How to Cut a Papaya

Papaya is a tropical fruit with orange-colored, sweet flesh and edible seeds that have a pepper-like flavor. Often you can find it used in Asian, Thai, Caribbean, and Indian cuisines, either raw or cooked.

Papayas come in a variety of shapes and sizes. For example, the Hawaiian variety is smaller and pear-shaped, while the Caribbean and Asian papayas are large. All types are delicious, though, brimming with vitamin C, antioxidants, and other nutrients.

Besides being found in a variety of different cuisines due to its wonderful flavor, papaya is especially wonderful for anyone with a sensitive stomach, irritable bowel syndrome, or poor digestion. It contains a special digestive enzyme called papain, which is why the fruit is revered as a powerful digestive aid.

How to Choose a Ripe Papaya

You know if you have ripe papaya if it has skin that is turning from green to yellow. If papaya is ripe, you should be able to press your thumb into the flesh. Papayas will ripen more quickly when put in a paper bag with ethylene-producing fruits, such as apples or bananas. If the papaya is still yellowish—even just in a few splotches here or there—it will require a few days at room temperature to ripen sufficiently.

How to Serve the Papaya

Squeeze a little lime juice over the papaya to take away any unattractive smells and enhance the flavor of the fruit. Or combine your fresh papaya with other fruit in a fresh fruit salad.

Is It Okay To Eat Papaya Seeds?

Yes! There is no need to toss the seeds. While most people throw them away, papaya seeds are completely edible. However, papaya seed are not sweet and have a strong flavor, which is more like a cross between mustard and black peppercorns.​ It's best to chew them, or grind them in a food processor or mortar and pestle, as the harder outer shell of the seeds locks in the nutrients of their soft interior.