Papaya, canned, heavy syrup, drained
Whole food · Fruits and Fruit Juices
Photo: Wikipedia
Canned papaya in heavy syrup offers soft, sweet, tropical cubes with a honeyed, almost floral flavor and a meltingly tender texture. Nutritionally, it's a concentrated source of quick energy from its high sugar content, providing over 50 grams per 100g serving.
Calorie split: 0% protein · 98% carbs · 2% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its intense, candy-like sweetness and nostalgic, comforting flavor, especially in desserts and cocktails where it adds a lush, tropical note without any preparation.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The very high sugar content can cause rapid blood-sugar spikes, making it a poor choice for diabetics or those monitoring glycemic load. To mitigate, pair a small portion with protein or fat (like yogurt or nuts) to slow absorption, or look for versions packed in juice instead of heavy syrup.
Key benefits
- Provides a quick source of carbohydrate energy.
- Contains vitamin C, an antioxidant that supports immune function.
- Offers a convenient, year-round tropical fruit option.
- Provides a small amount of dietary fiber.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The heavy syrup used for canning is essentially a simple sugar solution that penetrates the fruit, making the canned version significantly sweeter and more calorie-dense than fresh papaya.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 43.3 g |
| Energy | 206 kcal |
| Energy | 862 kj |
| Protein | 0.14 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.55 g |
| Ash | 0.15 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 55.8 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 1.5 g |
| Total Sugars | 52.2 g |
| Sucrose | 38.4 g |
| Glucose | 7.0 g |
| Fructose | 6.8 g |
| Lactose | 0.00 g |
| Maltose | 0.00 g |
| Galactose | 0.00 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 21.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.29 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 6.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 6.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 67.0 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 9.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.05 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.01 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.01 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 0.40 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 3.5 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.01 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.01 mg |
| Niacin | 0.06 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.01 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.01 mg |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 3.0 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 1.0 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 1.0 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 6.0 iu |
| Lycopene | 1.0 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 4.0 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 0.30 ug |
| Vitamin K (Dihydrophylloquinone) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (Menaquinone-4) | 0.00 ug |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.27 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.16 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 15:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.08 g |
| SFA 17:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.03 g |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 22:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 24:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.08 g |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 15:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 c | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 17:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.07 g |
| MUFA 18:1 c | 0.07 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 c | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 24:1 c | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.10 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.08 g |
| PUFA 18:2 n-6 c,c | 0.08 g |
| PUFA 18:2 CLAs | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-3 c,c,c (ALA) | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-6 c,c,c | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:2 n-6 c,c | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 n-3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 n-6 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-monoenoic | 0.00 g |
| TFA 16:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 18:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 22:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 18:2 t not further defined | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-polyenoic | 0.00 g |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Papayas, raw — USDA does not publish this profile for Papaya.
| Tryptophan | 0.01 g |
| Threonine | 0.01 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.01 g |
| Leucine | 0.02 g |
| Lysine | 0.03 g |
| Methionine | 0.00 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.01 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.01 g |
| Valine | 0.01 g |
| Arginine | 0.01 g |
| Histidine | 0.01 g |
| Alanine | 0.01 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.05 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.03 g |
| Glycine | 0.02 g |
| Proline | 0.01 g |
| Serine | 0.01 g |
FAQ
How does the nutrition differ from fresh papaya?
Canned papaya in heavy syrup has drastically more sugar (52.2g vs. ~8g per 100g) and calories (206 kcal vs. ~43 kcal) than fresh papaya, due to the added syrup.
Can I use the syrup for other things?
Yes, the sweet, papaya-infused syrup can be used to sweeten cocktails, yogurt, oatmeal, or as a base for a simple fruit glaze.
Is it a good source of vitamins?
While it retains some vitamin C and vitamin A from the fruit, the canning process reduces heat-sensitive nutrients. It's best enjoyed as a treat rather than a primary vitamin source.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 2.06 kcal/g · 0% calories from protein · 1.5 g fiber · 52.2 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.13 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.