Papayas are one of the most commonly consumed tropical fruits around the world. This fruit has a unique taste that makes it an excellent addition to salads or desserts but it can also be eaten raw or cooked in stews and stir-fries. Come to think about it, there are so many different benefits that you’ve never heard about papaya fruit!
Did You Know?:Florida and Hawaii are the only US states that grow papaya.
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Papaya Benefits
Papaya is amazing for boosting health. It strengthens the immune system by fighting infections such as influenza and colds. This fruit is often overlooked when people discuss superfoods. However, it definitely shouldn’t be.
1. Loaded With Nutrients
Papaya is native to Central America, but today it’s widely grown in tropical regions around the whole world (1).
Papaya has a sweet flavor and a soft, juicy texture when ripe. They’re available year-round at many grocery stores and supermarkets, but they’re most abundant during late summer through early fall.
Papayas contain papain, an enzyme that helps digest protein (2). They also contain vitamins A, C, and E as well as potassium and folic acid (3).
The seeds from papaya plants have been used for centuries as an ingredient in traditional medicines to treat digestive problems such as heartburn and ulcers as well as fever, respiratory infections, and even malaria!
Summary:Papaya is known for containing a wide variety of nutrients, specifically vitamin A, C, E, and potassium and folic acid.
2. Improves Digestion
Papaya is known to promote regular bowel movements due to its laxative properties which aid digestion by helping break down food faster (4). Papain, an enzyme found naturally in papayas, can help break down proteins in food so they’re easier to digest (5). This may make it easier for you to pass stools naturally without resorting to laxatives or enemas.
Papaya is also a great source of fiber, which helps regulate your digestive system (6). Fiber helps prevent constipation, which can lead to hemorrhoids or diverticular disease. It can also reduce cholesterol levels by up to 10 percent (7).
However, taking large amounts of papain may cause diarrhea because it may stimulate your intestines too much. Your doctor can recommend whether or not this fruit might be helpful for you.
Papayas even act as diuretics. They help flush out excess fluid from your body by increasing urine production, keeping you hydrated at all times. This helps prevent bloating and water retention that can occur with other fruits such as bananas.
Summary:Two of the main nutrients including papain and fiber, can help promote digestion and prevent constipation, however should be eaten in moderation due to risk of diarrhea if it is consumed in excess.
3. Might Fight Inflammation
Papaya is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties (8). It has been used for centuries in India to treat ulcers, diarrhea and dysentery. Today, it is still used in popular medicine to treat inflammatory conditions like arthritis, asthma, bronchitis and urinary tract infections. The fruit can also be used to make cosmetics products like soaps and shampoos.
In a new study published in the journal Food and Function, researchers tested the anti-inflammatory properties of papaya on rats with rheumatoid arthritis. In the study, researchers found that rats treated with these anti-inflammatory properties showed signs of reduced inflammation in their joints and less joint damage.
However, more research will need to be done before we can say whether papaya is truly helpful in treating these conditions in humans.
Summary:Papaya contains anti-inflammatory properties that may help treat inflammatory conditions like arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, and urinary tract infections.
4. Improves Heart Health
Papaya contains vitamins A and C, which are essential to help prevent heart disease by reducing inflammation in the body (9, 10). These vitamins may also help prevent atherosclerosis which is the hardening of the arteries.
Atherosclerosis happens when cholesterol builds up on the walls of your arteries causing them to harden and narrow down over time. Since papaya contains a lot of antioxidants, it helps remove this buildup from your artery walls (11). Vitamin C is especially important as it helps prevent oxidation of low-density lipoprotein, which is one of the causes of atherosclerosis (12).
One study recruited 45 adults aged 45 years old or older who had been diagnosed with high blood pressure and had been taking medication for it for at least three months. The participants were randomly assigned a low-fat diet, a low-carbohydrate diet, or a low-carbohydrate diet supplemented with half a papaya per day.
Researchers then found that eating half a papaya every day for three months increased antioxidant levels in the blood and decreased high blood pressure.
Summary:Papaya contains vitamin A and C, which have been shown to prevent atherosclerosis and lower blood pressure, promoting overall heart health.
5. Has Anticancer Properties
The number of antioxidants in papaya help to protect cells from the effects of free radicals (13). This can prevent them from becoming damaged and developing into cancerous cells.
Papain in the papaya is believed to be responsible for the anticancer properties of the fruit. It works by breaking down proteins in the body, including those that form a barrier between healthy cells and cancerous cells.
Papaya has been shown to be effective against prostate cancer, breast cancer, stomach cancer, and colon cancer (14). It can also help with conditions such as arthritis or diabetes by reducing inflammation in the body.
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that eating papaya daily helped prevent stomach ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori which is a type of bacteria that can cause ulcers and stomach cancer.
Summary:The antioxidants in papaya have been suggested to be effective against prostate cancer, breast cancer, stomach cancer, and colon cancer.
6. Protects Against Skin Damage
Studies found that papain in papayas is used as a meat tenderizer and also to clean cuts and scrapes (15). One of its functions is to break down proteins into smaller pieces. This study showed that not only does it do this for meat and cuts, but also for collagen in the skin.
Collagen is a protein found in connective tissue such as tendons, ligaments, cartilage, bone, and skin (16). It gives strength and elasticity to the body’s tissues. As we age, collagen breaks down causing wrinkles and loss of skin elasticity. The more wrinkles you have the faster your body breaks down collagen which leads to even more wrinkles!
Researchers tested the effects of papain on human skin cells taken from hair follicles. They observed it under a microscope to see if it could break down collagen fibers in these cells. They found that when they added papain to these cells it broke down their collagen fibers. This might prove that papaya might even have anti-aging properties!
Summary:The papain in papayas are an enzyme that has been used as a meat tenderizer and has been suggested to have anti-aging properties because of its ability to break down collagen fibers.
7. Has Powerful Antioxidant Effects
Papaya contains vitamins C, A, and E, as well as beta-carotene, all of which are antioxidants that help protect your body against free-radical damage (17). These compounds help fight against the development of many serious diseases.
Vitamin C strengthens your immune system and helps your body absorb iron from plant foods like spinach, broccoli, and other green leafy vegetables (18). It may also help prevent age-related macular degeneration which is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults.
The polyphenol compounds in papaya are strong antioxidants that may help prevent cellular damage. They also help protect against DNA damage that can lead to cancer development.
Summary:Papaya contains vitamins C, A, E which has antioxidant properties like strengthening the immune system, protecting against DNA damage, and preventing age-related macular degeneration.
8. Stimulates Hair Growth
The papain in papaya is thought to be able to help treat hair loss. According to some studies, topical application of papain has been shown to stimulate hair growth in mice and rats. However, there are no human studies to support this claim.
Papaya contains several vitamins and minerals essential for healthy hair growth, including vitamin A, vitamin C, and iron (19). Vitamin A helps keep your scalp healthy by moisturizing it and promoting the production of sebum, a natural oil that keeps your scalp clean and free from dandruff.
Iron is a component of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen from your lungs throughout your body (20). Oxygenated blood is necessary for maximum hair growth because it carries nutrients to each individual strand of hair, as well as removes waste products from the follicle itself.
Papaya also contains vitamin B9, which plays a role in DNA synthesis and cell division. These are both important processes for healthy hair development.
Summary:Papain in papaya has been studied for its potential to treat hair loss and promote a healthy scalp.
9. Helps Reduce Stress
As we get older, we are more prone to stress. Stress can be caused by a variety of factors from work and family issues and even our finances. As a result, many people are looking for ways to reduce their stress levels. One way to do this is by eating papaya!
In fact, papaya is one of the best foods that you can eat when you’re feeling stressed out. Studies have shown that people that consume papayas have lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and feel less anxious and depressed than those with higher levels of cortisol. If you’re looking for a way to calm down after a stressful day at work, try adding more papayas to your diet!
Summary:Research suggested that people who consume papayas have lower cortisol levels which means lower stress levels.
Conclusion
The health benefits of papaya are plentiful and extend far beyond it being a great source of enzymes. Of course, we’re not saying that papaya can replace your daily multivitamin. No fruit or vegetable can do that.
It does however have many properties that help fight certain types of cancers and aids with digestive trouble, which makes it a healthy fruit to include in your diet. So, the next time you have a craving for something sweet, don’t hesitate to reach for that delicious papaya fruit!