The health benefits of papaya include better digestion, relief from a toothache, improvement in the immune system and the promotion of better heart health. Papaya also is known as pawpaw, pawpaw or papaw is also believed to prevent cancer. Papaya, also known as Carica Papaya, is commercially famous for its high nutritive and medicinal value.
Papaya
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, is 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.
Promotes 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 fight 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, psori
Improves 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.
Reduces Acne and Burns
The latex obtained from papayas is used to treat the areas on the skin affected by acne. The fleshy side of the papaya skin can be used as a mask to cure acne. A diet that includes papayas will help to cure the conditions internally, making the skin clear. Also, when the latex is applied to 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 eyesight 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).
Regulates 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.
Improves Immunity
Papaya consumption has also been linked to improvement in the immune system of the body. Research conducted by Hiramoto, Imao, Sato, Inoue, and Mori from Japan is 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.
Papaya Flowers & Leaves Benefits
Now that we are all aware of the health benefits of papaya. But not many of us know that the flowers and leaves of papaya are equally healthy and are known for their miraculous health benefits.
Papaya flower has a very high nutritional value. These flowers have been used to control a number of ailments by our forefathers. After the consumption of flowers, a significant change has been seen in the levels of insulin in diabetic patients. These flowers can stabilize high blood pressure; prevent heart diseases and many other ailments. After the consumption of the flowers, patients noticed a remarkable improvement in themselves. It is beneficial to include papaya flowers in diet occasionally to avail of its benefits especially those who have health problems.
The male papaya flower is used for consumption as it is high in nutritional value. Though they have bitter taste still there are a variety of recipes that are being cooked deliciously and eaten as vegetable and side dishes. The bitterness is often reduced by soaking them in tamarind water, saltwater or cooked along with cassava leaves.
Benefits of Papaya Flowers:
- The first and foremost, the benefit of these flowers is to control blood sugar levels in diabetic patients.
- These flowers contain Vitamin A, C, E and folate with anti-oxidant properties that prevent cholesterol and oxidation.
- Extracts from the flowers mixed with honey are used to treat respiratory problems such as cough and hoarseness of throat.
- A concoction is prepared by pouring a glass of hot water over a handful of flowers and then a spoon full of honey is added. After cooling one spoonful, it is administered three or four times a day. This gives instant relief.
Benefits of Papaya Leaves:
- These leaves have been a sought after commodity for dengue patients.
- In recent times during the outbreak of dengue the pulp of the leaves helps regenerate white blood cells and platelets, normalize the clotting and repairs the liver.
- Papaya leaves are found to have the properties to cure malaria as well.
- The leaf is crushed and used as poultice to relieve pain and inflammation associated with arthritis and rheumatism.
- The dried leaves tea or decoction is used to treat digestive problems.
- The leaf extract is one of the main ingredients in anti-dandruff shampoos that are meant to control flakes and dandruff.
- The extract is used as the skin cleansing agent and promotes skin health.