15 Amazing Benefits Of Eating Papayas

What if I told you that you had the power to live a long and healthy life? Well, the truth is, you do–or at least you have the tools necessary to give yourself a fighting chance. The solution to some of the most common health issues is as simple as choosing the right foods to fuel your body. We know that eating less meat and more fruits and vegetables can have enormous health benefits, including a longer lifespan, and yet many people fail to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

It’s not always easy to eat healthy all the time due to busy work schedules, family duties, and whatever else life throws at you, but that doesn’t mean it has to be difficult to reap the benefits of such eating habits. Adding papaya to your diet can help your body in numerous ways, and it’s no secret; cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies have been utilizing the meat, skin, seeds, and leaves of the papaya fruit for years in developing products that improve the quality of life and overall health for the average person.

The good news is, you don’t have to purchase any overpriced face creams or pills to gain all the benefits papaya has to offer. All you need to do is read the next 15 slides to learn how and why papaya can benefit you. Learn how to get healthier skin, hair, and even how papaya can actually help prevent cancer. Perhaps the best part about papaya is that you don’t even have to like the taste to reap the benefits, due to the different ways you can utilize this superfruit; not to mention, papaya is easy to incorporate into your diet.

15. Dandruff

One of the cosmetic benefits of papaya is they can cure a dry scalp and get rid of dandruff. In fact, many shampoo companies use some sort of papaya extract in their recipes because of how beneficial it is to human hair. Papayas are full of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that work together as a natural conditioner, all while cleansing the hair of chemicals and dirt. If you go to any beauty supply store, chances are that you’ll find hair masks of all kinds that include papaya; but, fortunately, it’s actually quite easy to make your own, right at home. If you have dry damaged hair, try mixing the meat from one fully ripe papaya, together, with coconut oil and olive oil, to form a rich and thick paste; apply this to your hair for 30 minutes, and concentrate on massaging the oils into the scalp for the very best results.

14. Skin

All those vitamins that help nourish your scalp and hair follicles help improve your skin too! Eating papaya daily gives you plenty of vitamin C and E as well as plenty of carotenoids, like lycopene; carotenoids are naturally found in red vegetables and fruits, although there are some yellow varieties such as watermelons, tomatoes, papayas, and grapefruits. These elements have been linked to all kind of health benefits ranging from younger looking skin to preventing cancer and diabetes, as your body uses them as antioxidants. You can also directly apply the meat and skin to your face, or mix them with honey and coconut oil for a facemask.

13. Aging

Part of the aging process is the change in the appearance of your skin, but that’s not all of it. Papayas contain phytonutrients, which are chemicals produced by plants to help protect them against invaders and pests that break down their structure. These phytonutrients are unique because they provide key nutrients, but aren’t related to fats, carbs, or proteins. When digested, these natural chemicals are thought to do the same thing to the human body as they are designed to do for the plants they make up—protect it. Research shows that the papaya’s phytonutrients may be a vital key in fighting premature aging. Aside from adding papaya for the added beauty benefits, it’s also key to have a suitable skincare for you to ensure an overall healthier skin.

12. Digestion

Papaya works great for a sweet treat after dinner because of the rich, luxurious texture and the natural sugars that give it its tropical flavor, but the benefits go deeper than that. Due to the high fiber content and enzymes, papaya helps break down food that you’ve ingested, making the whole process easier on your body. Papain is the main enzyme found in papaya that helps boost your body’s natural metabolism.

11. Cancer

The same antioxidants that help your skin retain its youthful and plump appearance, help fight against cancer—what more could you possibly want! Beta-carotene, Beta-cryptoxanthin, and lycopene are all antioxidants found in papaya that help prevent mutations in the body’s cells that lead to cancer. New studies have found that compounds in the leaves of papayas actually help fight the formation of new cancer cells, and the theory was tested in 2010 when researched placed the compounds with cancer cells in Petri dishes, according to The Telegraph UK.

10. Heart disease

Papaya also fights the number one killer of Americans, heart disease. The secret ingredient in papaya that is so great for heart health is folate. Folate, or more commonly referred to as folic acid, is a B vitamin that helps regulate the body’s cell reproduction, maintain a healthy balance of new cells, and prevent DNA change. Folic acid also helps break down amino acids, which helps prevent heart diseases of all kinds. The recommended daily intake of folic acid is 400 micrograms; it looks like the saying should be, “a papaya a day keeps the doctor away”.

9. Inflammation

Among the other amazing compounds found in papaya, there are enzymes called chymopapain and papain. These enzymes have been known to help inflammation of all kinds and scientists have actually developed a medication using these enzymes, specifically designed to help reduce inflammation of the spine. The enzymes are digestive aids so the papaya works best if it’s consumed. Eating a little more fruit salad could potentially have some life-altering benefits, and papaya just happens to be pretty tasty as well.

8. Sexual Dysfunction

The enzyme l-arginine is essentially a building block for protein production in the body, as well as a natural plaque reducer. The compound helps relax blood vessels and increases blood flow, helping the heart pump blood to ALL parts of the body, and it happens to be a component of papaya. In fact, the natural compound has been known to help erectile dysfunction because of how well it relaxes and opens up the blood vessels, eliminating the main problem of ED. Around the time adult males hit middle age it’s normal for them to experience problems with circulation in genital tissue, but research has shown that l-arginine improves these functions in both men and women.

7. Parasites

Papaya seems to be the leading fruit when it comes to medicinal benefits, and it even helps rid your body of parasites—specifically parasitic worms. You may be thinking, “those are pretty uncommon,” but the truth is, they’re not; many people, every year, suffer from parasitic worms but just aren’t diagnosed due to the wide variety of symptoms that can arise. A Nigerian study from 2007 found that when 60 children who were infected with digestive parasites were given 20ml of crushed papaya seeds and honey, 75% of them became clear in seven days. If you’re suffering from the same problem, try the same natural remedy.

6. Nausea

Another amazing and helpful benefit of papaya is that it cures nausea! The same digestive enzymes that help the rest of your body with overall health also help aid in proper digestion and can be used to alleviate symptoms of nausea and motion sickness. The fresh fruit can help if you prefer to eat it or you can take natural papaya enzyme tablets that are easy and chewable. Although it may seem like a good idea to try and cure morning sickness during pregnancy with papaya, it’s important to check with your doctor before consuming to make sure it’s completely safe for mom and baby.

5. Weight Loss

Papaya can actually help you lose weight if you eat it properly. If you start replacing snacks and dessert with this naturally sweet treat, you can substitute empty calories with vital nutrients like vitamin C & E and fiber. Papaya will give you the satisfaction of feeling full without the guilt of any unhealthy ingredients. It’s one of the healthiest fruit options out there and nutrition plans like Whole Thirty allow you to eat as much of it as you want.

4. Arthritis

The enzymes chymopapain and papain are known to help with inflammation and arthritis. Arthritis is the inflammation of joints and it can be so debilitating that it can be disfiguring and life-altering. All of the compounds in papaya have been linked to helping arthritis because of the effect that it has on inflammation, and just like anything else, you should check with your doctor before adding it as a supplement to your daily intake.

3. Immune system

Papaya has also been known to help prevent colds and other commonly caught illnesses because of its effect on the immune system. All of the vitamins within papaya skin, meat, and seeds actually help supercharge your immune system, which helps fight off any illnesses trying to make their way in. Keeping a healthy immune system can literally save your life, so it’s important to try and keep it as strong as possible. However, because of its boosting effects, people with autoimmune diseases should always check with their physicians because it could have an adverse effect.

2. Eye health

Something carrots and papayas have in common is their beta-carotene and their benefits to the eyes! When you ingest beta-carotene, your body converts it to vitamin A, which is essential to overall eye health and clear vision; vitamin A actually protects the surface of the cornea and membranes of the eye, which protect against infection and penetration of foreign objects. One of the best aspects of life is all the beauty observed by the eye, so it’s important to keep them as healthy as possible, for as long as possible.

1. Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are an unpleasant sensation that can be downright painful, and no one really wants to talk about them, which makes having them even worse; but have no fear, papaya is here! All the vitamins and nutrients we listed above help aid the digestive system in passing stools properly and painlessly. An essential part of that process is contributed by the mucous membranes, which help everything pass smoothly, and papaya helps form those. Not to mention, it’s packed with fiber, which will keep you regular.