Papaya is a nutritious and filling fruit that delivers a big immunity boost. With one 150g serve providing more than double your recommended dietary intake of Vitamin C, as well as high levels of antioxidants, vitamin A, B vitamins and a high water content, papaya is wonderful for tackling the change-of-season colds. Also, the high fibre content of this fruit, combined with the low kj and fat count, makes it a great choice for snacking too, as it will make you feel fuller and still deliver plenty of flavour.

The flesh is the most commonly eaten part of the papaya as it is juicy, midly sweet and quite soft (this makes it a great choice for introducing fresh fruits to babies). The seeds can also be eaten, but they tend to have a peppery, bitter taste. In fact, when dried, the seeds are not as pungent and can be used as a substitute for black pepper!

It’s easy to tell when papaya is ripe, as it will yield to gentle pressure. Papaya that is not quite ripe can be left at room temperature for a few days or alternatively can be stored in a paper bag with a banana at room temperature, which will speed up the ripening process.

Once ripe, it is best to store papaya in the fridge and consume within 1 to 2 days so that you can experience the fullest, freshest flavour that this incredible fruit has to offer.