Perhaps, you have heard too much about papaya, but still haven’t started eating the fruit regularly! Maybe you have reasons, but I have my reasons as well to recommend eating the fruit very often. Here are the answers to your question about what are the benefits of papaya?
Papaya is one of the healthiest tropical fruits that is too tasty and easy to prep too. There are many Papaya addicts out there who really can’t do with their day without a bowl of freshly cut papaya cubes. On the contrary, there are others who still haven’t fallen in love with the orange-delight, I bet – you ‘will’, by the end of reading this article.
This article talks about what are the benefits of papaya and the complete range of nutrients contained in the tangy fruit.
Papaya – the hero of fruits, especially among children
While children have grapes, mangoes, bananas, and more to be fond of, papaya is even more special for it is too sweet in taste and slides down the food pipe unhindered. And of course, mums often love to serve the fruit to kids as it acts as an energy booster altogether.
Why is papaya the best? There is an element called Papain in the fruit which makes it super-healthy and best in nature among all fruits.
Table of Contents
What are the benefits of papaya?
Let’s quickly check out the benefits for papaya in the below:
1. Improves Digestion – the key benefit you reap
Whether or not you believe, papaya is a magical fruit that aids in the process of digestion. Papain found in papaya helps in breaking down protein from your food intake. Hence, obviously, for those who suffer with prolonged indigestion problems, papaya comes handy as the most natural and organic remedy. In addition, the fruit is rich with fiber and water content which altogether makes it ideal for boosting your system’s digestive processes.
The benefits for papaya is also inclusive of making your bowel movements smooth and relieving you off the morning troubles. It further subsides conditions like irritable bowel syndrome. Ultimately, regular consumption of the fruit can evidently show improvement in constipation and bloating troubles.
2. Natural cleanser
Who wants a healthy, glowing skin? There could be hardly anyone to not raise their hands!
Need glowing skin? You got to start eating papaya. The benefits of papaya is that it primarily works by removing impurities from your skin and cleanses your skin inside-out. With regular consumption of papaya, you are assured to have well-toned skin. The enzymes in your skin gets activated with papaya and it starts looking even more youthful.
Papaya is recommended for people suffering with problems of wrinkles and skin ageing as the fruit contains Vitamin C and lycopene. These two counteract the process of ageing and it further subsides redness in skin that results out of excessive sunlight exposure.
In just 2 weeks from the time you start eating papaya, evident results can be observed in your skin.
3. Tasty, tasty!
Who doesn’t like a fruit when it’s tasty?
We often hesitate eating fruits mainly because they are blunt in taste and don’t interest us. But when it comes to papaya, the fruit is all by itself a delicious and appetizing one. This is undeniably one of the benefits of papaya. It is quick to be cut and served. All you need is to just remove its seeds, and skin (optional) and go on, smashing the slimy papaya cubes down your throat. Make sure to get well ripen ones so that it tastes sweet and tangy!
4. Versatile wins
Besides its nutritive values, papaya is a highly versatile fruit that can get easily combined with other forms of foods. It can be had directly as a whole fruit or tossed into a smoothie mixture along with ice and coconut milk. If you are a person who crave for some dessert post-meal, you can make a delicious dessert using papaya cubes, little almond milk, few chia seeds and some vanilla extract. Mix them up and refrigerate for a few hours to enjoy a relishing, healthy dessert.
Do you know that papaya goes well with avocado as well? You may also relish the benefits of papaya by making an instant salad with these two.
Finally, for all the kids out there, you may make some honey tossed papaya for school time snack.
For those who are lazy just like me, simply deseed the fruit, make cubes and start eating!
5. Cancer, cancer – here I come!
As people constantly keep in search of ways to prevent cancer, here is one more way: the papaya! With the prime reasons for cancer being free radicals, you may make use of papaya to counteract them and prevent yourself from the onset of cancer. Papaya is a fruit rich in antioxidants. There is lycopene present in papaya which has more anti-cancer properties. Hence, as per health experts, it is healthy to include papaya as an integral part of your day-to-day fruit intake.
6. Papaya is heart-healthy
According to studies and researches, vitamin C and lycopene found in papaya are good for heart. Both of these are found in large amounts in the fruit. These help in preserving HDL cholesterol levels in your body.
Furthermore, papaya works by reducing bad cholesterol from your body, and it can increase your body’s overall immunity and fight cancer-causing agents as well. Regular consumption of papaya can curb the likeliness of heart diseases or other heart-related ailments.
Suggested Read: 20 Fiber Rich Foods in India to include daily food intake
7. Papaya for eyesight
Apart from the antioxidant properties found in Papaya, the fruit is also high in carotenoids. It has got beta-carotenes in which the body converts into vitamin A. As you remember studying in your primary classes, vitamin A is the primary component that assures good vision and eyesight. And the benefits of papaya doesn’t just end with it. The fruit also has lutein and zeaxanthin. These are special components found in the fruit. These two preserve your eyes from the incurrence of eye-related troubles like glaucoma or cataract.
8. Reduces progression of type-2 diabetes
While diabetic patients are advised not to eat sugary items, eating papaya is definitely a ‘yes’ in case of type-2 diabetes. Papaya is basically rich in fiber and low in sugar. According to health experts, frequent consumption of papaya helps in resisting the progression of the condition – type-2 diabetes. It is recommended to eat as mid-day snack for those who are diabetic. In addition, the fruit is also rich in vitamin A, E, B, magnesium, copper and more.
9. Regularizes menstrual cycle
For women who suffer with irregular periods and poly cystic ovarian syndrome, papaya helps in relieving them off these troubles. The benefit of papaya in PCOS is that the papain enzyme present in the fruit works in subsiding PCOS condition.
PCOS is a condition where women develop cysts in their ovaries. As a result, they experience severe pain during their menstrual cycle and have irregular cycles.
10. Curbs effect of asthma
As you know, papaya is rich in vitamin C. This nutrient of the fruit helps in fighting common cold. In addition, papaya is also high in beta-carotene content and vitamin E both of which help in reducing the effects of asthma. The antioxidant contents in papaya helps your system by reducing any inflammation caused.
Exclusive Benefits of papaya juice
Whether you eat papaya as a whole fruit or as a juice, you will have the fullest benefit of the fruit. It helps you in multiple ways ranging from benefiting your skin, heart, fighting cancer, regularizing menstrual cycle, and does a lot more good to your physiology. And here is how you can make fresh papaya juice. The juice can be prepared using fresh papaya cubes, quarter teaspoon of cinnamon powder, 2 tbsp honey and a few ice cubes. Add all these ingredients in a mixer jar and blend it into a smooth mixture. Transfer it to a serving jar and start gulping down the rejuvenating juice.
This is also going to be a thoroughly relishing drink post your meal or post-workout. The benefit of papaya juice is thoroughly extensive. Once you start trying, you really can’t resist from having the drink any further.
Wind Up Note
Each one of us may look smart and beautiful outward, but as you look deep into our physiology, there are multiple bacteria and virus, especially in the digestive tract. So, to keep yourself fresh and free from any harmful attacks, it is inevitable to eat healthy and include a lot many fruits and vegetables in your food intake. Such a healthy fruit is papaya. The answers to what are the benefits for papaya are too many as you probably understood with the mentioning as above. It’s time to kick-start good practice right away than delaying any further. Go on and inculcate the habit of including healthy fruits in your day-to-day diet.
Frequently Asked Questions About Papaya
Is papaya good for pregnant women?
In case of pregnant women, excessive consumption of any fruit is not recommended, and so is papaya. Having just 1 to 2 pieces should be fine during pregnancy.
Can I eat papaya in empty stomach?
Yes, papaya basically helps your system in clearing out your gut. So, having a few pieces of papaya in the morning with empty stomach is in fact very good for health.
