Data source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC 169926 (Papayas, raw).
Fun facts
- The white sap in green papaya contains papain, an enzyme that breaks down protein. That is why cooks simmer meat with green papaya or use it to tenderize meat.
- Green and ripe papaya are the same fruit. As it ripens, starch and acids in the flesh turn into sugar, and the flesh goes from white to orange and soft.
- The numbers in the table are for papaya in general (USDA has no separate entry for green papaya): about 43 kcal, 7.8g of sugar and 60.9mg of vitamin C per 100g. Green papaya is much less sweet, so its real sugar content is lower than this.
- In Vietnam, green papaya is used like a vegetable: papaya salad with beef jerky, quick pickles, stir fries and papaya soup with pork bones.
Choosing and storing
Choose fruit with even dark green skin, a firm feel and no yellow streaks. Inside, the flesh should be white with white or just light brown seeds. Whole green papaya keeps in the fridge for about a week; left out, it slowly ripens. Shredded papaya should be wrapped and used within 1 to 2 days.
Cooking it well
Green papaya sap can itch or sting your hands, so wear gloves when peeling. After shredding, soak it in cold, lightly salted water for about 10 to 15 minutes and rinse; it loses the sap and gets crunchier. Salads keep the most vitamin C, while for soup you add papaya once the broth is boiling and cook it just until tender. To learn why long cooking costs vitamin C, read does cooking destroy vitamin C.
