This exotic fruit is another gift that Mexicans gave to the world. Papaya fruit or Carica papaya (also known as: papaw or pawpaw) has a butter-like consistency and sweet and musky taste. It’s no wonder why Christopher Columbus called it “the fruit of angels”.
Papaya fruit can be found in markets throughout all the year. It has got a spherical and pear-shaped form and can be long as 20 inches. Those fruits that we can find in markets are usually about 7 inches long and weigh about one pound.
Despite its irresistible taste, papaya fruit also offers many health benefits. The fruit is packed with antioxidant nutrients like: vitamin C, and carotenes, flavonoids like folate, pantothenic acid and B vitamins and also the minerals: magnesium, potassium and copper. Thanks to these nutrients papaya fruit is great for preventing heart disease, preventing cancer, lowering blood sugar level, speeding up wound healing, improving the digestive system and much more.
Papaya fruit is orange from the inside with either pink or yellow hues. Inside the inner cavity of the papaya fruit, there are black, round seeds. Papaya seeds are crunchy to the bite and they have strong, bitter taste. Because of that, many people throw the seeds away whenever they eat the fruit. But after reading this article you’ll never do that again. Read further and find out about all the amazing benefits that papaya seeds have.
Help you get rid of parasites and worms
Intestinal parasites are a much serious problem that people consider them to be. Papaya seeds contain high levels of proteolytic enzymes like papain which can be very useful in removing parasites from your body. Papain breaks down both undigested protein waste in your food and also the parasites and their eggs. They also contain a unique anthelmintic alkaloid known as carpaine which has been shown as pretty effective at killing parasitic worms and amoebas.
Protect your kidneys
Papaya seeds juice is very beneficial in the protection of kidney health. This is due to the phenotic and flavonoids found in these seeds and these substances play an important role in prevention of germs coming.
Reduce inflammation
Papaya seeds are rich in anti-inflammatory properties which fight against inflammation in the body like: joint pains, arthritis, asthma and gout. This is due to the two very important enzymes in papaya seeds- chymopapain and papain which play the major role in reducing inflammation.
Papaya seeds have anti-bacterial and anti-viral characteristic
Consuming just a tablespoon of papaya seeds daily can help you fight against damaging germs like Staph, Salmonella and E. coli. They are also useful in treating viral infections and can cure Typhoid and Dengue as well.
People in Nigeria, consume the mixture of papaya seed and milk as a natural remedy for Typhoid fever.
Natural contraceptive
Taking just a tablespoon of papaya seeds will reduce the sperm production without affecting the libido. For years, people from the Indian culture were using these seeds as a natural contraceptive. So, if you are trying to conceive avoid eating papayas.
Protect the liver
Thanks to the nutrition value that papaya seeds have, they have been shown really efficient in detoxification of the liver and also in boosting the liver’s capacity to eliminate toxins from the body.
They have also shown themselves as remarkably efficient in coping with liver cirrhosis. If you suffer from this disease grind up 5 papaya seeds and blend them with a tablespoon of lime juice. Drink this mixture every day for 30 days and improve your condition.
Regulates blood pressure
The compound- carpaine, found in papaya and also in its leaves and seeds is found to be very effective in decreasing systolic and diastolic high blood pressure.
Improves digestion
Papaya seeds are rich in valuable proteolytic enzymes like chymopapain, glycyl endopeptidase, papain and caricain which are really helpful in the digestive process and in eliminating toxins from your body.
Rich in anti-oxidants
According to the report published on the synthetic organic and natural product chemistry journal known as ‘Molecules’, fresh seeds of raw papaya fruits are a great source of antioxidants. They’re packed with flavonoid compounds and phenolic acid compounds too, and they protect the body from free radical damages with their powerful antioxidative properties.
Prevents cancer
According to a recent scientific study, papaya seeds are rich in immunomodulatory compounds which are known to slow down the formation and development of cancerous cells and tumors. Furthermore, the isothiocyanate components of papaya seeds are beneficial in fighting against lung cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer.
How to Eat Papaya Seeds?
You can include the papaya seeds in your diet in many ways. You can eat them raw, scooped directly from the fruit. They are slightly bitter on their alone, but when combined with fruit, they are rather tasty.
You can also pound some of the seeds from the fruit, with a pestle or a mortar and keep them in a jar in your fridge. Keep them no more than a week. If you want to keep them longer, put them into the freezer and thaw them before use.
Another way to use papaya seeds is to dry them using dehydrator or even better dry them under the sun. Once they are dried pound them or grind them into powder using your food processor. You can add a tablespoon of the powder in your soups, salads dressings, smoothies or whatever you like.
How Much Papaya Seeds You Should Eat?
Since they have a strong taste and are very potent in their antibacterial properties, it’s better to start with just one tablespoon a day. If you can stomach that, you can consume up to two tablespoons a day.
Pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding should avoid consuming papaya seeds.Because of their strong anti-parasitic effects, papaya seeds should not be given to children.
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