Incredible Health Benefits of Papaya That You Did Not Know Before

This orange colored sweet fruit is not so popular but the people who love it do not put other fruits in their grocery cart. Previously it was considered as a rare fruit but now it is available all around the World in almost every season and consumed by a number of people. Papaya is similar to pear shape wise, the skin of unripe papaya is green and turns orange when ripe, the flesh may be of orange, yellow and red color. Papaya is not only flavorful but also a powerhouse of nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, folate, fiber and antioxidants, all of these are important and have unique properties to provide numerous health benefits to the body. 

Health benefits of Papaya:

There are various health benefits of papaya that will make papaya a priority in your grocery items; few of the health benefits of papaya are listed below:

Fights against cancer:

The lycopene in papaya helps in lowering the risk of developing cancer as it fights against free radicals and oxidative stress. Consuming papaya during cancer treatment may also prove beneficial. Among all other fruits and vegetables that are considered to possess antioxidant properties, papaya is the only one that has anticancer effects in breast cancer cells.

Heart friendly:

Eating papaya is strongly linked to a healthy heart as this fruit contains potassium, fiber and vitamins that are good for heart health. A good fiber and potassium concentration is sufficient to protect the heart and prevent from developing different cardiovascular diseases.

Aids in digestion:

Papaya contains an enzyme papain which is effective in making protein digestion easy. In some areas of the World, papaya is taken to relieve constipation and a remedy to cure irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as it contains a good amount of fiber which is thought to add bulk to the stool and makes the process of digestion easy and smooth.

Good for skin and hair health:

According to the researchers, the papain and chymopapain in papaya are super effective in healing wounds and protecting burned areas from infections. Bedsores are also cured using ointments that contain papain enzyme. Papaya has vitamin A and vitamin C both of which are super beneficial in providing miraculous effects to the skin as vitamin A produces collagen and vitamin C provides a glowing and radiant skin. 

Vitamin A in papaya keeps hair moisturized as it helps in the production of sebum. 

Treats Dengue:

Papaya leaves are effectively used in the treatment of dengue to increase the platelet counts. People suffering from dengue are advised to consume papaya.

Papain in papaya:

The papain is a digestive enzyme found in papaya. It is used to tenderize meat and widely used in cooking meat. Papain is useful in many other ways like it aids in digestion, reduces inflammation, good for dental health, protects the brain and relieves muscle soreness and pain.

Papain supplements are also available in the markets.