Papaya Canaria. Health Benefits

The Canarian Papaya is a very popular fruit in the Canary Islands and which in turn is cultivated in various parts of the world such as, for example, Mexico and Brazil. It has a lot of nutrients and only provides 53 calories for every hundred grams consumed, so it is a very healthy fruit.

One of the many benefits of the Canarian papaya is its great contribution to the prevention of diseases of cardiovascular origin, since it helps as an antioxidant managing to fight free radicals, which are the cause of premature aging of cells.

In this article we will delve into this great fruit and all its benefits, so I invite you to continue reading and learning much more about it.

What is Canarian papaya?

The Canarian papaya is a variant of the original papaya, which contains a sweeter taste and with much more fleshiness than the normal papaya. It is characterized by its lemon green color, and when it reaches its ripening stage it obtains an orange coloration.

This fruit has a sweet taste but at the same time it is fresh and alludes to the taste of citrus and tropical fruits, as well as the taste of peach and coconut.

One of the particularities of this variant of papayas, is that I manage to totally suppress the bitter taste of other types of papaya, since this contains a sweeter taste with respect to the other variants, in addition, it emanates a much softer aroma.

The Canarian papaya, unlike the Central American is a more versatile fruit that can be included in any type of recipe, because it is much softer. It is consumed mainly raw, without shell or seeds, however, when it is still green it can be consumed in salads or stews.

Origin of the Canarian papaya

The Canarian Papaya also known as Sweet Mary, is originally from the historic and well-known municipality of San Cristóbal de la Laguna, located on the island of Tenerife.

It was mainly cultivated in some of the most privileged areas of the Canary Islands, to be more specific in the area of Tejina, Valle Guerra and Punta de Hidalgo.

By the way, in this section of artisan jams you can discover the variety with Canarian Papaya 100% of origin.

Cultivation of the Canarian papaya

The Canarian papaya is a fruit that has to be grown in soils that are light and fertile. Each planting must be carried out with a distance of at least 3 meters from each plant and the depth of the hole must be at least 80 centimeters.

It is important that during the cultivation period it is watered by the method of micro sprinkling and dripping at least 2 times a week. In case of not having sprinklers, water can be supplied by gravity, with the condition that the water passes in the closest way to where the papaya is planted.

Once the 7 or 8 months of cultivation have passed, the papaya is removed, but it must have an orange color, a firm surface (which does not have soft areas) and is free of pests.

Benefits of Canarian papaya

As we have mentioned before, the Canarian papaya is a fruit that provides many health benefits, which we will detail below:

Antioxidant

Canarian papaya is a fruit rich in antioxidants. It has a high content of carotenes, which help fight free radicals, which are the main causes of premature aging of cells.

Increases defenses

One of the main benefits of this fruit is its great contribution of vitamin C, it even has more vitamin C than an orange. Only 100 grams of papaya can cover 100% of the daily requirement of this vitamin.

Contains Papain

One of the great properties of papaya is papain, which is an enzyme that contributes to digestion, helps keep the colon clean and better digest proteins of animal origin.

Fibre

Another of the great benefits of papaya is its great fiber bearing, for every 100 grams of papaya contains 14 grams of fiber, which provides three times as much fiber as any other food.

Importantly, fiber helps improve constipation and controls glucose. On the other hand, it also helps control cholesterol and contains properties that protect against colon cancer and some cardiovascular diseases.

Vitamin A

Papaya is a fruit known for having vitamin A as a nutrient, since this fruit provides 25% of the necessary daily amount. It is important to note that vitamin A contains beta carotene, which is important to give more natural pigment to the skin and protect it from solar radiation.

Low in calories

Papaya contains only 45 calories being a really low contribution, which manages to help in weight loss. Moreover, it has a satiating effect and can help you feel satisfied, making it ideal for people who want to lose weight and maintain a healthy diet. In addition, it is diuretic and helps fluid retention and purification of our body.

Diuretic

Papaya is a fruit that contains 90% water, making it excellent as a natural diuretic, helping to remove excess fluid and salt.

Helps fight cancer

This fruit is also used as an enzyme therapy, which can help greatly reduce the side effects produced by chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Antiinflammatory

Papaya contains anti-inflammatory effects, which internally can help fight inflammation in the tonsils, pharyngitis and arthritis. In addition, it can be used externally for the treatment of wounds or bites, thanks to its healing properties.

Diabetes Management

It is a great ally for the control of blood glucose levels, even studies show that moderate consumption of papaya can decrease the risk of developing diabetes.