Papaya, Big Island, Hawaii
Papaya
Taxonomy: Plantae: Angiosperms: Eudicots: Rosids: Brassicales: Caricaceae: Carica: Carica papaya. Common names: Custard Apple, Papaya, paw paw, big melon, melon tree
Carica papaya is the Caribbean/Spanish name of the plant that bears the fruit “Papaya”. The plant is “tree-like” with a single stem that grows to about 5-10 meters tall, with spirally arranged leaves that are confined to the top of the trunk. The lower part of the trunk is scarred where leaves/fruit once were. Leaves grow to approximately 50-70 cm. diamater with deeply palmately lobed with 7 lobes. Flowers are small, wax-like with axils on the leaves maturing to approx. 15-45 cm long, 10-30 cm diamter fruit. Female flowers have five yellow twisted petals that grow singly or in sparse corymbs. The fruit is ripe when its soft, similar to the avacado, and skin attains amber-orange hue. It is a large, oblong or nearly spherical, fleshy berry with a orange or yellow rind like a gourd. Can be from 3-20 inches long and weigh up to 12 lbs or more. Fruit tastes similar to pineapple and peach, milder without tartness. The plant is found throughout the tropical Americas.
Papaya plant, Kalapana Village, Big Island, Hawaii
History::
The term “Papaya” comes from Carribean dialects via the Spanish language. Native to the tropics of the Americas, it was first cultivated in Mexico juste before the emergence of the Mesoamerican classic cultures. It is also called “Paw Paw” or “Big Melon” in North America though these names are for a different species. First encountered in southern Mexico, Puerto Rico, Central America, and Northern South America; it is now cultivated in all countries with tropical climates such as Brazil, India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Haiti, and Southeast Aisa. Carribean Indians noticed that when meat was wrapped in papaya’s leaves they became more tender thereby becoming known for tenderizing meat. New varieties have been genetically-modified called “SunUP” and “Rainbow” in the 1990’s to resist the papaya ring spot virus that struck Hawaii as by 2004 non-genetically modified and organic papayas had experienced widespread contamination from the genetically-modified varieties.
Papaya, Big Island, Hawaii
Culinary:
Papayas are most often eaten raw without the skin and seeds, alone, in salads, or cooked. When cooked it is found in curries, stews, and/or jellies. Since it has a high level of natural pectin, it works very well for jellies though its digestive enzymes will prevent the proteins in gelatins from solidifying. The green fruit and tree’s latex are rich in papain, a protease which is used for tenderizing meat and other proteins since it can break down tough meat fibers. It is also within most powdered meat tenderizers. Green papaya is common in Thai cuisine. The black seeds are also edible possessing a sharp and spicy taste which are often ground up and used as a substitute for black pepper. In Asia, the young leaves are often steamed and eaten like spinach.
Medicinal/Health:
Digestive, stomachic, vermifuge, vulnerary. Highly known as a digestive aid. Indians cut incisions into mature but unripe papayas to collect the milky latex fluid to apply to the skin to treat psoriasis, ringworm, wounds, and infections. Fillipinos used a root decoction to treat hemorrhoids. Javanese believed eating Papaya would prevent arthritis. Japanese used the latex to treat digestive disorders. When powdered, papaya is found marketed in tablets for digestive problems due to its high papain content. Papai is also popular as a topical application for cuts, rashes, stings, and purns. Ointment made from papaya is from the fermented flesh made into a gel-like paste. The leaves are made into tea for a Malaria preventative. In India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, green papaya is used as a folk remedy for contraception and abortion that has been substantiated by modern medical research, especially the seeds and in large doses even though it is not teratogenic so will not cause miscarriage in small ripe amounts. Speculations that unripe papayas can cause miscarriage due to its latex content and can cause uterine contractions leading to miscarriage though has never been proven, even though shown to have such effects on lab rats and monkeys. Indian women of the Carribean ate unripe papayas to trigger menstruation, abortion, and labor. In Asia, the latex would be dabbed onto the cervix to stimulate labor. Alot of people are known to have skin reactions to Papaya as it is commonly used in hair conditioners. Small proportions is the key to safety. While harvesting, care must be taken as papaya is known to release a latex fluide when not quite ripe that can cause irritation and provoke allergic reactions. Papaya also contains carpaine in its fruit, seeds, latex, and leaves which is a anthelmintic alkaloid which can be dangerous in high doses even though its used as a drug to remove parasitic worms from the body. Excessive consumption of papaya can cause carotenemia which causes a yellowing of soles and palms. Papaya juice has been observed to have an antiproliferative effect on liver cancer cells possibly due to the lycopene within the juice. The seed can be used as an effective antibacterial agent for Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella typhi. Extracts made from the seeds may be used to protect the kidneys in toxicity-induced kidney failure. Raw fresh leaves ground into juice can increase platelet count dramatically in a few days. Today, modern herbalists suggest papaya for stomach upset and to eliminate intestinal worms or utilizing the leaves and latex externally for wounds. Papain is an active ingredient in the enzyme cleaning solutions developed for use with soft contact lenses. In 1982 the FDA approved a papaya enzyme, chymopapain, as a treatment for herniated (slipped) vertebral disks in the back which is usually injected directly into the affected area. Juice can be used to remove freckles and internally acts as an effective vermifuge. Because papaya is high in carotenoid called beta-cryptoxanthin which is specifically good to safeguard smokes from lower lung cancer risk by about 25% and by 37% in smokers.
Cultivation:
Papaya’s require tropical warm moist climates. It is highly frost sensitive. Papaya can be susceptible to the Papaya Fruit fly that lays its eggs in the younger fruit. The trees can reach 25 feet. Trunk is hollow with spongy wood and fibrous light-colored bark. Fruits are yellow-green, pear-shaped melons with tasty orange-yellow pulp.
Other Uses:
The stem and bark from the plant are also used in rope production.Recipes:
Infusions can be made with 1-2 teaspoons of dried leaves per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 minutes. Drink during or after meals – especially those in high protein (red meat and dairy). Do not boil papaya leaves as boiling deactivates the papain.
Safety:
Pregnant women can eat ripe papayas in moderation but should stay away from papaya latex and medicinal doses of the leaves. Many people have shown allergic reactions, including asthma, to papaya. Papaya latex has also been known to cause stomach inflammation (gastritis).
Bibliography/References:
- Castleman, Micheal. 1991. “The Healing Herbs”. Rodale: Emmaus, PA.
- Chen, C. et al. 1981. American Journal of Chinese Medicine. 9:205.
- Lohiya, N. K.; B. Manivannan, P. K. Mishra, N. Pathak, S. Sriram, S. S. Bhande, and S. Panneerdoss (March 2002). “Chloroform extract of Carica papaya seeds induces long-term reversible azoospermia in langur monkey”. Asian Journal of Andrology 4: 17–26.
- Lust, John. 1987. “The Herb Book”. Bantam Books: New York.
- Oderinde, O. “Abortifacient properties of Carica papaya (Linn) seeds in female Sprague-Dawley rats”. Niger Postgrad Medical Journal. PMID 12163882.
- Reader’s Diges. 2007. “Food Cures: Breakthrough Nutritional Prescriptions for everything from Colds to Cancer”. Reader’s Digest: Pleasantville, New York.
- Singh, S. and S. Devi. 1978. Indian Journal of Medical Research 67:499.
- Web site: hawaiipapaya.com
- Web site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papaya
