I haven’t ventured much into the world of papayas. Mainly because the smell can be off-putting. But in Mexico they are plentiful and their health virtues make them difficult to ignore. I’ve made several papaya smoothies in the past but tossing in the peppery seeds…………really takes it up a notch.
Papayas are exotic and beautiful in color. Eating them makes you feel like you’re on a tropical island. Ahhhh feel thatthe gentle breeze. Unlike other sweet fruits, papayas are considered to have a low/med amount of sugar and they contain about 120 calories. They are extremely high in vitamin C, A and a good source of fiber.
But I’m really drawn to their digestive enzymes. This fruit is excellent for your digestive system because it has a balancing and detoxing effect.
Those little black seeds are very beneficial. They flush out unwelcome parasites in the digestive track and detoxify the liver. They have a gel-like coating and taste peppery. I find the spiciness compliments the sweet, fruity taste and adds a “grittier” texture to the smoothie that I like.
You can eat the seeds plain or with a little honey. Or you can dry them and then grind them into a powder which can be added to drinks, or oatmeal. My vote is to skip all that fuss and toss them in the blender.
Peppery Papaya Seed Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1/2 papaya with seeds
- 4-5 (thumbsize) frozen banana chunks
- 1 cup coconut water
- tablespoon of cinnamon (or to taste)
Directions:
Cut the papaya in half and spoon out the seeds placing them into the blender. With a paring knife, remove the papaya skin. Cut the papaya into chunks and add them to the blender along with the frozen banana pieces, coconut water and cinnamon. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust as needed.
**I like my smoothies thick enough to eat with a spoon.
Buen Provecho!
In what form do I get the best health benefits from papaya seeds? Grind them in my smoothie straight from the fruit, or should I dry them first?
Hi Pamela,
This is a great question and I think it depends on how you find the taste. The seeds are peppery and strong so some prefer to dehydrate and use in place of pepper. I like some heat in my smoothies and typically add cayenne so the peppery seeds didn’t bother me. Try a few different ways and see what works best for you. Here is some more information on papaya seeds https://www.wikihow.com/Eat-Papaya-Seeds
Let me know how it goes.
What The FoodNetworK! Oh Happy day. Sooooo Goooood!
I am working back to a vegan lifestyle . Asante sana⭐ (Thank you very much). I’m encouraged to stay on the path of better health, and happier animals. Shalom
Hi Shawntele love hearing your enthusiasm and support!
Good evening ! I just tried the papaya for the first time. I blended my send with honey & the fruit itself, tastes lovely…I’m trying it to see if it helps me with arthritis pain in knees & hands. Now I’m wondering how much can I eat of it per day ?
I make smoothies all the time and wanted to try papaya for the first time and i heard about the benefitss, and the side effects i wanna know how much seeds is okay to be put in my smoothie or is it ok to even put the raw seeds in, do they needa be dried first or can they be raw
Hi Sariah,
I am not a nutritionist so perhaps this article can help https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/papaya-seeds. I never dried the seeds and I think it would be very difficult to eat too many – but why not try some and see if you even like the seeds. Happy Blending!!