Papaya

his tropical fruit is a nutritional powerhouse that not only helps boost immunity, it also aids in digestion! When nutrition researchers compared papaya to 39 other fruits for their vitamin, potassium and fiber contents, it came out on top. That means that your health can benefit from this heavenly fruit.

Papayas are a fantastic source of vitamin C, which we know is important for maintaining healthy skin and strong immune systems, as well as for fighting free-radical damage. Papayas are rich in beta carotene, and therefore, vitamin A. That's good news for your eyes and immune system. You may be curious about how papayas aid in digestion; it's their special one of a kind enzyme, papain that is the key. Papain is useful for breaking down protein, so it can help you digest a protein-rich meal and it can help tenderize a tough cut of meat when you marinate with it. Unripe papaya and papaya leaves contain the most papain, so use them when you're creating marinades. Fruits with similar types of digestive enzymes are pineapple and kiwi.

A serving of papaya is 1 cup or ½ of a medium fruit. It has 60 calories, 3 grams of fiber, 33% DV for vitamin A and 157% DV for vitamin C.

Papayas are in season in summer and fall but you can find them at Gelson's most of the year-unless of course there's a storm in Hawaii! There are two common types of papayas: Hawaiian and Mexican. From Hawaii, we have the common golden Solo variety and also the strawberry Solo variety, which is less juicy and slightly strawberry tasting. The shape of these papayas resembles very large short-necked pears. Both are very sweet and require a squirt of tart lemon or lime juice to balance out the sweetness. We also have pre-cut Mexican papayas from Juice Harvest, which are less sweet with a soft, almost mushy orange flesh. These fruits are very large and can weigh up to ten pounds! When selecting Hawaiian papayas, look for mostly yellow flesh that is, at most, half green. Any more green and the fruit will never ripen properly. Ignore superficial blemishes and look for a smooth skin. Gently squeeze the stem end and see if it gives a little. Ideally you want the texture of a ripe peach. You can ripen under ripe papayas at home on the counter in a closed paper bag. Store them in the refrigerator for up to a day when they are ripe. When you're ready to eat them, wash them well and cut them in half lengthwise through the stem to reveal the shinny black seeds. Scoop them out with a spoon and discard (though the seeds are edible, they are peppery with a slight bitterness). Place halves on separate plates and serve with a lemon or lime wedge and a spoon. You can also grill peeled strips of papaya, dice it and serve it in a fruit salsa, or toss it into a fruit smoothie. This month, try my recipe for Tropical Papaya Cups and Fruity Chicken and Scallop Skewers.

Activity at Any Age

ho says you can be too old to exercise? Scientists in Germany and at the National Institute on Aging in the U.S. have found that physical activity at any age can dramatically improve your health and extend your life.

The German study found that when healthy adults between the ages of 40 and 68 begin to be active, they can reduce their risk of coronary heart disease by 55% compared to their peers who stay sedentary. This is a huge risk reduction, especially since the study reports that the adults who had always been active reduced their risk of heart disease by 62%, just a little more than the newbie movers. People who become couch potatoes after age 40 still get some protection from having been active; they have a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease than those who are sedentary throughout their lives. The American study found that when older adults between 70 and 82 do more than just sit around most of the day they can live longer. The researchers called it "puttering around," which means doing chores around the house, climbing stairs, caring for others and working for pay. Those in the highest activity group puttered for about 80 minutes a day and had a 69% lower risk of dying than those who barely puttered. Strenuous activity and exercise were not necessary for those over 70 to extend their lives.

If you think you might be ready to get up off the couch, see my article, Activity is Fun Again, in this newsletter.