A fruit with soft, butter-like consistency, succulent and has a heavenly taste. Accordingly, Christopher Columbus, an Italian Voyager hailed it as the “Fruit of the Angels”. Papayas are pear-shaped or spherical, with a vibrant, sunlit yellow to orange or pink hues when ripe and blessed with a wide array of health benefits making it an awesome fruit option to include in your diet. Here are some of the amazing health benefits of papaya.
1. Slim-fit Body
Those who are trying to lose weight should include Papaya in their diet since Papayas are very low in calories. The high-fiber content of it leaves you feeling full and aids in your digestion and bowel movement making your weight loss program a lot easier to maintain.
2. Immunity Booster
Papayas are packed with Vitamin C (more than 200% of the recommended daily intake). It is, therefore, capable in protecting or preventing your body from contracting various infections most especially those that are easily acquired in the public such as acute respiratory infections or cough and colds and even aid your body repair tissue damages.
3. Stress Reducer
According to a study done at the University of Alabama, the high vitamin C content of papaya can aid in the regulation of stress hormones in rats. Whilst of course, not everything tested on rats, equals the same for humans, it’s still a very good idea to have a bowl of papayas after an exhausting and stressful day at work.
4. Age Defyer
Who wouldn’t love to look and feel younger? Everyone of course! And having papaya daily can help. Because Papaya is rich in Vitamins C and E as well as beta-carotene and antioxidants, the damage to your skin from free radicals can be slowed down. Your skin will continue to glow and appear like no other.
5. Skin and Healing
Got a wound on your body? There’s no need to worry because mashed papaya has got your back as it can be applied directly onto the wound. It promotes healing of wounds and prevention of infection on burned areas as well. It contains proteolytic enzymes such as chymopapain and papain which are responsible for these beneficial effects. As a matter of fact, ointments that contain papain have been recently used to decubitus ulcers or treat bed sores.
6. Helps to Prevent Cancer
Prevention is better than cure. You’ve probably heard this a thousand times and indeed, Papaya can help you with that. Papaya is brimming with phytonutrients, antioxidants, and flavonoids which play a key role in the prevention of free radical damage to cells and therefore reduce the risk of having cancer. Some researchers have also associated the consumption of papaya to diminish the risk of prostate and colon cancer.
7. Anti-Inflammatory
Papaya is very rich in unique protein-digesting enzymes such as chymopapain and papain. These enzymes, according to studies, have been shown to help reduce the inflammation and to ameliorate healing of burns. Furthermore, the antioxidants, beta-carotene and vitamin C in papaya, are also very good at calming down the inflammation. This may be the reason why people with illnesses that are aggravated by inflammation find that the severity of their condition is diminished with having more of these nutrients.
8. Great For Your Eyes
Are you experiencing blurring of vision or night-blindness? Aside from Vitamin C, Papaya is also packed with Vitamin A which helps protect and prevent vision from degenerating. Aside from Vitamin A, papaya also contains Zeaxanthin which is also an antioxidant. Zeaxanthin has a protective role in eye health and helps to filter out harmful blue light rays that can lead to macular degeneration.
It’s also worth mentioning that papaya is good for your teeth as it contains an enzyme called papain. According to this dentist in Decatur, papain breaks down proteins to help reduce stains and protect your teeth from plaque buildup.
9. Good For Diabetes
Diabetes is one of the most common lifestyle-related diseases nowadays. You can’t really blame people for eating too much since, let’s face it, eating is life! And if you can’t resist eating too much, Papaya is just right for you. It is a magnificent food option or substitutes for most foods out there as it contains low sugar even though it tastes so sweet.
10. Good For Your Heart
Papaya is really rich in fiber, powerful antioxidants and Vitamin C which can prevent the buildup of cholesterol in your arteries. An excess build-up of cholesterol can result in atherosclerosis and several diseases of the heart such as hypertension, angina and even heart attack.
This article was written by Jeric John and you can follow him on Instagram @jjcildefonso
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