Taiwan’s Papaya Tree And How To Use It
Taiwan’s Papaya Tree is found all over the island of Taiwan. The humble Papaya Tree is grown in almost every small orchard and around every house. You can not even take a walk to the beach without seeing a Papaya Tree at the beach. So why the love affair with the Papaya Tree?
Taiwan’s Papaya Tree, as humble as it may appear, is one of the most well used fruits in the world. Papaya can be used for food, an aid in cooking meat, and also in traditional medicine. If you rub papaya on the meat or soak meat in its juices it is a natural tenderizer. It is a delightful fruit to eat. It is one of the three most important fruits in the world. Even the stem and bark of Taiwan’s Papaya Tree is used in the production of rope. In some cuisine, the small flower buds are cooked as a delicacy. It is loaded with Vitamins, Calcium, Iron, and Minerals and has 21 mg of Magnesium and 182 mg of Potassium. Even the black seeds are edible and are often used for the prevention and cure of internal parasites. The leaves when cleaned and dried make a good tea and can be used fresh on nervous wounds. So what is not, to like about Taiwan’s Papaya Tree?
When the fruit of Taiwan’s Papaya Tree is a yellow/orange it is considered ripe and can be eaten raw without skin or seeds. It is often eaten in salads, fresh in a fruit bowl, and is delicious with homemade vanilla ice cream. The green papaya is considered not ripe and is used in the cooking of stews, curries, and salads. Papaya is awesome cut up with vegetables and greens for a salad. I use the papaya, banana, and potato daily as they are an aid in the control of blood pressure. Papaya makes an excellent jelly due to the huge amount of natural pectin. Even the seeds are editable and are used in cooking. They can be put in smoothies and then drank to help with parasites. They are often dried and ground in a pepper mill. In cooking these dried seeds can be used in the place of black pepper. The leaves of Taiwan’s Papaya Tree are really good steamed like you would steam spinach. I sometimes prepare the two leaves together and serve with Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. In some parts of the world the leaves are made into tea and used to treat Malaria. For me, I just find it a good tea to drink in the morning. It is also used as a medicine against Malaria. Used daily it is a wonder drug for the keeping of a good heart and helps in the control of blood pressure. Papaya has even been injected to treat ruptured discs.
For more information on Taiwan’s Papaya Tree, check out the links below. Enjoy and remember that Papaya is only one of the reasons to come to Taiwan in.
http://www.iloveindia.com/indian-herbs/carica-papaya.html
