Origin: Brazil. The papaya plant is a herbaceous plant from the Caricaceae family. Its fruit, the papaya, can also be known by the names papaya, papayón, fruta bomba, olocotón, papayo, mamón, lechosa or lechoza. It is a tropical fruit of large size, originally from Mexico, but it is already cultivated in various regions of the world, such as the Canary Islands. Properties and benefits: It contains vitamins B1, B2, and B3, as well as C, A, and K, and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, among others. It is one of the best fruits if you suffer from digestive problems thanks to the papain enzyme, which is only found in papaya. It prevents constipation as it contains a lot of water and fiber. It is also antioxidant but does not prevent aging. It is a very low-calorie fruit because it hardly contains carbohydrates. Papaya is good for our skin and hair, promoting hair growth. It helps with the body's defenses thanks to its vitamin C. It is a great cardioprotector thanks to the fiber, potassium, and vitamins it contains. It contains choline and helps with sleep and muscle movement. Nutritional value per 100g: Energy 43Kcal Carbohydrates 10.8g Sugar 7.82mg Fiber 1.7g Sodium 8mg Water 88.06g Storage and tips: The best way to consume papaya is by making a longitudinal cut. Its interior has a fleshy orange pulp with black seeds that you should remove as they are very bitter. Its flavor is a mixture of melon and apricot, and if you want to enhance it, add a few drops of lime before consuming it. It should ripen at room temperature, if it is very ripe it will last in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days. You can consume papaya as a fruit or you can also make papaya cream, jams, smoothies. You can incorporate it into yogurt. In addition, papayas can be eaten when ripe, as long as they do not have marks on the skin. Recipe and uses in the kitchen: The sweet flavor of papaya allows us to combine it in sweet and savory dishes. You can make juices for breakfast, incorporating mango. Or in a delicious fruit salad. For a meal, you can incorporate papaya into your salads or make a papaya cream with salmon; for the papaya sauce, you should sauté 1 green pepper and another yellow pepper, 1 onion, and a papaya cut into cubes and cook for approximately 3 minutes. Add 1/2 glass of white wine and increase the heat to evaporate the alcohol. Then add a pinch of chili pepper and 200ml of vegetable broth, cook until the sauce thickens, and blend it.