Canned papaya in heavy syrup has 206 kcal per 100 g. The highest-calorie canned fruit entry — the dense syrup nearly quintuples fresh papaya calories (43 kcal). An extreme example of syrup impact.
How should I track Papaya, canned, heavy syrup, drained?
When tracking Papaya, canned, heavy syrup, drained, weigh the edible portion — after peeling, coring, or removing seeds. The part you throw away does not count, but it can make up 20–40% of the total weight depending on the fruit. A systematic review (Whitton et al., Adv Nutr 2022) found that fruits are among the most commonly misestimated food groups. One more thing to watch: fresh and dried versions have very different calorie density. A handful of dried fruit can have the same calories as a whole bowl of fresh — always double-check which form you are logging.