Papaya nutrition facts

Information on Papaya

Papaya is a plant with a shape similar to a pear and itsbotanical name is carica papaya. It is also very popular because of its highnutritional value. It is a remarkable source of numerous different types ofessential minerals and vitamins. Papaya originates from Mexico and CentralAmerica and it is an herbaceous perennial plant even though it looks like it isa tree. It grows in most tropical regions everywhere in the world. It growsvery fast and it can be up to 10 meters high and it is commonly characterizedby large leaves located at the upper part of the stem.

Flowers of the papayaplant have five petals and are characterized by waxy and fleshy appearance. Thefruit itself is usually pear shaped or it has a spherical shape. The two mainvarieties are the Mexican papaya and the Hawaiian papaya. The Mexican papayahas orange flesh, while the Hawaiian variety is more yellow in appearance, bothoutside and inside. Papaya is very delicious and it is a remarkable source ofimportant nutrients.

Nutritional Information on Papaya

Papaya is one of the best sources of vitamin C as itcontains the essential vitamin even more than citrus fruits do. It is also aremarkable source of vitamins A, B and E. It contains certain substances suchas flavonoids, carotene and zeaxanthin which are known for their strongantioxidant properties.

It also contains several different types of essentialminerals such as iron, potassium, calcium and magnesium. 100 grams of raw fruitof papaya contains 0.1 milligrams of iron, 9.8 grams of carbohydrates, 5milligrams of phosphorus, 5.9 grams of sugar, 257 milligrams of potassium, 1.8grams of dietary fiber, 10 milligrams of magnesium, 0.6 grams of protein, 24milligrams of calcium, 61.8 milligrams of vitamin C and 0.9 milligrams ofvitamin E.

A serving of 140 grams of papaya contains approximately 55 calories.Papaya can also be used as a meat tenderizer because it contains chymopapainand papain which are very efficient in breaking down different types ofproteins to amino acids.

Health Benefits of Papaya

Papaya is very beneficial when it comes to promotion ofoverall health and boosting of the cardiovascular system, immune system anddigestive system in the human body.

It can prevent abdominal bloating andindigestion which is very beneficial for the overall health of the digestive system.Papaya is also efficient in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system,lowering the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood, fighting the freeradicals, relieving inflammatory conditions and treating arthritis.