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Papayas are mildly sweet, soft, greenish/yellow fruits shaped like large pears, weighing about 1 to 2 pounds. Due to their sweetness, you may wonder whether or not papayas are a healthy choice. Luckily, papayas are high in fiber and loaded with critical nutrients like vitamins C and A. A small serving of papaya (100g) has 43 calories and provides 68% of your daily vitamin C and 32% of your daily vitamin A. 

Papayas add versatility to recipes and can be puréed for sweet and savory sauces, soups, or sorbets. Papayas also make for a good marinade, as they have an enzyme called papain which helps tenderize meat by breaking down proteins.

Papaya Nutrition Facts

Papaya is rich in vitamins A and C, with many health benefits. One cup of fresh papaya chunks (145 grams) has 62 calories and 2.5 grams fiber. The USDA provides the following nutrition information for 1 cup (145g) of raw papaya sliced into one-inch cubes.1 

Carbs

Most of the calories in papaya are from carbohydrates. There are nearly 16g of carbohydrates in a serving of papaya, including fiber (2.5g) and naturally occurring sugars (about 11g). The glycemic index of papaya is 60, and the glycemic load is 9.2 

Fats

There is almost no fat in papaya, with each 1-cup serving containing less than 1g.

Protein

Papayas provide less than 1g of protein per serving.  

Vitamins and Minerals

Papaya is rich in vitamin C, providing 88.3mg per serving. For most adults, the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C is between 75mg and 90mg, so 1 cup of papaya about covers 100% of vitamin C requirements.3 Papayas are also an excellent source of vitamin A and, more specifically, the carotenoid lycopene.4

Papaya Calories

One cup of fresh papaya chunks (145g) has 62 calories, 91% of which come from carbs, 4% from fat, and 4% from protein.

Papaya Health Benefits

Due to their high nutrient content, papayas offer health benefits for the whole body, including potent antioxidant vitamins that keep your cells healthy and protected from damage.

Improves Skin

Vitamin C is a precursor that our bodies use to manufacture collagen. Because collagen is a critical component required for skin integrity, getting enough vitamin C improves your skin's ability to repair itself.3 To build strong connective tissues and heal properly from wounds, our bodies depend on vitamin C. Papaya is an easy way to reach your daily goals.

Protects Vision

Beta-carotene is the form of vitamin A consumed in fruits, vegetables, and some protein foods. Vitamin A is critical for good vision, and papayas are an excellent source. You may have heard that carrots are good for your eyes, however, studies show beta-carotene in papayas is three times more bioavailable (i.e., easy to absorb) than beta-carotene in carrots or tomatoes.5

For people with the beginning stages of age-related macular degeneration, adequate beta-carotene intake has reduced the risk and severity of disease progression.4 Because vitamin A supplements can cause toxicity (since vitamin A is stored in the body and can build up to unsafe levels), food sources like papaya are a safe, healthy way to get this beneficial micronutrient.

Aids Digestion

Like most fruits and vegetables, papayas are rich in fiber, essential for good digestion. Beyond this fundamental benefit, papayas also contain the enzyme papain, which helps break down proteins. If you have difficulty chewing or digesting meat, tenderizing it with papain before cooking makes it easier to eat.

Papain has also been studied for its ability to assist with gluten digestion in people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity. When provided an enzyme mixture derived from papayas and microorganisms, symptoms of gluten intolerance were shown to improve with no adverse side effects.6

Supports Heart Health

The fiber in papayas helps support heart health.7 Eating enough fiber (primarily through fruits and vegetables) decreases the risk of heart disease. Fiber also increases satiety, which can help with healthy weight management. Papayas provide potassium, magnesium, and pantothenic acid, all of which contribute to cardiovascular health.8

Helps Prevent Cancer

The consumption of plant-based foods that are high in fiber is a well-established dietary pattern associated with cancer prevention. Furthermore, the combination of vitamins A, C, and E in papayas provide powerful antioxidant effects that may reduce free radicals and cancer risk.8

Allergies

Papaya allergies are possible. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAI) reports that if you are allergic to mango, pistachios, or cashews you may also react when exposed to papaya.9 Latex allergies may also be associated with papaya allergies.

If you suspect an allergy to papaya or another food, speak to your healthcare provider for a personalized diagnosis.

When Papayas Are Best

Papayas are available year-long, with their peak season from April to June. They're grown in warm climates and most often imported from tropical and subtropical locations.

Papaya has a taste that is unlike most fruits, with a creamy mouthfeel and a mild flavor. Papaya's taste is often compared with that of a melon but less sweet and with a softer texture. Sometimes papaya can have a distinct smell described as a feet smell, with little to no flavor. Typically this means that the fruit is not ripe. To get the full flavor of papaya, it must be very ripe.

Papayas can be stored at room temperature until completely ripe and then refrigerated for up to one week. The greener the papaya, the less ripe it is. The best determinant of ripeness is color, not softness. Select papayas with a more significant proportion of yellow to green skin color. Avoid papayas that contain blemishes, and choose those that are plump and smooth.

If you'd like to ripen your papayas more quickly, place the whole fruit in a paper bag with a ripe banana. Ripe bananas naturally release ethylene gas which helps fruit to ripen faster.

Before cutting into fresh papaya, wash your hands and rinse the papaya under running water to clean off any bacteria or dirt on the skin that can transfer onto the knife while cutting.10 Once cut, store papaya in the refrigerator and use it within a few days.

How to Prepare Papayas

You can incorporate papaya into your meal plan at any time of day. Papayas add flavor and color to meals while packing a nutritional punch. Slice papaya, remove the skin, and eat it plain or with a squirt of lemon or lime. Or blend to make smoothies, sweet and spicy sauces, chilled soups, or protein marinades.

Dice papayas and add to fruit salads, salsas, or compotes. Papaya's black-colored seeds are also edible and have a distinctly bitter flavor.8 These can be roasted or eaten raw. With so many health benefits, papayas are worth experimenting with.