Papaya The papaya, papaw, or pawpaw is the plant Carica papaya, one of the 22 accepted species in the genus Carica of the family Caricaceae. Its origin is in the tropics of the Americas, perhaps from Central America and southern Mexico. Papaya is a tropical fruit with orange-colored, sweet flesh and edible seeds that have a pepperlike flavor. Their sweet taste, vibrant color, and the wide variety of health benefits they provide make them a popular fruit. health benefits of papaya. Delicious and Loaded With Nutrients Papaya is the fruit of the Carica papaya plant. It originated in Central America and Southern Mexico but is now grown in many other parts of the world. Papaya contains an enzyme called papain, which can break down the tough protein chains found in muscle meat. Because of this, people have used papaya to tenderize meat for thousands of years. If the papaya is ripe, it can be eaten raw. However, unripe papaya should always be cooked before eating — ...