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Many people like to buy candied fruits obtained from exotic fruits. This is a great treat not only for kids, but also for adults. Candied papaya is easy to make yourself and it is important to know why they are so useful.
The benefits and harms of candied papaya
Papaya is a healthy and healing berry that has a powerful biologically active composition and the resulting properties. Exotic fruits contain the following substances:
- vitamins (B1, B2, B5, C, D, E, carotene) in large quantities;
- minerals (Ca, P, Fe, Cl, K, Na, Zn);
- papain, a plant enzyme that resembles digestive juice in composition and action;
- natural sugars;
- antioxidants;
- various enzymes, for example, improving the rhythm of heart contractions, restoring the cartilaginous tissue of the intervertebral discs, others;
- lots of fibre.
Once inside the digestive tube, papain begins to actively participate in the breakdown of nutrients supplied with food, primarily proteins. Therefore, the introduction of papaya into the daily diet is indicated for patients whose body does not cope well with the digestion and assimilation of food of animal origin. Papain is composed of pepsin and protease, digestive enzymes that break down proteins into amino acids. It is active in both acidic, neutral and alkaline environments, unlike those enzymes that our body produces.
The presence of plant fibers allows you to cleanse the bloodstream of “bad” cholesterol, prevents the formation of blood clots, and also heals and improves the functioning of the digestive tract. Papaya has antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties, reduces the intensity of pain in arthritis and osteoporosis. In fresh and dried form, it is an excellent anthelmintic, antiparasitic agent. Papaya is recommended to be included in the menu for those patients who are prone to frequent colds, as the fruits strengthen the immune system well.
Papaya has antipyretic properties because it contains salicylic acid, which has an antiviral effect. Papaya is also a good antidepressant. Helps eliminate skin problems, makes it elastic, velvety to the touch, and also promotes the fastest healing of damage, microtrauma. Favorably affects the female body in the premenstrual period. The low calorie and fat burning properties of papaya will benefit anyone who wants to lose weight, especially when paired with pineapple. The berry is indispensable for breaking fast, fasting days, and low-calorie diets.
Useful properties of candied papaya differ depending on the degree of ripening. Green fruits contain a lot of alkaloids, because of which they become poisonous, and little glucose, fructose, which are so rich in ripe berries. The unripe fruits Indian women used to use against unwanted pregnancies. When papaya ripens, it becomes absolutely safe.
Candied Papaya Recipes
On sale, you rarely see candied papaya (as seen in the photo). More often come across pineapple or other exotic fruits. Therefore, if you want to eat dried papaya pieces, you should cook them yourself. This is much safer and ensures that the product is natural, without chemical additives and dyes.
How to choose
First, the berry must be chosen correctly. It is grown mainly in Mexico, and the way from there is not a short one. Therefore, papaya fruits are usually harvested unripe. They contain a lot of alkaloids, toxic substances, the use of which can adversely affect the state of the body. And this is the main danger that must be avoided when choosing berries. The papaya should be a rich yellow color or have bright orange barrels on a green peel, indicating its ripening.
How to clean
Papaya comes in different sizes: both small and large like a melon. Scientists consider it a berry, although the weight of the fruit often reaches 5-7 kg. In the first case, you must first peel the fruit, and then cut it in half, remove the seeds and then cut into small pieces for withering, drying or preparing candied candied fruits.
If the fruit is large, it should first be divided into two longitudinal parts and from there all the seeds should be scooped out with a spoon. Then, when the papaya is quite impressive in size, additionally cut it into several parts so that it is more convenient to remove the skin with a knife. Then also grind into pieces that are convenient for further processing.
How to cook in sugar syrup
When preparing candied fruits from papaya, the same technology is followed as when sugaring other fruits.
Ingredients:
- Papaya – 1 kg;
- sugar – ½ kg;
- water – ½ l;
- lemon – 1 pcs.
Mix sugar and water, bring to a boil, place diced papaya in syrup. Cook for 5 minutes, then set aside. When the whole mass has cooled, heat again to +100 degrees and boil for the same amount of time. Twice will be enough. Dip the lemon sliced uXNUMXbuXNUMXbin rings into a hot solution and wait until it cools completely.
Carefully transfer the fruit mass to a sieve and let it dry, which can take several hours. Then put the pieces of papaya on the grate of the electric dryer and turn on the mode +50 degrees. If the candied fruit will be cooked in the oven (<+60 C), the door should be slightly opened to ensure air circulation.
After 4-6 hours, you can check the degree of readiness and remove. Under the influence of hot air, pieces of fruit will be covered with a film on top, and inside they will remain soft and quite juicy. Candied papaya turns out red, very appetizing in appearance.
How to cook in an electric dryer
Papaya contains a lot of glucose, fructose, it is an exceptionally sweet berry. Candied fruits can be prepared without the use of sugar syrup, using a modern electric dryer. The device has a heating element that provides a flow of hot air, as well as a fan that increases the intensity of its distribution.
Peel the fruit, cut into slices or pieces of such a size that they can easily fit on a trellised pallet. Dry the berries at a temperature not higher than +50 degrees. Trays in an electric dryer are usually removable. Therefore, for uniform treatment with warm air, the lower and upper tiers should be interchanged from time to time. It will take about 6-8 hours to cook candied fruits. When using an electric dryer during the cooking process, the maximum benefit of candied papaya is preserved.
other methods
After soaking with sugar syrup, candied fruits can be dried not in an oven or an electric dryer, but it can be done in the traditional way, in the air. Place fruit pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and leave in a well-ventilated, dry area. Within a few days, they will dry out, weathered by a stream of air, and excess moisture will evaporate.
You can also dry pieces of candied fruit in the microwave. Microwave radiation penetrates the pulp and interacts with water molecules, thereby causing it to evaporate very quickly. Here the drying process is much more intense than in all other cases. The largest candied fruits must be placed along the edges of the pallet, since it is in this place that the interaction is stronger.
Candied papaya calories
Candied papaya can have different energy values depending on how it’s prepared. If they were made without additional ingredients, primarily sugar, then the calorie content in this case will be low – 57 kcal per 100 g. Such candied fruits are more suitable for people suffering from obesity, prediabetes and diabetes, as well as some other diseases that require compliance low carbohydrate diet.
How much per day can you eat candied papaya
Candied candied papaya is not recommended to be introduced into the diet of more than 50 g per day, since their calorie content is quite high. You need to start with one or more cubes to avoid manifestations of an allergic nature.
Dried papaya pieces cooked in an electric dryer are less caloric, so they are good to use as snacks between meals as a replacement for confectionery sweets. The daily portion can be 100 g of the product or a little more.
Conclusion
Candied papaya is an ideal food for those who want to lose weight. Low calorie content, useful and healing properties – all this makes the product an important component of dietary nutrition. Candied fruits are easy to prepare at home and use as a rich source of natural sugars, vitamins and other essential substances.