PAPAYA

Common name: Papaya

Scientific name: Carica papaya L.

Family: Caricaceae

The papaya tree that ny student, Sharveen, and I planted in our Fruit Garden at the beginning of the year is now bearing fruit. I can't wait for the papayas to grow bigger so that I can pickle them. Did you know that Christopher Columbus called the papaya the 'fruit of angels" when he first saw the fruit many hundreds of years ago. I guess he did so after he found out about all the goodness one can get from eating them.

For your information, papayas are rich sources of antioxidant nutrients, minerals and fibre.

Here are some other benefits of eating papayas:

• helpful in the prevention of heart diseases.
• helps to lower high cholesterol levels.
• excellent source of vitamins C & E.
• papaya's fibre is able to bind to cancer-causing toxins in the colon and keep them away from the healthy colon cells.
• the enzymes contained in papaya have been shown to help lower inflammation and to improve healing from burns.
• the antioxidant nutrients found in papaya are also very good at reducing inflammation.
• preventing such illnesses as recurrent ear infections, colds and flu.
• a remedy for abdominal disorders.

Sources:

http://www.vitaminsdiary.com/fruits-vegetables/papaya.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papaya