28 September: Papaya

September is National papaya month. 10 things you might not know about papaya:

1. The papaya, or pawpaw, is the fruit of the Carica papaya tree, technically a large berry.
2. It’s not known for sure where the tree originated, but it’s believed to be native to south Mexico and Central America. Today, it grows in the Caribbean Islands, Florida, Hawaii, India, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and several countries in Africa.
3. The papaya tree can grow from seed to a fruit bearing tree in less than 18 months. The trees are small and sparsely branched usually with a single stem growing from 5 to 10 meters (16 to 33 feet) tall, with leaves just growing at the top.
4. When the fruit is ripe it will have deep Yellow or Pink flesh and be as soft as a ripe avocado. Inside, the seeds are Black and about the size of Peas. The seeds are edible and in some parts of the world, are used as a substitute for peppercorns.
5. Green, unripe fruit can be cooked in curries or stews. While in some parts of south east Asia the green fruit is eaten raw, it’s not usually advisable as the raw fruit contains latex and can be poisonous, or cause an allergic reaction in some people.
6. The fruit also contains an enzyme called papain, which is used for medicinal purposes in the tropical regions where it grows. It is used to treat cuts, skin irritations and burns. When Harrison Ford ruptured a disc while filming Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, he was treated with papain injections. Papain can also be used to tenderise meat and is an ingredient in many meat tenderisers on sale in the shops.
7. There are 43 calories in 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of Papayas. The fruit is also an excellent source of beta-carotene (which the human body can turn into vitamin A), flavonoids, Vitamin C, vitamin B (folate and pantothenic acid), fibre, Potassium, Copper and magnesium.
8. Papaya is said to aid digestion and boost the immune system and has been used as a remedy for toothache. The leaves can be made into tea which in some parts of the world is used as a remedy for malaria (the mechanism is not understood, however, and has not been scientifically proven). It is even thought to fight cancer.
9. In some parts of the world papaya is used as a contraceptive. There is some scientific evidence that unripe papaya acts as a natural contraceptive and if eaten in large amounts can induce abortion.
10. Christopher Columbus called papaya the “fruit of the Angels”.

Killing Me Softly

Sebastian Garrett is an assassin. It wasn’t his first choice of vocation, but nonetheless, he’s good at it, and can be relied upon to get the job done. He’s on top of his game.

Until he is contracted to kill Princess Helena of Galorvia. She is not just any princess. Sebastian doesn’t bargain on his intended victim being a super-heroine who gives as good as she gets. Only his own genetic variant power saves him from becoming the victim, instead of Helena. 

Fate has another surprise in store. Sebastian was not expecting to fall in love with her.

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