Papaya – Health Benefits And How To Include It In Your Recipes

It’s time to talk: Papayas!

The sweet, musky fruit that has gotten us all enchanted. Papaya contains a flesh in a rich orange color, with yellow and pink hues. On the inside, it has a great number of black seeds, gathered in the center of the fruit. These seeds are surrounded by a gelatinous-like substance.

According to research, papayas are rich in antioxidant nutrients like carotenes, vitamin C, and flavonoids, the B vitamins, folate, and pantothenic acid, and minerals, potassium, copper, magnesium, and fiber. The fruit of papaya has more vitamin C than the orange – a vitamin this that is important in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, stroke, stomach cancer, breast cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and it also helps in supporting your immune system.

Papaya Health Benefits

Some of the benefits the fruit of papaya potentially provides are:

1. Lowers cholesterol: Papaya is rich in fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants that prevent the build-up of cholesterol in your arteries.

2. Boosts immunity system: According to MSN, a single papaya has more than 200% of your daily requirement of Vitamin C. This way, the fruit proves to be good for your immunity system.

3. Protects against arthritis: The fruit is good for the bones due to the anti-inflammatory properties it contains, along with vitamin C.

4. Might improve digestion: According to Healthline, in a study, people who took a formula that was papaya-based for 40 days, and showed an improvement in constipation and bloating.

5. Helps in skin damage protection: The vitamin C and lycopene in the fruit of papaya can protect the skin, as well as help in reducing signs of aging.

6. Asthma prevention: Research suggests that people who consume high amounts of nutrients such as beta-carotene have a lower risk of developing asthma. The nutrient can be found in the fruit of papaya, as well as in pumpkin, carrots, and more.

7. Diabetes: According to Medical News Today, people with type 1 diabetes who consume high-fiber diets have lower blood glucose levels. People with type 2 diabetes might have improved blood sugar, lipid, and insulin levels.

8. Helps skin healing: Mashed and used topically, papaya can benefit in promoting wound healing and preventing infection of burned areas. This is due to the proteolytic enzymes chymopapain and papain in the fruit of papaya.

9. Can ease menstrual cramps: Due to the papain enzyme that the fruit contains, several servings of papaya could help in regulating the menstrual flow as well as making it easier.

How To Eat Papaya

Because papaya is truly delicious, we don’t want to miss any bit of it. However, there’s a certain dilemma when it comes to cutting the fruit properly. What you need to do is:

1. Cut the papaya in half lengthwise, using a knife on a cutting board.
2. Open the papaya into two sections.
3. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds. Try not to cut too deep with the spoon if you don’t want to lose any bit of the fruit.
4. Scoop out the fruit, put it in a bowl, and there you go!

You can also:

1. You can cut the fruit in half lengthwise.
2. Hold the fruit vertically and peel the papaya fruit.
3. Turn the papaya over and slice it into wedges.

Can We Eat The Papaya Seeds?

Although the papaya seeds might be disregarded when eating the fruit, it’s important to remember that they have a variety of essential micronutrients. As Healthline suggests, these seeds are high in polyphenols and flavonoids, two compounds that act as antioxidants in promoting better health. The seeds also supply a dose of fiber. Increasing fiber intake might help in reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Among the benefits of papaya seeds are: 

• Might help in fighting infections.
• Might protect kidney function.
• Might improve digestive health.

However, there are some things you should keep in mind concerning papaya seeds:

• In some animal studies, it has been concluded that these seeds might reduce fertility.
• These seeds might be harmful when consumed in big amounts. Again, based on the studies done on animals and cells, and not human beings.

Papaya Recipes – How To Make:

1. Papaya Smoothie: To create a papaya smoothie, you should mix a half cup of frozen papaya and a half cup of banana chunks in a blender. Add to it a half cup of Greek yogurt, one cup of almond milk, and some honey. Blend these together and you’re good to go!

2. Papaya Jam: This papaya jam by Balance Blog seems like something everyone would want. And, it seems to be a healthy alternative since most jams are full of additives and preservatives.

What you should do is take a ripe papaya, blend into two cups of puree and mix in a 1/4th cup of sugar. Heat this mixture in a saucepan until you get a thicker consistency. Add a teaspoon lemon juice, mix, and let it cool. In the end, put it in an airtight container in the fridge. Voila!

3. Papaya Coconut Muffins: What you’re going to need for this papaya recipe by Skinny Taste is:

• 1 cup of papaya puree
• 2 cups 100% whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes
• A large (beaten) egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp melted butter

Preheat the oven to 325°.

Put the puree papaya in a blender until it becomes smooth. Put the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and mix them. Afterwards, add the coconut and mix again. In an average bowl, mix the eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and puréed papaya, Add the flour and stir.

Put the batter in muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes at 325°.

Now we can go and have some papayafun! Oh, and head over to our article in papaya recipes to see more of them!

Disclaimer: The contents of this article: text, graphics, images, and other materials contained are strictly for informational purposes only. The Content is NOT intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice, or treatment. Please ALWAYS seek the advice of a qualified health provider with all the questions that you have related to, or about, a medical condition.

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