Why You Need To Be Eating Papaya
Why You Need To Be Eating Papaya
Loaded with antioxidants, digestive enzymes and other health benefits,
the Papaya, or as Christopher Columbus once called it the “Fruit of the Angels”, is full of nutritious goodness! When thoroughly ripe, papayas are buttery and rich, similar in texture to a sweet avocado. The flavor itself is mild, lending itself perfectly to flavor the base of puddings, ice creams and desserts. My personal favorite is a sweet Cuban style “Batido” or milkshake.
Papayas can also be eaten unripe, while the flesh is still green. It has a very distinct crunch to it, and is often served julienned or shredded in an amazing Thai salad. I cut it into thin spears like a pickle and season it with chili and lime, like they do in the islands with green mango. My favorite way to use green papaya is as a slaw for tacos instead of boring lettuce or cabbage! Such a fun twist, with a load of healthful benefits.
Health Benefits of Papayas
Good Source of Fiber
Low in calories with plenty of fiber, papayas are great for breakfast since they keep you feeling full. Fiber is shown to lower cholesterol levels, and the nutrients in papaya’s fiber binds with toxins, helping to lower the risk of colon cancer. My favorite simple breakfast is made by scooping the seeds out of the center of the papaya, filling it with cottage cheese, and a small sprinkle of turbinado sugar. Moreover, the effects of the fiber help slow your body’s conversion into sugar, ultimately lowering the glycemic load, making it especially a great fruit choice for diabetics.
Helpful with Digestion
Papaya contains two helpful digestive enzymes, papain and chymopapain, that help aid in the breakdown of proteins. These proteolytic enzymes work so well that many traditional recipes throughout the Caribbean use papaya in meat marinades primarily for its ability to tenderize tough meats. In fact, you’ve most likely seen papain is in a digestive enzyme blend found in high quality protein shakes, making them not only easier on the stomach and GI tract, but also increasing absorption of other important nutrients within the shake. Papaya has also been attributed to preventing acid reflux. Many health food store sell delicious chewable papaya enzyme tablets, which I keep on hand often, and especially when traveling.
Abundant in Antioxidants and Bioflavonoids
With more beta-carotene than carrots, Papayas contain large amounts of lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, choline and other various antioxidants. These antioxidants help to respond to the chemical reaction within our bodies, slowing and even preventing the formation of free radicals, and also help to repair oxidative damage. This damage leads to inflammation, hardening of cholesterol in the arteries, and other stress reactions within the body. Bioflavonoids are sometimes referred to as vitamin P, but are not truly a vitamin. They are however necessary for the body’s absorption of vitamin C. The most common Bioflavonoid we often hear of is EGCG found in Green Tea, commonly used to curb appetite and promote healthy weight loss.
Great For Your skin!
Use as a mask to help moisturize and restore a healthy glow to your skin. Remember those enzymes from earlier? They actually work on the surface of the skin to break down dead skins cells, along with all of the vitamin A that helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and Vitamin C to enhance collagen production. My favorite mask is simply smashed ripe papaya, some local honey, and an egg white. Let it dry on your skin for up to 20 minutes and then wipe off with a damp towel.
Stress Reducer and Immune Booster
1 cup of papaya has 144% of your Daily value of Vitamin C. That’s almost the amount absorbed from a typical multivitamin supplement. In order to keep the body healthy, Vitamin C stimulates the production of white blood cells, necessary for the body to fight off invading germs and viruses. When your body has enough vitamin C, the adrenal glands properly regulate the production of the stress hormone Cortisol. Without enough Vitamin C, the body releases even more cortisol, causing your body to respond in stress mode. Eventually, this hyperactive response leads to adrenal fatigue.
Protect Against Stroke and Heart Disease
All those antioxidants mentioned earlier work overtime in your body, and another of their jobs is to fight cholesterol. Hence their name, they literally prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. The problem is when cholesterol oxidizes and builds up on the walls of blood vessels. Too much of this plaque formation can eventually lead to stroke and heart attack. Vitamins A, C and E work with an enzyme paraoxonase, which inhibits LDL and HDL oxidation. Remember, it is not cholesterol itself that is damaging; it is actually beneficial and necessary in our body, in its proper form.
Sources:
- http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=47
- http://www.infobarrel.com/Papaya_The_Fruit_that_Prevents_Acid_Reflux
- http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/addisons-disease/expert-answers/adrenal-fatigue/FAQ-20057906
- http://www.adrenalfatiguerecovery.com/vitamin-c.html
- http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/benefits-of-papaya-for-skin-and-hair/
- http://acu-cell.com/bio.html