Can You Eat a Green Papaya

According to YourProduceGuy, papaya is often sold slightly green for safe transportation but will ripen well on your counter.

According to YourProduceGuy, papaya is often sold slightly green for safe transportation but will ripen well on your counter.

Overripe papayas are best avoided when the color is completely orange or yellow and the smell is too strong compared to overripe fruit.

Overripe papayas are best avoided when the color is completely orange or yellow and the smell is too strong compared to overripe fruit.

Ripe papaya is hard to resist, but luckily it's easy to eat and can be quickly destroyed with a spoon.

Ripe papaya is hard to resist, but luckily it's easy to eat and can be quickly destroyed with a spoon.

Another health-promoting compound called papain is an enzyme with digestive and anti-inflammatory properties that, while present in ripe papayas, is present in high amounts in the pulp of unripe green papayas.

Another health-promoting compound called papain is an enzyme with digestive and anti-inflammatory properties that, while present in ripe papayas, is present in high amounts in the pulp of unripe green papayas.

Unripe green papaya is rich in vitamins, protein, phytonutrients, and enzymes such as papain and chymopapain, which are thought to have many health benefits.

Unripe green papaya is rich in vitamins, protein, phytonutrients, and enzymes such as papain and chymopapain, which are thought to have many health benefits.