Papaya is my favorite fruit. When I was doing volunteer work in Costa Rica, I had some minor illnesses, like constipation, indigestion, skin rashes, sore throat, and a little bit of homesickness. No matter what my problem was, my host mom would always give me papaya and say, “¡Come un poco de papaya y te recuperarás!” (“Eat a little papaya and you will be fine!”)

Papaya is loaded with antioxidants, enzymes like papain, vitamin C, lycopene, and more. This smoothie adds to the healing benefits of papaya with Spirit-calming herbs like jujube dates, longan fruit, lotus seeds, and lily bulb. These sweet and mild herbs fit perfectly in a smoothie and provide additional fiber, protein, and natural sweetness. I love having this smoothie on a summer afternoon!