Most weeks I like to profile an ingredient and tell you why its tasty and healthy. This week’s item is the powerful papaya! Sure, we’ve talked about strawberries and how cool they are, but papaya is one of those fruits that packs a lot of power – enzyme power. You remember enzymes from high school biology, right? The little biological machines that break down food into smaller pieces so they can be absorbed by the body should ring a bell. In this recipe the papaya is elegantly paired with the avocado, the mack daddy of southern California veggies. The texture is buttery and full of flavor. Buying the right wine to complement this salad can add another dimension to the taste.

Deliciously sweet with musky undertones and a soft, butter-like consistency, it is no wonder Christopher Columbus called the papaya the ‘fruit of the angels.” Once considered quite exotic, papayas can now be found in markets throughout the year.

The fruit, as well as the other parts of the papaya tree, contain papain, an enzyme that helps digest proteins. This enzyme is especially concentrated in the fruit when it is unripe. Papain is extracted to make digestive enzyme dietary supplements and is also used as an ingredient in some chewing gums.

Papayas may be very helpful for the prevention of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease. Papayas are an excellent source of vitamin C as well as a good source of vitamin E and vitamin A (through their concentration of pro-vitamin A carotenoid phytonutrients), three very powerful antioxidants.

These nutrients help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. Only when cholesterol becomes oxidized is it able to stick to and build up in blood vessel walls, forming dangerous plaques that can eventually cause heart attacks or strokes. One way in which dietary vitamin E and vitamin C may exert this effect is through their suggested association with a compound called paraoxonase, an enzyme that inhibits LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol oxidation.

This is not the end to the health benefits of papaya but we have limited time here, so try the avocado and papaya salad and then try Hawaiian papaya with a little squeeze of lime on it for a health dessert after a big meaty meal.

If you have suggestions, ideas or a recipe you’d like to share, contact me at gltrecipebox@gmail.com.

Courtesy of Food Network

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Slice the avocados lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Slice the papayas widthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Arrange overlapping slices on a serving platter, alternating slices of avocado and papaya.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Spoon the dressing over the avocado and papaya. Serve immediately.