1 The papaya, or paw paw, is believed to be southern Mexican and Central American in origin and now grows in all tropical and subtropical countries as the plants need warmth throughout the year. These trees may be male, female or bisexual, says www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/papaya.html.

2 Papayas are the only natural source of papain, an effective natural digestive aid, which breaks down protein and cleanses the digestive track. This means less food settles into the metabolism and becomes fat.

3 In addition to aiding in digestion, papayas are rich in vitamin C, folate and potassium. They are also good sources of fibre, vitamin A, vitamin E, the eye-saving carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, and lycopene, according to health.learninginfo.org.

4 They have 33 per cent more vitamin C and 50 per cent more potassium than oranges and have fewer calories. They have 13 times more vitamin C and more than twice the potassium of apples, says health.learninginfo.org

5 Slightly green papayas ripen quickly at room temperature, especially if placed in a paper bag. Once they've turned from green to yellow you can store the ripened fruit in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week, but it's best to use them within a day or two, says www.foodreference.com Papayas have 33% more vitamin C than oranges and have fewer calories.

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times on June 18, 2008.