Tropical Fruit for Arkansas Summer!

Story by: Guest Contributor

First posted on 06-30-2008

Arkansans should celebrate summer with exotic fresh fruit, say family and consumer science extension agents with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

“When was the last time you ate a papaya?” asked Carla Haley, Miller County agent, “Why not take a taste of the tropics?”

Papayas, believed to be native to southern Mexico, are most often eaten as part of breakfast or dessert. These versatile fruits can also be added to fruit salads, juices, jams, ice cream and even eaten as dried fruit. The seeds of the papaya, reminiscent of black pepper when eaten, are sometimes used in salad dressing.

“Let’s not forget that papayas pack a nutritional wallop and are known as a ‘nutritional masterpiece’,” said Jane Newton, an agent in Lincoln County. “These fruits are rich in vitamins A and E, containing four times more vitamin E than both apples and oranges. Papayas also contain 33 percent more vitamin C and 50 percent more potassium than oranges with fewer calories.”

Papayas should be purchased when the skin is turning from green to yellow. If the papaya is overripe, it will be soft, mushy and have a sweet smell. Papayas will ripen quickly at room temperature, changing color from green to yellow. The fruit should be used within a day or two, but may be kept up to one week.

There are two different types of papaya: the Hawaiian papaya, called Solo, and the Mexican papaya, sometimes called the Caribbean or Asian papaya. Hawaiian papayas are found most often in supermarkets, weighing about one pound each, with flesh ranging from orange to pink in color. Mexican papayas can weigh up to 10 pounds each and can grow to more than 15 inches long. These papayas, which have a less intense flavor than their Hawaiian counterparts, are most often found in Latino supermarkets.

“If it’s been a while since you tried papaya, it’s time to try it again!” Newton said.

For more information about health and nutrition, contact your county extension agent or visit http://www.uaex.edu and select Health and Nutrition. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

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