Tropical Delight: How to Eat Papaya for a Greener Planet

There’s nothing quite as delectable as sinking one’s teeth into a fresh, juicy slice of fruit. If you’re feeling adventurous and want to stray from the typical apple, berries and bananas, head to the tropical fruits section. For some people, this might be daunting. What do you do with a dragon fruit, for instance? What does star fruit taste like? Or how do you eat papaya? 

Is Papaya Sustainable?

Studies have long shown that plant-based diets are the most sustainable. According to research, switching to plant-based alternatives reduces greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 30%-52%, land use by 20%-45%, and freshwater consumption by 14%-27%. Veganism, in particular, is the most effective.

Consider how breeding and caring for livestock accounts for 57% of GHG emissions, while 87% of nitrous oxide and methane emissions derive from cattle rearing. Seventy-eight percent of agricultural land is also occupied by livestock farming. Even reducing meat consumption a couple of times weekly makes a difference.

Papaya can be a sustainable part of plant-based eating. From a cultivation standpoint, farmers can dictate whether papaya production is environmentally friendly through organic practices. Even the peels can be composted, used as pest repellant in your garden or incorporated into animal feed. 

Otherwise, papaya are fast growers and highly adaptable to warmer climates. This means they are easily produced and may provide fresh produce to food-insecure communities in tropical areas. 

Cutting Papaya the Right Way

Before you slice into a papaya, you’ll want to wash the fruit thoroughly. This will remove any pesticides, dirt, bacteria, allergens and other contaminants from the outer skin that could transfer to the inner flesh during cutting. 

Use a damp cloth or sheet of paper towel under your cutting board to prevent it from sliding around on your countertops. Then, use a sharp knife to cut the papaya in half lengthwise all around. A spoon will allow you to easily scoop the seeds out and discard them or use them as garnish. However, some people like to save seeds for their gardens.

You’ll want to remove the skin next with a knife or vegetable peeler, but be careful to remove its bitter, white membrane as well. Once removed, slice the papaya into slices or cubes, depending on how you plan to use it. Papaya is especially delicious for snacks, salad ingredients, smoothies, and desserts. 

What Does Papaya Taste Like?

Before cooking with papaya, you’ll want to have an idea of what the fruit tastes like. Take a bite — what do you think? A ripe papaya will have a creamy texture and sweetness that’s difficult to mistake. Many people say it tastes like a blend of cantaloupe and mango, but it depends on ripeness. Otherwise, it could be bitter.

Papayas turn from green to yellow during ripening. Look for the yellowest papaya if you plan to eat it the same day you purchase it. Meanwhile, a green papaya will turn yellow in about a week when left on the counter. Also, you can tell whether papaya is ripe by smelling it for sweetness and touching it to see whether it’s soft. 

The seeds are also edible and will be crunchy when you bite into them. Papaya seeds are highly fibrous and can aid constipation, lower blood pressure and balance cholesterol levels. In turn, this could lower your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

How to Eat Papaya With These 5 Exciting Recipes

There are numerous recipes available using this delicious tropical fruit, whether you’re craving it first thing in the morning or as a refreshing after-dinner dessert. Here’s how to eat papaya at any time of the day. 

1. Mexican Papaya Salad

With spring and summer around the corner, this Mexican papaya salad is the perfect side dish to barbecue or as a refreshing lunch. Papaya adds the perfect sweetness to a bowl of arugula, red onion, cucumber, cilantro, toasted coconut and thinly sliced jalapenos for heat. A delicious homemade cilantro lime dressing also adds just the right tang.

2. Stir-Fried Raw Papaya

Are you looking for an easy papaya stir-fry recipe you can whip up in under 30 minutes? For this meal, you’ll want to start with a medium-sized papaya — a bit firmer than you’d usually buy, so it doesn’t get too mushy when cooked. 

You’ll want to boil the papaya pieces in 1 cup of water with turmeric and salt over medium heat until they are softer. Transfer the papaya to a pan of prepared aromatics — coconut oil, mustard seeds, black sesame seeds, crushed shallots, minced garlic, dry red chilies and curry leaves — for five to six minutes until it begins to caramelize, then serve.

3. Breakfast Papaya Bowl

Start your day out on the right foot with a nutritious breakfast papaya bowl. Cut the papaya in half lengthwise and remove the seeds — this recipe is ideal for two people, or use one half of the papaya and save the other for the following morning.

Fill the center with 1 cup of yogurt, one-quarter cup of granola, a teaspoon of chia seeds and any fruit toppings you enjoy most.

4. Papaya Salsa

Papaya salsa is delicious with chips or over fish or chicken dishes for a tropical twist. Chop cilantro, scallions, shallot and garlic and add them to a small bowl of freshly squeezed lime juice. Then, gently stir in your favorite aromatics and herbs for additional flavor. Toss chopped papaya into the mixture and add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. 

5. Fresh Papaya Over Coconut Ice Cream

Satisfy your sweet tooth with homemade coconut ice cream topped with fresh papaya. The best is that you don’t even need a churner. 

Put a large mixing bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes, and use it to whip heavy whipping cream on high speed with a hand-held beater or stand mixer. Once the cream forms stiff peaks, add unsweetened coconut cream, sweetened condensed milk, coconut extract, and salt, and beat it again until it is smooth.

Pour the mix into a loaf pan, covering it with plastic wrap and freezing it for eight hours or longer. Serve with papaya — or scooped into the center of a halved papaya — when you’re ready for some dessert.

Explore New Tropical Tastes Like Papaya Fruit

It’s good to explore different foods. Learning how to eat papaya will open new doors for you in the fruit family. Papaya is also the perfect option if you’re adopting a more sustainable, plant-based diet and are looking for something different to add to your recipe collection.