Papaya Fruit Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

The evergreen fruit papaya is packed up with nutrition, vitamins, minerals, iron, calcium and what not. One could call it a fruit that can meet the human body’s nutritive requirement. One whole fruit of papaya when consumed will bring in innumerable benefits to you. Let’s turn back to look at a bit of its history and significance.

It is said that Christopher Columbus was the one who introduced this fruit as the “fruit of angels” to the common public. Known to have had its origin in the central parts of America, it was discovered by Christopher Columbus’ team while they were on a voyage. After a heavy feast, all of them faced stomach sickness and for rescue they ate the papaya fruit which proved beneficial.

It was then discovered that this fruit not only cured stomach disorders but also helped in a lot of ways. Let’s have a look at the health benefits one will acquire on eating papaya:

Helps in digestion and stomach disorders

Like mentioned above, this fruit came into use firstly for its benefits on digestion. When you have a stomach disorder or infection, eating slices of papaya will help your colon and do goodness to your intestine.

The cholesterol cutter

Papaya is very rich in fiber content and contains enzymes that prevent oxidization of cholesterol and thus, eating papaya will not only cut down on your cholesterol levels, but will also help maintain it for a lifetime. Cholesterol patients must indulge in papaya eating at least once in a day.

The dieting saga

For a long time now, papaya has been the Holy Grail for weight loss for many dieters. With its rich fiber content and all the other nutritive ingredients that a dieter might lose on while cutting down on food is replaced by papaya. There are dieters who use papaya to replace all the meals in a day. It is known for its satiety levels.

Shiny hair and healthy skin

When you use shampoos that contain papaya extracts, your hair will remain strong and healthy. Dandruff will completely be ridden away from your scalp. When the pulp of papaya is used on your face, it will bring an inner glow, a plump and healthy skin.

Protection for your heart

Papayas contain loads of antioxidants and Vitamin A and C and prevent oxidization of cholesterol, thus keeping your heart hale and healthy. You will also find that papayas are rich in folic acid. This folic acid helps in converting homocysteine into benign amino acids such as cysteine or methionine. When your body lacks in folic acid, homocysteine directly damages blood vessel walls and can set in an attack or stroke. Eating papayas will prevent you against such complexities.

Heals and soothes

With its digestive enzymes like papain and chymopapain, papaya heals internal wounds and burns. Vitamin C and beta carotene, a part of papaya’s nutrition heals your skin of wounds and burns as well. People with skin diseases, acne and pimple problems are advised to hog on papaya in the form of salads or the whole fruit to keep such problems at bay.

Bone protection

With loads of Vitamin C in papaya, osteoarthritis cannot even near you. This arthritis is a type of degenerative one which will weaken all your bones and muscles eventually. To keep yourself away from such degenerative diseases, indulging in papaya snacking will helps you immensely. You will also be protected against inflammatory polyarthritis, a form of rheumatoid arthritis involving two or more joints.

Against cancer

Papaya is rich in lycopene and so keeps you against any form of cancer, especially the prostrate one. Teaming it up along with a cup of green tea will enhance the effects of antioxidants in your body and will keep your immune system very strong. Cancer and other damaging diseases will not even near you.