Papaya is a tropical fruit rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. Certain compounds found in papaya may have anti-cancer properties and improve heart health, among other health benefits.
Papaya is an incredibly healthy tropical fruit.
It's packed with antioxidants that help reduce inflammation, fight disease, and keep you looking younger.
Tasty and nutritious
Papaya is the fruit of Carica papaya.
It is native to Central America and southern Mexico, but is now grown in many other parts of the world.
Papaya contains an enzyme called papain that can break down the tight protein chains in muscle. For this reason, people have used papaya to tenderize meat for thousands of years.
When the papaya is ripe, it can be eaten raw. However, unripe papaya should always be cooked before eating, especially during pregnancy. The unripe fruit is rich in milky juice, which can induce labor.
Papaya is shaped like a pear and grows up to 51 cm long. The skin is green when immature, orange when ripe, and the flesh is yellow, orange, or red.
The fruit has many black seeds and is edible but bitter.
A small papaya (152 grams) contains:
- calorie: 59
- carbohydrates: 15 grams
- fiber: 3 grams
- protein: 1 gram
- Vitamin C: 157% of FEI
- Vitamin A: 33% of FEIs
- Folic Acid (Vitamin B9): 14% of FEIs
- potassium: 11% of FEIs
Trace amounts of calcium, magnesium, vitamins B1, B3, B5, E, K. Papaya also contains healthy antioxidants known as carotenoids, especially a type called lycopene.
Additionally, your body absorbs these beneficial antioxidants better from papaya than from other fruits and vegetables. Has powerful antioxidant properties .
Free radicals are reactive molecules produced during the body's metabolism. They promote oxidative stress and can lead to disease.
Antioxidants, including carotenoids, found in papaya can neutralize free radicals.
Studies have shown that fermented papaya may reduce oxidative stress in the elderly and adults with prediabetes, mild hypothyroidism, and liver disease.
Many researchers also believe that excess free radicals in the brain are a key factor in Alzheimer's disease. In one study, people with Alzheimer's who were given fermented papaya extract for six months experienced a 40% reduction in biomarkers indicative of oxidative damage to DNA, also associated with aging and cancer.
The reduction in oxidative stress is due to papaya's lycopene content and its ability to scavenge excess iron, which is known to generate free radicals. Has anti-cancer properties. Studies suggest that lycopene in papaya may reduce cancer risk. It may also be beneficial for people undergoing cancer treatment. Papaya may work by reducing cancer-causing free radicals.
In addition, papaya has unique effects not found in other fruits. Among the 14 fruits and vegetables known to have antioxidant properties, only papaya showed anticancer activity in breast cancer cells. In a small study in older adults with inflammation and precancerous gastric disease, a fermented papaya formula reduced oxidative damage. However, more research is needed before any recommendations can be made.
May improve heart health
Adding papaya to your diet can improve your heart health. Studies show that fruits rich in lycopene and vitamin C can help prevent heart disease. The antioxidants in papaya are heart-protective and may increase the protective effects of "good" HDL cholesterol. In one study, people who took a fermented papaya supplement for 14 weeks had less inflammation and a better ratio of "bad" LDL to "good" HDL than those who took a placebo. Improved ratio is associated with lower risk of heart disease.
Can reduce inflammation
Chronic inflammation is at the root of many diseases, and unhealthy food and lifestyle choices can contribute to the inflammatory process. Studies show that antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables like papaya can help reduce inflammatory markers. For example, one study found that a man who increased his intake of carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables had a significant decrease in his CRP, a specific marker of inflammation.
May improve digestion
The papain enzyme found in papaya makes proteins easier to digest. People in the tropics look to papaya as a remedy for constipation and other symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In one study, people who consumed a papaya-based formula for 40 days experienced significant improvements in constipation and bloating. The seeds, leaves, and roots have also been shown to treat ulcers in animals and humans.
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