Papayas : Health benefits, Nutrition facts & information
Scientific name : Carica papaya
Hindi name : Papita
Find Out : Why should we eat papaya regularly ?
Health benefits
What health benefits are associated with eating papaya?
Papaya has amazingly huge health benefits. Let’s take a look at the possible health benefits of papaya :
1. Protects from Age-related macular degeneration
- The antioxidant zeaxanthin, found in papaya, filters out harmful blue light rays and is thought to play a protective role in eye health and possibly ward off damage from macular degeneration.
2. Cancer Prevention
3. Prevention of asthma
- Due to their well-known therapeutic value, grapes can be used as a cure for asthma.
4. 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.
5. Maintenance of bone health
6. Healthy glowing skin & wound healing
- The powerful antioxidants in papaya can help your skin recover from sun damage and may defend against wrinkling.
- When used topically, mashed papaya appears to be beneficial for promoting wound healing and preventing infection of burned areas.
- Papayas can be great revitalizing agents, which is why they are used in many cosmetics.
7. Aids hair growth
- Papaya is also great for your hair because it contains vitamin A, a nutrient required for sebum production that keeps hair moisturized. Vitamin A is also necessary for the growth of all bodily tissues, including skin and hair.
8. Supports Heart health
- The fiber, potassium and vitamin content in papaya all help to ward off heart disease. Papaya’s high vitamin C and lycopene content can improve heart health and may reduce the risk of heart disease.
9. Aids digestion and helps in constipation
- Papayas contain an enzyme called papain that aids in digestion and can also be used as a meat tenderizer.
Papaya is also high in fiber and water content, both of which help to prevent constipation and promote regularity and a healthy digestive tract.
10. Managing diabetes
11. Prevents Infections
- Papayas are effective for killing intestinal worms, thereby avoiding infections and complications associated with them.
12. Relief from Toothaches
- A paste of fresh papaya roots can be massaged onto the teeth and gums to give relief from toothaches.
13. Antinflammatory activity
- Chronic inflammation is at the root of many diseases. Papayas are very high in carotenoids that can reduce inflammation.
- The enzymes present in papayas, especially the papain and chymopapain, reduce the inflammation in different parts of the body.
14. Menstruation regularity
- Papaya juice can be of great help for women with irregular periods.
15. Boosts Immune System
16. Arthritis control
- 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.
Nutrition facts & information
Papaya (fruit of the angels) contain the following important nutrients:
- Antioxidants like Vitamin C, flavonoids, carotenes
- Vitamin A & E
- B-complex vitamins (folate, pantothenic acid, Niacin, Pyridoxine, Thiamin)
- Phyto-nutrients (phyto-chemicals) like flavonoids, Carotene-ß, Crypto-xanthin-ß, Lutein-zeaxanthin
- Dietary fiber
- Minerals such as potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium .
Possible health risks of papaya
Consumption of papaya in normal dietary amounts is recognized as safe by FDA. However, there are a certain side effects of consuming papaya.
- Papaya is Harmful For Pregnant Women : Papaya is classified as being harmful during pregnancy. It is considered as a ‘hot’ fruit. Latex, present in high concentrations in raw and semi-ripe papayas, causes uterine contractions which might lead to abortions. Avoid eating raw papaya if you are pregnant.
- Gastrointestinal Irritation : Consuming large quantities of papaya can cause a powerful laxative effect in the intestines. Avoid eating large quantities of papaya, especially if it is in its raw form. Unripe or raw fruit can cause pain in the intestines or stomach, and can sometimes cause esophageal perforations.
- Seeds : The black seeds of the papaya contain traces of an enzyme called carpine, which is a potentially toxic substance. According to the International BioPark Foundation’s information about Medicinal Plants of the Peruvian Amazon, this enzyme can make the nerve centers numb, which could lead to paralysis or cardiac depression. In some cases, the narrowing of blood vessels is also seen, which is the caused due to Carpine or carparine.
