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Fruits
like papaya immensely benefit your body. Papaya is a natural source of
vitamins and minerals that are essential for the normal functioning of
the body. It is famous for the luscious taste and sunlit color of the
tropics and has many health benefits. Papaya can be eaten as a fruit, a
smoothie, a milkshake, and as a vegetable in raw form. Papaya, a
cerise-orange colored juicy fruit is not only fragrant and delicious but
also very healthy. Papaya has been famous for hundreds of years and it
was once called the “fruit of the angels” by Christopher Columbus.
Latex derived from the raw fruit is used as a meat tenderizer and is
also used in the manufacturing of several cosmetic, skin, and beauty
products, as well as certain chewing gums. They are available for
consumption throughout the year.
The whole fruit, including other parts of the papaya tree, are
beneficial to health in several ways. An enzyme called papain is present
in the fruit which helps in the digestion of proteins. Papaya in raw
form contains this enzyme, which is used in the preparation of dietary
supplements and chewing gums.
Papaya is rich in antioxidant nutrients such as carotenes, flavonoids
and vitamin C, as well as vitamin B (folate and pantothenic acid). It is
also a good source of fiber and minerals such as magnesium. Together,
these nutrients help to improve cardiovascular health and protect
against colon cancer.
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.
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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 for 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, sores, wounds and ulcers .
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.
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 become degenerated 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, the presence of beta-carotene is known to be
effective in reducing the effect of macular degeneration as well.
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 to 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).
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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.
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.
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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
fruit 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.
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