PAPAYA — FRUIT OF THE ANGELS
Deliciously sweet with musky undertones and a soft, butter-like consistency, it is no wonder the papaya was reputably called the “Fruit Of The Angels”.
Papaya, sometimes called Pawpaw (not to be confused with the North American pawpaw or custard apple) is known as the “melon of health”. In Costa Rica and Mexico, the natives refer to the papaya tree as “the tree of good health”. Once considered quite exotic, they can now be found in tropical markets throughout the year. Although there is a slight seasonal peak in early summer and fall, papaya trees produce fruit year-round.
Organic Papayas — The Non-GMO Poster Child
Papayas are one of the healthiest, most delicious fruits out there. They have a variety of nutrients for your skin and immune system, they’re full of enzymes that aid digestion and reduce bloating, and they maintain healthy blood pressure levels. Papayas truly are a dream! Their sweet, tropical taste is also great whether you eat them alone, make a smoothie, use them for fruit-based salsa, make a papaya boat salad, or even squeeze some lemon on them and just enjoy.
Unfortunately, as you might have already heard, papaya was the first fruit to be genetically modified for human consumption in the 1970’s, due to a virus disease that almost wiped them out in Hawaii. Papaya also makes the top 10 genetically modified foods to avoid, since GMO papayas are prevalent in the U.S. This means that unless you know what to look out for at the store, it can be tricky to find papaya that’s free of GMOs. Most likely, if a papaya is not labeled organic or GMO-free (most aren’t), it is GMO papaya.
GMOs are genetically modified organisms that are produced in a lab by taking the gene of one species and inserting it into another to obtain a desired trait or characteristic. The end result creates transgenic organisms that are unnatural. Not enough research has been done over time for us to fully understand the long-term effects of GMOs and our health. All we know is that research has shown that it’s smart to avoid GMOs because we’re not able to tell exactly how they’re produced or what they may mean for our health before consuming them.
