What is pawpaw?
Pawpaw is the fruit of pawpaw triloba, a species belonging to the family Annonaceae, native to the US West, this plant produces fruits with a sweet taste that may seem a cross between a banana and a mango, characterized by a yellow peel and a greenish orange flesh that is soft and creamy. Currently in the US there are 27 known varieties, which grow from northern Florida to southern Ontario, down to the eastern territories of Nebraska.
What are the nutritional properties of pawpaw?
100 g pawpaw provide 80 Calories and:
- about 675 g of water
- 18.8 g carbohydrates
- 1.2 g of protein
- 1.2 g of lipid (32% saturated, 40% monounsaturated, 28% polyunsaturated)
- 2.6 g of fiber
Among the vitamins and minerals, 100 g pawpaw bring:
- 18.3 mg of vitamin C
- 1.1 mg of niacin
- 0.09 mg of riboflavin
- 0.01 mg of thiamine
- 87 IU of vitamin A
- 345 mg of potassium
- 113 mg of magnesium
- 63 mg of calcium
- 47 mg of phosphorus
- 7 mg of iron
- 2.6 mg of manganese
- 0.5 mg of copper
- 0.9 mg of zinc
The protein in pawpaw brings all essential amino acids for the human body.
Furthermore this fruit is the source of a molecule with potential anticancer activity, known as acetogenin.
When you do not eat the pawpaw?
No well-documented interactions between the intake of pawpaw and that of drugs or other substances.
Seasonality of pawpaw
Pawpaw is an autumn fruit. Once it reaches full maturity it can only be stored for a few days at room temperature, while in the refrigerator it can last for a week. If stored in the cold before ripening it can be preserved also for 3 weeks and brought to room temperature to allow it to mature before consumption.
Possible benefits and drawbacks of pawpaw
The pawpaw is useful to health, especially for its density of nutrients. Its richness in vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids is comparable or even higher than that of bananas, apples and oranges. It’s acetogenin seems to perform anticancer actions based on the ability to prevent communication between the cancer cells, which would lead to their death.
Pawpaw can trigger allergies. In some people it can cause allergic dermatitis.
