Papaya Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Nutrition Facts Fruit and Vegetables Papaya Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits By Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist. Learn about our editorial process Updated on September 30, 2022 Medically reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and nutrition and exercise healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Mia Syn, MS, RDN Medically reviewed by Mia Syn, MS, RDN Mia Syn, MS, RDN is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a master of science in human nutrition. She is also the host of Good Food Friday on ABC News 4. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Nutrition Facts Health Benefits Allergies When It's Best Storage and Food Safety How to Prepare Papayas are mildly sweet, soft, greenish/yellow fruits shaped like large pears, weighing in at about 1 to 2 pounds. Due to their sweetness, you may wonder whether or not papayas are a healthy choice. Luckily, papayas are high in fiber and loaded with key nutrients like vitamin C and A. Papayas add versatility to recipes and can be puréed for sweet and savory sauces, soups, or sorbets. Papayas also make for a good marinade, as they have an enzyme called papain which helps tenderize meat by breaking down proteins. Papaya Nutrition Facts One cup of fresh papaya chunks (145 grams) has 62 calories and 2.5 grams of fiber. Papaya is rich in vitamins A and C with lots of health benefits to offer. The following nutrition information is provided by the USDA for 1 cup (145g) of raw papaya sliced into one-inch cubes. Calories: 62Fat: 0.4gSodium: 11.6mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 2.5gSugars: 11gProtein: 0.7gVitamin A: 68.2mcgVitamin C: 88.3mgPotassium: 263.9mgFolate: 53.7mcgBeta carotene: 397.3mcgLycopene: 2650.6mcg Carbs Most of the calories in papaya come from carbohydrates. There are almost 16 grams of carbohydrate in a serving of papaya, including fiber (2.5 grams) and naturally occurring sugars (about 11 grams). The glycemic index of papaya is 60, and the glycemic load is 9. Fats There is almost no fat in papaya, with each 1-cup serving containing less than 1 gram. Protein Papayas provide less than 1 gram of protein per serving. Vitamins and Minerals Papaya is rich in vitamin C, providing 88.3 milligrams per serving. For most adults, the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C is between 75 and 90 milligrams, so 1 cup of papaya just about covers 100% of vitamin C requirements. Papayas are also an excellent source of vitamin A and, more specifically, the carotenoid lycopene. 15 Healthy Foods That Are High in Vitamin C Calories One cup of fresh papaya chunks (145 grams) has 62 calories, 91% of which come from carbs, 4% from fat, and 4% from protein. Summary Papaya is a fat-free, nutrient-rich source of healthy carbohydrates, including fiber. It provides plenty of vitamin C, with 98% of your daily recommended intake, as well as potassium and vitamin A. Health Benefits Due to their high nutrient content, papayas offer health benefits for the whole body. Keep your cells healthy and protected from damage with papaya's potent antioxidant vitamins. Improves Skin Vitamin C is a precursor that our bodies use to manufacture collagen. Because collagen is a critical component required for skin integrity, getting enough vitamin C improves your skin's ability to repair itself. To build strong connective tissues and heal properly from wounds, our bodies depend on vitamin C. Papaya is an easy way to reach your daily goals. Protects Vision Vitamin A is critical for good vision, and papayas are an excellent source. Beta carotene is the form of vitamin A that we consume in fruits, vegetables, and some protein foods. You may have heard that carrots are good for your eyes, but studies show the beta carotene in papayas is three times more bioavailable (i.e., easy to absorb) than the beta carotene in carrots or tomatoes. For people with the beginning stages of age-related macular degeneration, adequate beta carotene intake has been associated with reducing the risk and severity of disease progression. Because vitamin A supplements can cause toxicity (since vitamin A is stored in the body and can build up to unsafe levels), food sources, like papaya, are a safe, healthy way to get this beneficial micronutrient. Aids Digestion Like most fruits and vegetables, papayas are rich in fiber, which is essential for good digestion. Beyond this fundamental benefit, papayas also contain the enzyme papain. Papain helps break down proteins. If you have difficulty chewing or digesting meat, tenderizing it with papain before cooking makes it easier to eat. Papain has also been studied for its ability to assist with gluten digestion in people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity. When provided an enzyme mixture derived from papayas and microorganisms, symptoms of gluten intolerance were shown to improve with no negative side effects of note. Supports Heart Health The fiber in papayas helps support heart health. Fiber also increases satiety, which can help with healthy weight management. Eating enough fiber (especially through fruits and vegetables) decreases the risk of heart disease. Papayas also provide potassium, magnesium, and pantothenic acid, all of which contribute to cardiovascular health. Helps Prevent Cancer The consumption of plant-based foods that are high in fiber is a well-established dietary pattern associated with cancer prevention. Furthermore, the combination of vitamins A, C, and E in papayas provides powerful antioxidant effects that may reduce free radicals and reduce overall cancer risk. Allergies Papaya allergies are possible. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAI) reports that if you are allergic to mango, pistachios, or cashew, you may also react when exposed to papaya. Latex allergies may also be associated with papaya allergies. If you suspect an allergy to papaya or another food, speak to your healthcare provider for a personalized diagnosis. When It' s Best Papayas are available all year long, with their peak season from April to June. They're grown in warm climates and most often imported from tropical and subtropical locations. Papaya has a taste that is unlike most fruits, with a creamy mouthfeel and a mild flavor. Papaya's taste is often compared to that of a melon but less sweet and with a softer texture. Sometimes papaya can have a distinct smell described as a feet smell, with little to no flavor. Typically this means that the fruit is not ripe. To get the full flavor of papaya, it must be very ripe. Storage and Food Safety Papayas can be stored at room temperature until completely ripe and then refrigerated for up to one week. The best determinant of ripeness is color, not softness. Select papayas that have a greater proportion of yellow to green skin color. The greener the papaya, the less ripe it is. Avoid papayas that contain blemishes and choose those that are plump and smooth. If you'd like to ripen your papayas more quickly, place the whole fruit in a paper bag with a ripe banana. Ripe bananas naturally release ethylene gas which helps fruit to ripen faster. Before cutting into fresh papaya, be sure to wash your hands and rinse the papaya under running water to clean off any bacteria or dirt on the skin that can transfer onto the knife while cutting. Once cut, store papaya in the refrigerator and use it within a few days. How to Prepare You can incorporate papaya into your meal plan at any time of day. Papayas add flavor and color to meals while packing in a nutritional punch. Slice papaya, remove the skin, and eat it plain or with a squirt of lemon or lime. Or blend to make smoothies, sweet and spicy sauces, chilled soups, or protein marinades. Dice papayas and add to fruit salads, salsas, or compotes. Papaya's black-colored seeds are also edible and have a distinctly bitter flavor. These can be roasted or eaten raw. With so many health benefits to offer, papayas are certainly worth experimenting with. 10 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Papayas, raw. FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. GI foods advanced search. The University of Sydney. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin C: Fact sheet for health professionals. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin A: Fact sheet for health professionals. Schweiggert RM, Kopec RE, Villalobos-Gutierrez MG, et al. Carotenoids are more bioavailable from papaya than from tomato and carrot in humans: A randomised cross-over study. Br J Nutr. 2014;111(3):490-8. doi:10.1017/S0007114513002596 Ido H, Matsubara H, Kuroda M, et al. Combination of gluten-digesting enzymes improved symptoms of non-celiac gluten sensitivity: A randomized single-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. Clin Transl Gastroenterol. 2018;9(9):181. doi:10.1038/s41424-018-0052-1 McRae MP. Dietary fiber Is beneficial for the prevention of cardiovascular disease: An umbrella review of meta-analyses. J Chiropr Med. 2017;16(4):289–299. doi:10.1016/j.jcm.2017.05.005 Papaya- the benefits. American Cancer Society. Cancer Survivors Network. Cross-reactivity between papaya, mango and cashew. American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Selecting and serving produce safely. By Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist, counseling patients with diabetes. Barbie was previously the Advanced Nutrition Coordinator for the Mount Sinai Diabetes and Cardiovascular Alliance and worked in pediatric endocrinology at The Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? 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