Fresh Papaya

Hi Everyone!  Since I started doing Weight Watchers I have been eating a lot more fruits and vegetables, mostly because they are zero points.  They are also a healthy and delicious snack!   I normally take a couple pieces of fruit or some cut up veggies with me to work every day to snack on, and this helps to keep me from being tempted by cookies or other unhealthy snacks that may be readily available at work.

When I go shopping, especially at Wegmans, there are TONS of different types of fresh produce to look at.  I often try to look for one new type of fruit or vegetable that I have not eaten before and buy it and give it a try.  I have found a lot of yummy foods this way and it helps to keep me excited about fresh fruits and vegetables!  One of my favorite foods that I found like this is papaya! 

Let me tell you a little bit about this yummy snack:

• Papayas are a tropical fruit, native to the Americas [1]
• They have pink or orangeish flesh, black seeds in the core, and a green skin on the outside
• The flesh has a very sweet and delicious taste
• The black seeds are actually edible and have a peppery taste
• They are a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Folate, Dietary Fiber, and Potassium [2]
• Papayas contain carotenoids, which are powerful antioxidants.  Eating them may reduce your risk of dying from cancer or heart disease. [3]
• Eating raw papayas may aide digestion and calm an upset stomach [3]
• Papayas may also help to prevent ulcers [3]

So what are you waiting for?  Go eat a papaya!! :-)

WW P+: 0

[3] Yeager, Selene. Prevention’s New Foods For Healing, 1998.