Papayas are tropical fruits that contain many essential vitamins, minerals and natural enzymes. When eaten raw, they are also an excellent source of dietary fiber. Papayas can be fed through a juicing machine, although you will lose most of the fiber content. Juicing papayas is not as easy as juicing many other fruits because papayas are denser and yield thicker juice, which can clog some juicing machines. As such, it helps if you use a powerful, high-quality juicer. Furthermore, peeling the papaya and removing its seeds will make juicing easier and lead to less-bitter-tasting juice. Papayas Papayas are native to Central America, although they were taken to India, the Philippines and parts of Africa hundreds of years ago by Spanish and Portuguese explorers. In the early 1900s, papayas were introduced to the United States, and have been cultivated in Hawaii and Puerto Rico ever since. Papayas were once considered an exotic fruit, but their rise in popularity has made them much more available. Papayas can grow up to 20 inches in length, although most commercial varieties are 7 inches and weigh about a pound, according to the book “Superfoods: The Healthiest Foods on the Planet.” Papaya flesh is a rich orange color and yields a thick, sweet, slight musky juice rich in nutrients. Nutritional profile Papayas are rich sources of antioxidants such as vitamin C, carotenes and flavonoids, and good sources of folic acid, pantothenic acid, vitamin K, potassium, magnesium, calcium and fiber, according to the “Textbook of Nutritional Medicine.” In addition, papaya contains papain, a natural digestive enzyme that helps break down protein into amino acids. Papain is similar to bromelain, the enzyme found in pineapples. Juicing papayas Papaya can be juiced whole, including the skin, seeds and leaves, but it requires a powerful juicer to handle all the fiber. Furthermore, the skin, seeds and leaves are very bitter tasting. A more common method of juicing papaya involves peeling the skin, removing the black seeds and cutting the flesh into small pieces before feeding them into the juicing machine. Raw papaya juice is thick with a buttery consistency and may require dilution with water or other juices before you drink it. Pineapples, oranges and even cucumbers go well with papaya juice. Wash your hands after handling papaya skin or seeds because they can irritate skin and mucous membranes. Potential Health Benefits Juices rich in antioxidants are beneficial for cardiovascular health and may provide some protection against infections and some cancerous processes. The papain enzyme in papaya juice may help with the digestion of protein. Furthermore, fresh papaya juice, like citrus juices, alkalizes body tissues and fluids when you consume them, according to the book “Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy: Modern Herbal Medicine.” However, pregnant women should be cautious drinking lots of fresh papaya juice because there are anecdotal reports of it inducing early uterine contractions. IF you are pregnant, consult your doctor before juicing papayas.