Cooking con Omi: A Love Letter to Puerto Rican Home Cooking author Omi Hopper loves the classic batida de lechosa, but since "it's too much sugar to have on a regular basis" she created a healthier version with less sugar. Hopper uses dates and mango chunks, which she says can be swapped out for any tropical fruit, instead of sugar to sweeten her papaya smoothie. "When I drink this smoothie, I still enjoy a burst of flavors from home, and I feel great knowing it’s good for me," Hopper writes.