10 Benefits of Papaya
The papaya, also referred to as pawpaw by those in tropical regions in which it grows, is a delicious fruit that’s known for its creamy texture and its sweet, bright orange flesh. The papaya is also known for the numerous health benefits that one can experience when eating the fruit on a regular basis.
Papaya has been attributed to helping people manage their weight, enhance the health of their skin and their hearts, and to boost the immune system – among other things. One would think that these benefits would all be the result of some unpleasant tasting medication, but no! Papaya is one of the sweetest and most delicious fruits around.
You can find papayas in your grocery store for most of the year, imported from various areas. It’s best to get your papaya during their peak season, which is early summer and fall, because they will be richer in flavor and nutrition. Today we’re going to outline some of the most prominent health benefits that you can expect to see if you’re consuming papaya on a regular basis.
Papaya Benefit #1: Enhances Digestion
Folk medicine in the regions where papaya grows often use it as a digestive aid. The soft, creamy texture of the fruit makes it ideal for consumption if a person has an upset stomach and can be a great way to deliver nutrition to someone who is sick.
Not only that, but the papaya contains a unique enzyme known as papain. This is an impressive enzyme in regard to digestion. It helps the body break down proteins and also helps to detoxify the digestive tract and remove any digestive residue.
Papaya Benefit #2: Managing Weight
Papaya has been used as a great food for helping people manage their weight for a number of reasons. First off, papain, the digestive enzyme, is included in some weight loss supplements because it helps bolster the digestion and ensure that nutrients can be easily absorbed by cleansing out the digestive tract.
Other than that, papayas are loaded with fiber and nutrients on their own. Fibre is important for anyone hoping to lose weight because it helps to fill up the stomach. A meal with no fiber might leave a person feeling hungry within an hour or two, which can lead to overeating.
Papaya Benefit #3: Fighting Infections
There is some evidence that suggests that the papaya is good at fighting off infections, particularly fighting off intestinal worms.
Intestinal worms can lead to a number of problems like infections, nutritional deficiencies and illness.
Papaya Benefit #4: Prevents Cancer
Studies have been done specifically on papaya that have revealed it to be effective at fighting off multiple different types of cancer. The most well-studied varieties of cancer that the fruit is known to fight include breast cancer and pancreatic cancer.
During these studies, extracts of the papaya plant were made from the dried leaves. These extracts were shown to fight the carcinogens that were causing cancer and to slow the cells of tumours that were being made in a laboratory.
The results were further enhanced when the cancerous cells were given papaya leaf tea, as well, suggesting that the leaf and its extracts have very powerful anti-cancer effects.
Papaya Benefit #5: Enhances Skin Health
Papaya is known to be one of the best plants to help people manage the health of their skin. Papaya is actually included in quite a large number of different cosmetics and skin care products because the unique properties of the plant make it ideal for nourishing and strengthening the skin.
Papain, the active enzyme that we discussed earlier, is known for helping get rid of dead skin cells, thus purifying the top layer of the skin. There are also a number of antioxidants and healing nutrients found in the papaya that encourage healthy skin. You can use papaya on its own to help strengthen and nourish your skin by simply making a facial wash with some of the fresh fruit.
Papaya Benefit #6: Enhancing Heart Health
Another thing that papaya is well-known for is enhancing the health of the heart. The seeds, which are often discarded, are actually the best part of the plant in regard to its ability to improve heart health.
In addition to the seeds, the flesh of the fruit itself contains a number of heart-healthy nutrients. It contains three of the strongest antioxidant vitamins – A, C, and E – all of which serve to fight oxidation in the cardiovascular system and other parts of the body.
Papaya Benefit #7: Reducing Acne
Interestingly enough, the flesh of the papaya fruit can actually be used to reduce the frequency of acne. You can simply use the inside of the skin after consuming the fruit as a skin mask by applying it directly to the area with acne.
If you eat a lot of papayas, the nutrients in the fruit can actually be useful to help eliminate the cause of acne on an internal level.
Papaya Benefit #8: Fighting Inflammation
Inflammation is a natural response that’s caused by our immune system. It’s supposed to help our body deal with dangerous things like illnesses or pathogens, like bacteria and viruses. Unfortunately, many environmental conditions can cause us to experience inflammation when it is not necessary. Chronic inflammation can cause health problems on its own.
That’s why foods like papaya are so great for our health. Two of the enzymes found in papaya, papain and chymopapain, have been shown to help fight inflammation in various areas in the human body. Papaya is an excellent fruit to include in a diet for anyone hoping to lower levels of inflammation.
Papaya Benefit #9: Enhances Eye Health
Carrots are often touted as being the best eye-healthy food, but it’s not just carrots that are good for the eyes. Most fruits and vegetables that are a bright orange or red contain the same eye-healthy nutrients as carrots – beta-carotene, one of the most important nutrients for restoring and maintaining health in our eyes.
Papaya, carrots, and other bright fruits have been shown to prevent the onset of macular degeneration, a condition that affects the macula in the eyeball and can lead to deteriorating vision.
Papaya Benefit #10: Stabilizes Menstrual Cycle
Papayas have been traditionally used to help restore stability to a woman’s menstrual cycle. The unripe variety of the fruit are particularly effective at doing this.
Papayas are considered to be highly warming foods and they help the body produce internal heat. This, in turn, helps to stimulate the body’s production of estrogen, the most prominent female sex hormone. This can help return a lady to a healthy menstrual cycle if hers has been out of balance.
