Papaya is good for health. It is a cerise-orange colored type of juicy fruit and is very healthy to eat. It contains a lot of vitamins and minerals and can be made in the form of a milkshake, a smoothie or as a vegetable in several recipes. One can get Latex from the raw papaya fruit which 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.
Papaya carotenes, flavonoids as well as vitamin C, as well as vitamin B (folate and pantothenic acid). It contains a lot of fiber and minerals such as magnesium. These help in protecting one from colon cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
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What are the health benefits of Papaya?
The health benefits of papaya include:
- Papaya helps in digestion
- It promotes weight loss
- It regulates menstruation
- It prevents infections
- It provides relief from a toothache
- It has anticancer properties
- It helps in skin care
- It improves heart health
- Papaya reduces the symptoms of acne and burns
- It has anti-inflammatory effects
- Papaya is good for macular degeneration
- It helps in treats constipation
- It helps prevent arthritis
- It improves immunity
Aids in Digestion
Papayas are much in use for proper digestion. Papain, a digestive enzyme that is present in the fruit does improve digestion by breaking down the proteins and also does cleanse the digestive tract. This also does ensure a reduced conversion of protein into one’s body fat. The protein in one’s diet has to be properly digested as it could cause arthritis, constipation, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other related health diseases.
Also Read: Papaya Seeds
Weight Loss
Papayas are beneficial for those trying to lose weight. One can have a bowl full of papaya as a mid-evening or mid-morning snack which is good for health.
Prevents Infections
Papayas are helpful in getting rid of intestinal worms and it helps in avoiding infections as well as complications that are associated with them.
Relieves Toothache
One can rub a paste of fresh papaya roots onto one’s teeth and gums to get relief from nagging toothaches. The bark of the tree is used as a remedy for tooth problems.
Anticancer Properties
Papaya is effective against breast, pancreatic as well as other cancers. A papaya leaf extract that has been obtained from dried leaves does produce anti-carcinogenic effects against tumor cells. The growth of tumors tends to slow down.
Skin Care
Papayas can be used in many cosmetics applications as for example homemade face masks used by many women. The papain gets rid of dead cells and also purifies the skin. The beneficial properties and the healing enzymes that are present in papaya do help in treating sunburn and irritate skin. A good facial massage helps in removing dead cells. Free radicals are prevented and this is useful for those who move outdoors. Papayas are made use of to treat skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis, etc.
Improves Heart Health
The seeds of papayas are beneficial for a healthy heart as they contain three powerful antioxidant vitamins such s vitamin A, C as well as E. These vitamins are also useful in preventing atherosclerosis and diabetic heart diseases.
Reduces Acne & Burns
The latex that is 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 which includes papayas will help cure the condition internally, making the skin clear. Got a burn? Use papaya. When the latex from the fruit is applied on 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.
Treats Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is of course disease of the eye which results in blurred vision and can also cause blindness as well. Papaya is good for curing this health condition. It prevents it.
Treats Constipation
The presence of folate, vitamin C, and vitamin E in papaya helps reduce motion sickness as it produces a tonic effect in one’s stomach and in one’s intestines. It helps in indigestion. The fiber in it helps increase one’s bowel movements. Improved bowel movement does help ease the passage of stool, thus lessening the effects of constipation.
Regulates Menstruation
Papaya juice is useful in treating irregular menses. Consuming green, unripe papayas can indeed normalize the irregularity in a periodic cycle. Papayas produce heat in the body which stimulates the estrogen hormone. Thus periods are induced among females
Prevents Arthritis
Papayas are effective against rheumatoid arthritis as well as osteoarthritis. One of the enzymes found in papayas is referred to chymopapain and helps in controlling rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Improves Immunity
Papaya consumption improves the immune system of the body. The antioxidants that are present in papaya do play an important role in improving the immunity of people.
Flowers and roots of the plant are very beneficial against jaundice, bronchitis, kidney colic, and other illnesses.