Papaya's milky texture packed with nutrients
By Lourdes Medrano, 美国心脏协会 沙巴足球体育平台
The fall harvests usher in loads of pumpkins into grocery stores. But a smooth-skinned tropical fruit also vies for a consumer's attention: papaya.
The orange and green fruit is originally from Central America and southern Mexico, but papaya now grows in several tropical and subtropical countries, 比如巴西, 菲律宾和马来西亚. In the United States, papayas are grown in Hawaii and Florida. Harvests can peak in early summer or in the fall.
木瓜有一种甜味, 内部几乎呈黄油状或乳白色, which is why it's known as lechosa or lechoza in some parts of Latin America. 果肉可以是黄色的, 橙色或粉红色和, 取决于品种, 木瓜可能有一点麝香味.
The fruit has many nutrients, including vitamins A, C and E. Papaya contains antioxidants such as lycopene, which may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, 和纤维, which research shows may help lower cholesterol.
它也富含钾, which "can be really helpful for people who have high blood pressure,阿兰娜·卡布雷罗说, 纽约的注册营养师. The nutritional content of papaya also aids in digestion, while being gentle on the belly.
The fruit from the Carica papaya plant is ripe when its dark green exterior turns yellow-orange. 木瓜早就生了 用于民间医学 比如伤口愈合, and research shows the edible black seeds clustered in the center of the papaya have been used to 消除肠道寄生虫.
However, eating unripe papaya may cause allergic reactions in people with a latex allergy. The papaya latex inside the fruit contains papain, 分解蛋白质的酶, 碳水化合物和脂肪.
Cabrero didn't particularly care for the taste of papaya as a child. 现在，她很喜欢这种水果. Eating it brings fond memories of her late father. "It was my father's favorite fruit," she said.
Adding a splash of lemon or lime to a slice of papaya can tame the strong flavor in some varieties, Cabrero说. You can also make a marinade with it by mixing papaya with soy sauce, a bit of lime and pepper. "It's going to make the meat more tender and easier to digest," she said.
The papaya's texture also makes it a great ingredient for smoothies. "It can actually bring about that kind of banana thickness that smoothies have,卡布雷罗说.
木瓜可以切成方块冷冻. When the mood strikes for a cool beverage, 把木瓜从冰箱里拿出来, 加入其他水果，做成奶昔.
"It could be kind of fun if you combine it with some bananas, 一些菠萝和一点芒果,卡布雷罗说, adding that it's a kind of tropical feast for the palate that won't disappoint.