PAPAYA and its benefits

PAPAYA

Papaya cut into sections

PAPAYA diced

Native to Mexico, papaya is now grown in several countries including Malaysia, the Philippines and India. The fruit was called the ‘fruit of the angels’ by Christopher Columbus. It is one of the popular fruits as it is rich in medicinal value and nutritive properties. It contains vitamins and mineral required for normal body functioning. This orange coloured fruit is delicious and can be eaten as it is or in the form of juice, milkshake or smoothie. Raw papaya is used in India as a vegetable. it is not just flavoursome but also has many health benefits. Here is a list of health benefits of papaya.

Better Digestive Health:  Papayas are commonly used to aid digestion. The presence of papain, a digestive super enzyme, improves digestion by breaking down proteins and also cleanses the digestive tract. This ensures a reduced conversion of protein into body fat. If the protein in our diet is not digested properly, it may cause arthritis, constipation, diabetes, high blood pressure and other related health conditions.

Weight Loss: Papayas are also good for people who are trying to lose weight naturally. Having a bowl full of papaya as a mid-evening or mid-morning snack is good for health.

Prevents Infections: Papayas are effective in killing intestinal worms, thereby avoiding infections and complications associated with them.

Relief from Toothaches:  A paste of fresh papaya roots can be massaged onto the teeth and gums to give relief from toothaches. The bark of the tree, primarily the inner bark, is also an excellent remedy. (Somonsohn, 2002).

Anticancer Properties: Researchers have discovered that papayas are effective against breast, pancreatic and other cancers. A papaya leaf extract obtained from dried leaves produced anti-carcinogenic effects against tumor cells that were grown in the laboratory. It was observed in a study conducted by a University of Florida researcher Nam Dang, and his colleagues in Japan, that the effects were stronger when the cells were given larger doses of tea. The scientists exposed different types of cancer-affected cells to different papaya leaf extracts and found that the growth of tumors had slowed down in all the cultures. The fruit has gained credibility and has been used in many western medicines for its anticancer powers.

Skin Care: Papayas can be great revitalizing agents, which is why they are used in many cosmetics. Also, papayas are used in homemade face masks by many women. Papain kills dead cells and purifies the skin. The beneficial properties and the healing enzymes present in papayas help treat sunburn and irritated skin. A good facial massage using papayas is good for the skin and removes the dead cells. If you are a person who spends most of their time outdoors, then papayas can be a great help, as papayas fights free radicals that age your skin. The peels of papayas are also used to rub on the face and hands for healthy skin; it will work wonders for your skin.  Papayas are also used to treat skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis

Improved Heart Health: The seeds of papayas are good for a healthy heart. Having three powerful antioxidant vitamins, namely vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E, means that papayas are helpful in preventing problems such as atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease. The presence of pro- carotenoid phytonutrients helps prevent oxidization of the cholesterol in the body. When oxidation of cholesterol takes place, it sticks to the walls of the blood vessels and forms plaque that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Vitamin E and vitamin C obtained from papayas will help in preventing the cholesterol from sticking to the walls, thereby keeping your heart healthy. As a good source of fiber, papayas also helps to reduce the cholesterol levels in the body. Include papayas in your daily diet as a mid-evening snack to keep your heart young. It also helps in treating sores, wounds and ulcers .

Reduce Acne and Burns: The latex obtained from papayas is used to treat the areas on the skin affected with acne.  The fleshy side of the papaya skin can be used as a mask to cure acne. A diet which includes papayas will help to cure the conditions internally, making the skin clear. Also, when the latex is applied on the burnt area, it helps in reducing the marks caused due to the burn.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects: The enzymes present in papayas, especially the papain and chymopapain, reduce the inflammation in different parts of the body.

Papaya for Macular Degeneration: Macular degeneration is a disease of the eye. In this condition, the ocular cells degenerate, which results in blurred vision and can cause blindness as well. This is an age–related illness and adding papayas to the diet is beneficial for reducing the risk of developing macular degeneration. An antioxidant named beta-carotene gives color to the papaya. Just as carrots help to improve the eye sight due to the presence of beta-carotene, it is also known to be effective in reducing the effect of macular degeneration. According to a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, the consumption of 3 or more servings of fruit on a daily basis day may lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).

Treating Constipation: The presence of folate, vitamin C and vitamin E in papayas reduces motion sickness by producing a tonic effect in the stomach and in the intestines. Papaya juice and the ripened form of papaya also help aid digestion. The fiber obtained from the fruit helps to increase bowel movements. Improved bowel movements help to ease the passage of stool, thereby reducing the effects of constipation (Pinoy B. 2010).

Menstruation: Papaya juice can be of great help for women with irregular periods. Consumption of green, unripe papayas can also normalize the irregularity in the periodic cycle. Papayas are considered as a ‘hot food’, meaning that it produces heat in the body. This excessive production of heat in the body stimulates the estrogen hormone. This induces periods in the females. Hence, papayas can be beneficial to handle difficult periods.

Arthritis: Papayas have been known to be effective against rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. One of the enzymes found in papayas, called chemopapain, has a significant effect on controlling rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Improved Immunity: Papaya consumption has also been linked to improvement in the immunity system of the body. Research conducted by Hiramoto, Imao, Sato, Inoue, and Mori from Japan is a proof that the antioxidants present in papaya play an important role in improving the immunity system of people.

Flowers and roots of the plant have been proven to be beneficial against jaundice, bronchitis, kidney colic and other illnesses.

Asthma prevention: The risks for developing asthama are lower in people who consume a high amount of certain nutrients. One of these nutrients is beta-carotene, contained in foods like papaya, apricots, broccoli, cantaloupe, pumpkin and carrots.

Some Side Effects of Papayas

Consumption of papaya in normal dietary amounts is recognized as safe by FDA. However, there are a certain side effects of consuming papaya.

Papaya is Harmful For Pregnant Women: Papaya is classified as being harmful during pregnancy. It is considered as a ‘hot’ fruit. Latex, present in high concentrations in raw and semi-ripe papayas, causes uterine contractions which might lead to abortions. Avoid eating raw papaya if you are pregnant.

Gastrointestinal Irritation: Consuming large quantities of papaya can cause a powerful laxative effect in the intestines. Avoid eating large quantities of papaya, especially if it is in its raw form. Unripe or raw papaya can cause pain in the intestines or stomach, and can sometimes cause esophageal perforations.

Seeds: The black seeds of the papaya contain traces of an enzyme called carpine, which is a potentially toxic substance. According to the International BioPark Foundation’s information about Medicinal Plants of the Peruvian Amazon, this enzyme can make the nerve centers numb, which could lead to paralysis or cardiac depression. In some cases, the narrowing of blood vessels is also seen, which is the caused due to Carpine or carparine.

Quick Tips to Enjoy Papayas:

Pieces of papaya, when soaked with a bit of lemon juice and honey is an absolute treat for the taste buds.

Blend papayas, strawberries and yogurt for a cold soup treat.

Add a slice of papaya to fresh fruit salad and have it as a snack.

Have a bowl of fresh ripe papaya along with your breakfast to add calories that you require for the day.

Nutritional breakdown of papaya

One medium papaya has approximately 120 calories, 30 grams of carbohydrate (including 5 grams of fiber and 18 grams of sugar) and 2 grams of protein.

Papayas are an excellent source of vitamin C and one single medium fruit provides 224% of your daily needs. Papayas are a good source of folate, vitamin A, magnesium, copper, pantothenic acid and fiber. They also have B vitamins, alpha and beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthan, vitamin E, calcium, potassium, vitamin K and lycopene, the powerful antioxidant most commonly associated with tomatoes.

NOTE : I have taken the content about Papaya benefits from third party web sites and shared on my web page as I am making a collection of such useful information for future reference as this is one of the purpose of my page. I thank the original writers for using their content here. However, the pictures shared of the fruit, Papaya were photographed by me and is my work.