Papaya is my favorite fruit. When I was volunteering in Costa Rica, I had some minor ailments like constipation, indigestion, skin rashes, sore throat and a little homesickness. No matter what my problem was, my housewife would always give me papaya and say: “Eat papaya and you’ll be well!” (“Eat some papaya and you’ll be fine!”)

Papaya is rich in antioxidants, enzymes like papain, vitamin C, lycopene, etc. This smoothie complements the healing properties of papaya with calming herbs such as zizypus dates, longan fruit, lotus seed and lily bulb. These sweet and mild herbs are perfect for smoothies and provide extra fiber, protein and natural sweetness. I love eating this smoothie on a summer day!