Saturday, October 20, 2007
CHILLED PAPAYA
Waverley Root, an American journalist wrote, "The papaya leads a disorderly life. Normally some plants bear female flowers and others male flowers, putting it in the category of 'harem trees' -- male trees are thinned out as soon as their sex can be determined, to leave one male for each eight to fifteen females. The papaya is not normal. Hermaphroditic trees appear, bearing both male and female flowers, while others change their minds in midcareer and shift from male to female or vice versa. Miscegenation is rampant, too"
Be that as it may, papaya, especially when chilled, make a wonderful breakfast treat -- a fine alternative from the usual morning pandesal.
It has curative properties, too, as confirmed by the researches of Russian State Medical University. A papaya-based medication was confirmed to accelerate the healing of burn wounds because of its antiphlogistic and antibacterial action. According to the report, "It was discovered that papaya weakens the action of an enzyme excreted by pathogens in the wound. Pathogens excrete the enzyme to protect themselves from the enemies - phagocyte cells that destroy bacteria. In the presence of papaya, these purifying cells find themselves in an advantageous position, and efficiency of their work increases. Therefore, the wound will depurate and heal up quicker. In addition, the precious fruit does not allow leucocytes to produce too much oxygen and nitrogen, which further hurt the wound."
Emma Dawson of Southern Illinois University, on the other hand, wrote, "Papaya can be used as a diuretic (the roots and leaves), anthelmintic (the Leave and seed) and to treat bilious conditions (the fruit). Parts of the plant are also used to combat dyspepsia and other digestive disorders (papaya contains a proteolytic enzyme which soothes the stomach and aides in digestion) and a liquid potion has been used to reduce enlarged tonsils. In addition, the juice is used for warts, cancers, tumors, corns and skin defects while the root is said to help tumors of the uterus. In African a root infusion is also used for syphilis and the leaf is smoked to relieve asthma attacks. The Javanese believes that eating papaya prevents rheumatism and in Cuba the latex is used for psoriasis, ringworm and the removal of cancerous growth.
There are more information available online regarding the healing properties of papaya, but for now, I plan to simply enjoy it chilled for breakfast.
Additional source:
Fruits of the Philippines
by Doreen G. Fernandez
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posted by Señor Enrique at 8:27 AM
34 Comments:
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said... Ay, pahingi naman. :)
Wow, papaya - the wonder fruit! Meron pa, Eric - pampaputi din ng kutis ang papaya. :)
Trip to memory lane - our family house was surrounded by papaya trees. Ang sarap, lalo na yung hinog sa puno. When we got tired of eating the fruits fresh, we concocted it into dessert - papaya sherbet and papaya popsicle. Wow, I miss those days. Nagsawa kaming magkakapatid sa papaya. :)
I don't know however, if this has real medical basis: papaya can cause sterility in men? I have a brother, who consumed more papaya than anyone of us then. When he got married, it took three years before he and his wife had a child. Accordingly, the doctor told him that the papaya may have caused the decrease in his reproductive cell count.-
Señor Enrique said... With the constant population explosion ... hehehe.
But more seriously, yes those whitening papaya soap! Very popular even to OFWs. They order them by the boxfuls :)
Also, are those "achara" made of papaya, too?-
gmirage said...
Wow! So succulent...
Like rhodora, our house is surrounded by papaya, kze most of the time when eating we just throw the seed around, since madali lang sila mabuhay yaun, napuno na sa paligid (bahay kubo....)Sa dami, kelangan mo magingat habang naglalakd otherwise mababagsakan ka ng papaya!
My mom-in-law's (2nd) husband, a German, likes to visit our p lace and pick those papayas for himself, considering that he's a tall now, he can rach it without any help (tungtungan)...hihi.
I though eat papaya, wierdly...I scoop it out and put it in a bowl put milk, either powdered or condensed and eat it with skyflakes! =D Namiss ko tuloy!-
said...
Your post reminds me of the papaya and mango hand cream that I'm using! That's a little off topic but anyway, chilled papayas are really nice for desserts.
:D-
said...
Pagkain ng pari at mga extra horny na lalaki.
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Señor Enrique said...
I was also surprised one day when I saw a bunch of papaya plants sprouting at that backyard -- someone had thrown seeds out there, it turned out, G. Mirage.
With milk and skyflakes? Wow! Yummy :)
I'd like to try the way Rhoda did it as ice cream.-
Señor Enrique said...
Actually, papaya soap is very popular and quite expensive, Kyels.
In New York City, they have Papaya King wherein they sell fresh papaya juice and hot dogs -- that's all. Delicious and quite popular.-
Señor Enrique said...
I had no idea that papaya is an aphrodisiac, Anonymous.
Horny and holy -- sort of an oxymoron, eh? Hehehe!-
ScroochChronicles said...
And did you know that papaya is a good meat tenderizer? Lalo na yung green papaya. I actually mix it with my marinade for beef tapa and it really comes out so tender.
Hindi siya aphrodisiac. Anti l_b_g nga eh. I used to hear this joke about the Jesuits in Ateneo eating loads of papaya and jogging to combat, alam mo na. Don't know if true but it was being thrown around a lot in college :)
Actually, kalaban ko ang papaya. Remember my story about being felled by a papaya? Hehehe :)-
Señor Enrique said...
Let's thankful it wasn't a coconut, Scrooch ... hehehe!
Wow! So you just dice some green papayas to include in a marinade? Then it must work for pork, too, when marinading for barbeque. Yum! Thanks for the tip :)
Aha! So it was a sexual drive suppresant then :) All right, so it makes sense now - unplugged holiness.-
said...
Papaya is one heck of a fruit I agree. Unfortunately where I am it is not as common as in Pinas.
Papaya being staple in the priest's diet suggests that it is does have sex-suppression atttributes. Papaya shake isn't one you would order for your date :( They say avocado shake would be more ideal since it has some aphrodisiac type characteristics hehe :)-
Ebb Tide said...
What a lovely and alluring photo of the papayas.! I assumed these are female ones, huh? The papaya is one of my favorite topical fruits next to yellow-orange mangoes. I've tried all kinds of variety - Philippine, Hawaiian, Mexican and Caribbean. I like them all. One of my favorite breakfast memories was while vacationing in Westin Kaaui (Hawaii) many moons ago. We had a room service, and requested papaya to supplement our American breakfast. And WOW... the presentation of the humble Hawaiian papaya was so fascinating. It was served on a dazzling silver tray w/ a colorful purple orchid. Lalong sumarap yun papaya.
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Señor Enrique said...
Some hotels surely knows how to pamper their guests, Ebb Tide -- orchid on a silver tray with the papaya. Dazzling, indeed! I would'vw loved to take a photograph of it.
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Señor Enrique said...
Thanks for the tip, BW. Next time, forget the shake -- gin and tonic for a refreshingly good smelling breath and a large bowl of guacamole!
But all kidding aside, the papaya being abundant all year round locally, is still the most affordable healthy food :)-
reyd said...
Bihira dito sa amin yan. Some Asian store carry the hilaw or green papaya for salad. Sa Pinas lang ako talaga nagsasawa ng Papaya.
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Señor Enrique said...
Akala ko meron din diyan galing Mexico. But now you make me wonder where New York's Papaya King get their supply to extract the fresh juice from for their customers.
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said...
A arabo told me that eating papaya decreases the libido or the sexual urge (as bw mentioned).
I do not know if this is a just myth or what.-
Señor Enrique said...
The US military, as well as the country's medical and mental health community ought to seriously investigate this claim, Rolly. For one, a steady diet of papaya to those incarcerated for sex crimes might be implemented as part of their rehabilitative therapy.
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reyd said...
Yes, the US military should seriously investigate the effect of eating papaya. :)
Papaya contains PAPAIN, which is useful to soften meat. Hahahahaha!
Bigyan nila yung mga manyak na nasa brigs.(Puwede na siguro yung analogy na yan --"pampalambot").
Meron din yellow papaya dito, pero those were the green papaya na nahinog sa store, not the same taste of hinog na papaya from the tree.
hmmm....bakit kaya ayaw bumili ni misis ng maraming papaya?
*lol*-
Señor Enrique said...
Lol ... I should at least congratulate you and the Mrs., Reyd, for your healthy sex life. That's important :)
Who knows? Guantanamo, perhaps? Lol!-
said...
Yummy papayas... here in Sydney they are sometimes called pawpaw. I don't know whether pawpaws are another strain of our papayas. Try eating papaya with a dash of kalamansi. But like you Senor Eric, I have a sweet tooth as well kaya papaya shake... lots of milk and a spoon or two of sugar (or splenda nowadays!). Avocado shake (with milk and sugar) is another thing Sydnesiders can not get. As most westerners like avocado as a spread on sandwiches much like a good and healthier substitute for butter or margarine.
Ayy good shot pala ng mga papaya, made me crave for some!
Mario-
Señor Enrique said...
I haven't as of yet, but will definitely try it with a dash of kalamansi, Mario.
Strange, I haven't seen any avocados around lately, or have I just missed them every time I passed by a fruit store?
Thanks, Mario!-
said...
love love love papaya! besides using it as a soap hah, hehehe.
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Señor Enrique said...
I'm assuming then, Nell, that papaya is quite plentiful over where you are.
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said...
When I was a little kid we also have lots of papaya trees growing in the neighborhood. We use the green papaya for tinola.
Remember the folk song, "Leron-leron sinta...?"
We kids loved how the stalk connecting the leaf to the trunk is hollow and brittle. We used it as a multi-purpose toy: snorkel, pipe, container, "swords," etc.-
Ebb Tide said...
Hi! I look at our old photo of the that memorable papaya breakfast and found out that we didn't spotlight the papaya. We took photos of ourselves while the papaya was in the side line. Next trip, I will try to photograph the papaya and send you a copy.
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Señor Enrique said...
Poor papaya, hindi pala ang bida ... hehehe.
Okay, Ebb Tide, next time :)
Thanks!-
Señor Enrique said...
My aunt in Subic only had a couple of papaya trees, Dave, so we never had much of a chance to have similar toys as you had with the papaya stalks. Read in one article that papaya is considered a giant herb.
Yes, thanks for reminding all about that folk song!-
said...
Yes, strictly speaking, the papaya is classified as an herb just like the banana, while the bamboo is grass. That's why it's somewhat erroneous in my earlier comment to call the papaya's stem as a "trunk."
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Señor Enrique said...
Oddly enough, Dave, most article I came across speak of papaya as a tree. It was only in this book (as referenced above) that it was written as an herb.
I didn't know that banana is an herb, and the bamboo, grass. Thanks!-
said...
Yes, bamboo is grass, that is why it is perennial too - just like grass, it just shoots up anywhere - it can't die. :)
Ay mali - bakit ba napunta na sa bamboo ang topic? hehehe.
Ako talaga ay tuwang tuwa sa pagpapalitan ng kuro-kuro dito sa blog mo, Eric. Nakaaaliw, nakagigiliw at marami pa akong natututunan. :)-
Señor Enrique said...
Ako nga ay dapat magpa-salamat sa inyong lahat, Rhoda, kasi ang dami kung natutununan sa inyo. Alam mo na din, nagiging malimutin na din ako minsan sa mga napagdaanan natin sa eskwelahan kaya kung napapaalala ninyo sa akin ang mga bagay-bagay na ito ay natutuwa ako. Ikaw na din ang nagsabi na dapat exercise natin ang ating pagiisip, di ba :) This is one of the best way I know how and I thank all of you.
By the way, when I was studying karate, my sensei (teacher) gave me a name in Japanese (chiku-sui [?]) which means bamboo and water.
In essence, it was his way to impart a lesson to me: "Be pliant like a bamboo and still as deep water."-
gmirage said...
Senor, chiku-sui also translates to 'sour section/sector' hehe. Chikurin (bamboo), Chikuzai (bamboo material), water(sui). but when shortened to one word of course means as what you said....Hmm thanks too for some new word meanings. Btw, Thanks for moving me to write and be serious in photography...In case you dont know yet. ;-)
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Señor Enrique said...
I don't think my sensei thought of me as a sourpuss, G. Mirage ... hehehe. He would have just given me a mean karate chop instead!
I had no idea, but I'm glad you're enjoying writing and taking photographs as I do. Your photos are really interesting. And you have wonderful and willing models.:) You're also in a very photogenic locale so take advantage of your blessings :)
I've actually just asked Noypetes to give me an honest critique of my progress to date. He was a photojournalist once here in Manila before he moved to the States.
Thanks, G. Mirage ... and keep up the good work!
