Try this mouth watering recipe for papaya pancakes, it's paw-pawsome

In fact, eating Australian papaya is a delicious way to stay healthy and keep your taste buds happy this summer.

But why stick to summer when you can enjoy the enjoy the tropical goodness of this vitamin rich powerhouse fruit year-round?

The Papaya Australia Nutrition Review highlights the unique bundle of nutrients found in papaya are beneficial to your whole body - helping to keep your immune system fighting fit, boosting mood, creating glowing skin, reducing tiredness, improving gut health, nervous system and muscle function.

Accredited practising dietitian and review author Caitlin Reid said the latest findings highlighted the benefits of this versatile tropical fruit and made it clear that we should all be including more papaya in our diet.

"Known for their vibrant and tropical flavour, papaya contains a unique bundle of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants," she said.

"Just one serve of papaya provides your daily dose of vitamin C, almost a third of vitamin A and more than a quarter of your folate needs.

"This is a cost-effective and delicious way to get these important nutrients in and keep your immune system in tip top shape, all-year round."

Ms Reid said that rather than scooping the papaya seeds into the compost, recent research indicates we should be incorporating these into our diet too, in addition to the sweet flesh, for an added nutritional boost.

"Papaya seeds contain protein, dietary fibre, phytochemicals and minerals including magnesium, calcium, zinc and iron," she said.

"The phenolic compounds such as benzyl isothicyanate, glucosinolates, tocopherols, cryptoxanthin and B-carotene act as antioxidants, reacting with free radicals to minimize oxidative stress in the body.

"While there is still much to learn about the benefits that these compounds offer, preliminary research shows promising effects of their role in blood vessel contraction and blood glucose control.

"From a taste perspective, papaya seeds offer a spicy kick and can be easily added into your diet - throw them in fresh to your salad or use them dried just like peppercorns."

Packed with flavour and freshness, the whole papaya can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a snack.

Start the day with a papaya boat or a smoothie, slice papaya through your salad at lunch and use mashed papaya to add a depth of flavour to a curry.

"Papaya is the perfect ready-to-eat healthy and sweet snack - all you need is a spoon, or you can try it with a squeeze of lime. Extra toppings like muesli, nuts and yoghurt make it a complete meal for brekkie. Because it is 90 per cent water it is hydrating, making it great for snacking all-year round," Ms Reid said.

Five reasons why we should all be adding papaya to our shopping trolleys, according to Caitlin Reid:

Glowing skin - Papaya provides a unique bundle of antioxidants - vitamin A, C and carotenoids - that assist with skin elasticity and the formation and repair of skin cells. All are essential for glowing skin.

Immunity boosting - Papaya contains a combination of antioxidants which fight the damaging effects of free radicals and reactive oxygen species, reducing inflammation in the body and supporting immune health.

Good mood food - Including more fruit, like papaya, and vegetables in the diet promotes a better balance of gut microbiome, which plays a role in improving mood.

Gut goodness - Australian papaya contains gut-loving fibre with a single serve contributing 11 per cent of our daily needs.

Nutrient boost - Papaya contains carotenoids (the pigments that give them their vibrant colour) which are more easily absorbed than from other carotenoid-rich foods, like tomatoes and carrots, providing a bigger nutrient boost.

For delicious recipes, head to Australian Papaya.

1. Cut papaya in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds. Scoop out flesh from one half of the papaya and blend until smooth, set aside. Cut the remaining half papaya into cubes, removing the skin and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, mix flour, caster sugar and baking powder.

3. In a jug, mix egg, milk, butter and papaya puree and pour into flour mixture, whisk until smooth.

4. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Spray with oil. Pour 80ml (1/3 cup) of the batter into the pan. Cook for 2 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Turn and cook for a further 1 -2 minute or until golden. Repeat with the remaining batter to make eight pancakes.

5. Serve pancakes stacked with yoghurt and papaya pieces, topped with papaya pieces, blueberries, honey, pistachio nuts and mint.

Growing regions: Red papaya are mostly grown in the tropical Far North Queensland areas of Tully, Innisfail Mossman and Mareeba with new plantings in Lakeland. They are also grown in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Papaya season: Aussie papaya is available all year round with an abundance in autumn and spring.

Serving size: A serve of papaya is about a third of an average size papaya, or one cup diced (150g).

Choosing a papaya: Red papaya is ripe when skin is green/yellow. When ripe, cut fruit should have bright orange/red flesh. Both fruits are ripe when yield to gentle pressure.

Storing: To ripen fruit store between 20-25 degrees Celsius. Once ripe, store fruit in the refrigerator and consume within one or two days, so you can enjoy their maximum flavour.

Fruit that is partially yellow should be left at room temperature and will ripen in a few days. If you want to speed this process, place in a paper bag with a banana.