Fermented Papaya

I am so grateful to be able to share my passion for natural health!

Recently, I have been very lucky to chat to inspiring Dr Damian Kristof and Marcus Pearce on the “100 not out” radio station. I talked about gut health and fermented foods in detail. Check out my latest interview HERE and subscribe to http://thewellnesscouch.com to get your free health updates.

We discussed fermented vegetables (that I know a lot about) and fruits (that I didn’t know much about as yet, as I had never fermented a fruit). Hence the information bellow is a form of my “homework”.

Lets talk about Papaya

Papaya is one of the richest sources of antioxidants and is loaded with protein digesting enzymes called papain, which provide substantial aid to digestive health. Many studies have found papaya to be positively related to a host of health benefits.

Fermented papaya is another wonder altogether!

Fermented papaya is the result of breaking down the carbohydrates, fats and proteins, by a yeast that is placed under special conditions. When the papaya is fermented, it can be dried and then ground into a powder.

Fermented papaya extract is extremely rich in nutritional value, which includes Thiamine, Potassium, Iron, Beta-carotene, Magnesium, Riboflavin, Niacin, Zinc, and Vitamins A and C.

Studies have found that consuming fermented papaya can increase immune function and reduce damage from free radicals.

Effectively, it assists in enhancing your body’s first line of defence against infections by boosting the effectiveness of white blood cells that kill disease causing microorganisms.

Also, free radicals are extremely reactive molecules that can ruin your cells. The body is constantly bombarded by free radicals from external sources, such as cigarette smoke, radiation and pollution, food pesticides, fried or processed foods, and alcohol. In the event that a lot of free radicals get into your system then your cells can turn out to be susceptible to deterioration. Fermented papaya minimises DNA deterioration from free radicals.

Simple way to ferment Papaya

• In a jar, dissolve sugar in hot water (filling water only half way) and making the water sweet to taste.
• When the water has cooled, place chopped up papaya jar and add the starter culture.
• Seal the lid and leave at room temperature for between 2 to 10 days. During this time, the starter culture will convert the sugar to alcohol, and carbon dioxide gas will be produced as a by-product, forming bubbles at the top of the jar.

Once fermented, the fruit will contain an abundance of beneficial bacteria and can be used as a condiment, dessert topping, or in recipes for things like chutneys, smoothies and salsas.

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