation of herbal teas.

Images