We’ve all heard about the health benefits of papaya. It is one of the most healthy fruits, available throughout the year. In this blog, we will specifically talk about raw or green papaya.
Rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and antioxidants, green papaya has several health benefits.
Raw papaya is excellent for digestion. It contains two digestive enzymes - papain and chymopapain. These two enzymes support our digestion and help breakdown carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Commercially, papain enzymes are also used to tenderise meat. Along with digestion, green papaya can also be used as a natural colon cleanser. It contains dietary fibre and acts as a laxative. Therefore, green papaya is excellent in alleviating constipation, diarrhoea, hyperacidity and piles.
Due to colon cleansing properties, green papaya is a superb detoxifier as it aids in eliminating toxins from our body.
Green papaya possesses anti-bacterial properties and helps boost our immunity. It also exhibits anthelminthic activities. Some researchers also say that green papaya provides relief during acne, skin pigmentation and psoriasis. Hence, including green papaya for a beautiful, smooth and blemish-free skin is a great option.
According to a study published in a British Journal of Nutrition, raw papaya has carotenoids, vitamin A, vitamin C, and minerals like potassium and magnesium. High bioavailability of carotenoids makes green papaya a wonderful fruit for our vision.
Raw papaya is loaded with antioxidants and fights free radicals thus keeping our heart, brain and skin healthy. It prevents any foreign pathogens from destroying our healthy cells. Presence of folic acid also makes unripe papaya good for our heart. Folic acid present in the fruit prevents homocysteine levels from rising by converting the same to cysteine or methionine. This, in turn, keeps our heart healthy with reducing the risk of having a heart attack or stroke, as the elevated levels of homocysteine amplify the probability of heart diseases.
As already mentioned, unripe papaya has potassium which assists in keeping our blood pressure levels in check. Presence of fibrin in raw papaya improves the blood flow and diminishes the risk of clot formation hence keeping our heart healthy.
Another reason to include raw papaya in daily diet is because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Consuming raw papaya is extremely useful in reducing joints pain, inflammation and to promote wound healing.
To conclude, raw papaya is healthy, nutritious and can be easily included in the diet. It can be used in stuffed parathas, salads, poha, pasta, chutney and green juices or smoothies. Low-calorie content makes it lucrative for people aiming to lose weight and diabetics as well. A common myth prevails concerning ripe papaya and pregnancy, which is a myth. But unripe papaya contains latex which has been shown to induce uterine contractions therefore, it is usually not recommended during pregnancy. Otherwise, it can be consumed by anyone to enjoy health benefits.