Papaya is a fruit very commonly found in our country. India is the largest exporter of Papayas, even though they originated from Mexico. The fruit is not less than a miracle due to the many health benefits and uses of papaya available.
There are a variety of ways that papayas can be consumed; you will find that there are a plethora of papaya recipes over the internet. Raw papayas are cooked as vegetables, grated to form pickles and pastes, added to meat as tenderizing agents in non-vegetarian dishes when consumed directly. The juice of raw papaya benefits the skin and hair as a nourishing mask. When papayas are ripened, the tasty fruit can be cut into bite-sized pieces and mixed in fruit salads, and are also used for making jams and jellies. Mashed ripe papaya pulp also can be applied to the skin and hair to restore moisture during winters.
Written below is everything you need to know about the health benefits of papaya.
Table Of Contents:
Nutritional Profile Of Papaya
The scientific name of papaya is Carica papaya. Papayas consist of an enzyme called pepsin. The fruit is rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, C, E and minerals like phosphorus, iron, potassium, copper, manganese, calcium, and magnesium. The papayas nutritional value is high due to the presence of bioflavonoid and antioxidants as well. There are very few calories in papaya.
Top 25 Health Benefits Of Papaya
Papayas are great for your health! Here we have listed the top 25 papaya health benefits when the fruit is consumed in moderation.
1. Good For Expecting Mothers To Be: One of the most important yet controversial benefits of papaya is dedicated for the pregnant moms-to-be. The nutrition value of papaya includes vitamin A, C, E and folate, all of which help the pregnant woman have healthier digestion. Papaya battles a heartburn and acidity as well as promotes the healthy growth of the foetus. But eating too much of papaya in pregnancy, especially the raw ones can be harmful.
[Read more: Is It Safe For You To Eat Papaya During Pregnancy?]
2. Helps Relax Menstrual Contractions: Papaya benefits women going through the painful menstrual cramps. The papain enzyme present in papaya helps ease blood flow and promote the release of estrogen in the body to ease cramps.
3. Helps In Muscle Tissue Renewal: The protein and carbohydrates found in the papaya fruit benefit the muscle formation in your body. Papaya milk promotes muscle regeneration and boosts your strength.
4. Aids Weight Loss: There are only 43 calories in papaya worth 100 grams, which makes it the healthiest snack to promote weight loss. The fibre will make you feel full for longer and avoid unnecessary junk foods.
5. Reduce Inflammation In The Lungs: Bouts of coughing as well as inflammation of the lungs of smokers can be soothed by drinking a glass of fresh papaya juice.
6. Treatment For Piles: Piles are caused due to haemorrhoids, that are swollen veins in around the rectum or anus and often bleed. The health benefits of papaya are also seen in soothing the inflamed veins and promoting them to heal quickly, effectively providing relief from piles.
7. Promotes Cardiovascular Health: Your heart will thank you for eating papaya often. Being one of the healthiest fruits, the vitamin A and C present in papaya benefits the heart by not letting the cholesterol to clog the blood vessels of the heart.
8. Prevents Macular Degeneration: Macular degeneration is the gradual loss of vision and usually affects the aged. Papaya benefits your eyes by promoting and prolonging healthy eyesight. The antioxidant called zeaxanthin filters out rays that cause harm to the retinas. Also, the vitamin A and flavonoids like beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin, and lutein keep the eyes’ mucous membrane healthy.
9. Boosts Overall Immunity: Rich in antioxidants, papayas help to remove free radicals from your body, hence boosting your immunity.
10.Helps Increase Blood Platelet Count: For people suffering from diseases such as dengue fever, papaya leaf juice or papaya juice can help them recover their platelet count swiftly. Daily dosages of two tablespoons of papaya juice benefit the patient immensely.
11. Keeps Your Blood Pressure Under Control: Consuming high levels of sodium and leading stressful lives is one of the reasons for high blood pressure. Potassium found in papaya benefits you as it counteracts the sodium, and keeps a healthy amount of potassium needed by your body to keep its blood pressure normal.
12. Good For Babies: Papaya fruit benefits babies as well. It is one of the first edibles introduced to infants once they’re 8-9 months old. Papayas keep their digestion healthy and the baby happy.
13. Anti-carcinogenic Properties: Papaya seeds (yes, the tiny black seeds that we throw away) also possess many health benefits, Who knew right? Papaya seeds are a rich source of flavonoids and antioxidants that help to eliminate cancerous cells in their early stages.
14. Prevents The Onset Of Arthritis: Another papaya health benefits is that this amazing fruit keeps the inflammation of joints at bay, promote bone health and hence prevent you from developing arthritis.
15. Treatment For Ringworm: The carotene present in papaya milk battles the itchiness and redness caused by ringworms, slowly eradicating it from the body.
16. Helps Increase Lactation Among New Mothers: Raw papaya is a known galactagogue- an agent that increases lactation in the mammary glands. They also help as a sedation agent and let you relax while you feed your baby.
17. Promotes Activation Of Growth Hormones: Consuming dried papaya is good for your endocrine glands and encourages the production of arginine in your body. Arginine is an essential amino acid that promotes the circulation of human growth hormones to accelerate bone and muscle growth, skin and liver regeneration as well as quick multiplication of cells.
18. Treats Gout: Gout is a disease that is caused due to the crystallization of excessive uric acid in the bloodstream. This leads to inflamed and painful joints. Serving gout patients papaya benefits their joint pain; the papain enzyme is known for its anti-inflammatory properties.
19. Helps To Reduce Mental Stress: Vitamin C and antioxidants play an important role when it comes to battling stress. A plateful of papaya benefits you to stay relaxed and free of anxiety.
20. Good For Diabetic Patients: The papaya fruit benefits diabetics immensely. If consumed in moderation, it can help to keep your blood sugar levels normal.
21. Heals Wounds Faster: The health benefits of papayas to heal wounds are remarkable. Applying crushed papaya seeds to a wound can help them heal faster with their antiseptic properties. Applying the juice of a raw papaya to a puss infected or swollen wound also helps to heal it quicker.
22. Organic Birth Control: Papaya fruit and seeds have been used by Indians and some Southeast Asians as a form of birth control. Consuming large parts of papaya and seeds is said to avoid pregnancy among women.
23. Aids Healthy Digestion: One of the biggest health benefits of eating papaya is that your stomach is always happy when it comes to proper digestion. The papain and enzymes help to break down proteins and fibre, which in turn aid good bowel function.
24. Eases Nausea And Motion Sickness Issues: Papaya fruits contain vitamin C, E and folate that are beneficial for pregnant women who battle nausea as well as people who suffer from motion sickness. A small serving is highly recommended.
25. Get Glowing Skin: If you’re wondering about papaya benefits for skin, let us tell you that papayas are known to reduce tans and pigmentation. They also help you get soft, glowing skin because of the nourishment it provides.
Side-effects Of Papaya:
There are a few side-effects of papaya that have been observed in a lot of people. If you show any symptoms of discomfort after consuming the fruit, please refrain from eating it again till you consult your physician.
1. Digestive Issues: You can have a variety of digestive side-effects of papayas if you overeat them. The papain, latex and excessive fibre can all cause your stomach to get upset.
2. Unsafe For Infants: The excessive fibre present in papayas may cause loose stools to infants below one year of age.
3. May Cause Kidney Stones: Papaya’s nutrition chart has a significant amount of vitamin C, which is known to cause toxicity and stone formation in the kidneys issues when finding in a large amount in the body.
4. Interacts With Medication: The enzymes in papaya are known to interfere with warfarin which is a medicine used to slow blood clotting.
5. May Cause Miscarriage: Eating too much of papaya in pregnancy can be fatal for the health of your health and that of the foetus. The fruit is extremely heaty and suppresses the production of the hormone progesterone. Papain also may cause damage to the linings formed in the uterus.
Both ripe papaya and raw papaya have their own health benefits, making them very popular in every household. Looking at these benefits, we are not surprised at all!