BASIC HEALTH BENEFITS OF PAWPAW

papaya tree

two halves of pawpaw fruit

INTRODUCTION: Pawpaw or papaya as its commonly called is a very common fruit in most tropical climate, with special reference to Africa,  South America and Central America. It is scientifically called CARICA PAPAYA, some other studies dubbed it GRAVIOLA, while Christopher Columbus called it the FRUIT OF THE ANGELS,  after discovering it's luscious taste.

It comes in a variety  of shapes and sizes as well as different species as can be seen in the picture above and below :

All yellow skin paw paw

Green pawpaw with yellow inside

Yellow and red inside

Some are very red inside when ripe while some are yellow all through. Pawpaw is a common components in fruit salads, smoothies and deserts.  It is low in calories, but high in vitamins,  minerals , fiber and antioxidants. Pawpaw is particularly rich in vitamins A, C, E, K and the B complex family 

The health benefits of papaya,  are inexhaustive, but below is the basic  components:

COMPONENTS :

(1) VITAMINS: A,  C,  E,  K

      Vitamin B6

       Thiamin B1

       Riboflavin B2

       Naicin B3

       Folate B9

       Pantothenic acid B5

(2) MINERALS:

      Magnesium 

      Phosphorus 

      Potassium 

      Iron

     Copper 

(3) ANTIOXIDANTS 

      Beta carotene 

      Alpha carotene

      Lycopene 

      Zeaxanthin

      Lutein

      Cryptoxanthin

(4) FIBER

(5) PROTEIN etc. 

HEALTH BENEFITS OF PAWPAW:

(1) AIDS DIGESTION: Eating pawpaw helps your body metabolism, this is because pawpaw contains an enzyme called PAPAIN, this enzyme aids digestion. The high content of dietary fiber and water in pawpaw equally helps prevent constipation facilitate the digestion of other foods you eat, thereby facilitating free bowel movement.

(2) HELP REDUCE AGE RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION: Pawpaw is rich in antioxidants , Beta-carotene, Alpha-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A,   Zeaxanthin, etc these play a protective role in eye health and ward off age  related macular degeneration. Zeaxanthin filters out harmful blue light rays from the eye. In addition to vitamin A or Beta-carotene, in pawpaw are CRYPTOXANTHIN and LUTEIN, these keep  the mucus membrane in the eyes healthy and protect them from damage. It must be noted here however that, a higher intake of fruits generally helps reduce the risk and progression of age related eye disease.

(3) ANTI CANCER: Studies  have shown that consumption of pawpaw may offer benefits to people with cancer. Pawpaw is rich in antioxidants LYCOPENE, which is said to have anti cancer properties. Also a publication in Nutrition and Cancer in 2011, by researchers explained that breast cancer patients, who took 200 milligram doses of pawpaw extract for 5weeks, experienced inhibited growth of their tumors. In the same light, the University of Nebraska researchers, published a paper in "CANCER LETTER" in 2012, stating that pawpaw extract appeared to stop cancer from spreading and even shrink existing tumors.

In addition to this,  noted is the fact that pawpaw is rich in antioxidants BETA-CAROTENE. Studies also have it that,  diets rich in Beta-carotene may play a protective role against PROSTRATE CANCER; this is as stated by a study published in the journal "Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Biomarkers"

(4) HEART FRIENDLY: The vitamins and mineral content of pawpaw, such as vitamins C,  potassium,  magnesium as well as the fiber, and antioxidant content help ward off heart disease.  Equally of note is the fact that an increase in potassium intake together with a decrease in sodium intake is most valuable in order to ward off or reduce  the risk of cardiovascular disease.

(5) AIDS IN WEIGHT LOSS: Eating  pawpaw can aid in weight loss as well as maintain body weight, basically because of its high fiber content. Research has it that a cup of raw pawpaw has 148 calories; 2.25gm of protein and less than 1gm of fat. Sequel to previous  posts on weight loss, high fiber rich foods aid digestion, add bulk to your meal and keeps you fuller for longer, hence supports you from over eating.  This inturn helps you maintain your weight. A typical night meal of pawpaw to help you control your weight is as depicted in the picture below:

Pawpaw with avocado 

(6) MAY HELP IN ASTHMA PREVENTION: Research has it that consuming beta carotene rich foods and fruits help prevent asthma. This means that all yellow and orange coloured fruits, which we already know are rich in Beta-carotene should form our daily fruit meal,  in order to help prevent asthma. Some of the fruits apart from pawpaw are carrots,  apricots,  African bush mango. African bush apple, broccoli etc. 

(7) HELPS REDUCE INFLAMMATION: Papaya or pawpaw contains a nutrient called CHOLINE - this aids the body in sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory. It equally assists in the absorption of Fat and reduces chronic inflammation. Choline in pawpaw equally aids in the transmission of nerve impulses. Another anti-inflammatory agent found in papaya is PAPAIN, it is an enzyme, that has the ability to reduce swelling, and used to treat bruises. It is normally found in unripe or half  ripe pawpaw.

(8) NOURISHES THE SKIN AND HAIR: The antioxidant, vitamins and Mineral content of pawpaw such as Beta-carotene, vitamin C, and E makes it skin and hair friendly. An in-depth post on papaya and skin benefits will come up in my next post. 

(9) BOOSTS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM: The antioxidant content of papaya helps it scavenge free radicals that have negative impact on the immune system. An example is vitamin C,  it plays the role of keeping the Cells healthy  and the immune system strong. It also helps  the body  absorb some essential minerals such as iron and calcium.

(10) FACILITATES THE HEALING OF WOUNDS: Studies have shown  that applying crushed papaya seed on an open wound can quicken it's healing. This stems from the fact that, pawpaw seeds show a significant antimicrobial activity that helps kill bacteria in the wound, this in turn facilitates the healing process.

The juice from unripe pawpaw is also a great antidote for swelling or inflammation. It is a wonderful natural remedy to prevent swelling and pus formation when used on wounds.  This is basically due to the PAPAIN content of unripe pawpaw. 

As stated at the beginning,  the health benefits of pawpaw are inexhaustible, the Fruit of angels according to Christopher Columbus, apart from being pleasant to taste, is highly nutritious, full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The fiber  and water content makes it essential for weight loss and aids digestion. The antioxidants, minerals and vitamins makes it heart friendly, eye friendly and muscle friendly. The antioxidants beta carotene, lycopene contents, makes it an anticancer fruit, hence it's consumption can help inhibit the growth and spread  of cancer cells, both breast and prostrate cancer. CHOLINE and PAPAIN content are anti-inflammatory properties in papaya that aids digestion and prevents inflammation. The Beta-carotene converted to Vitamin A, found in papaya help reduce eye disease especially age related macular degeneration. 

The healing properties of pawpaw and pawpaw extracts are innumerable. Ensure  to incorporate pawpaw in your daily fruit  meal for a healthy living and a glowing lifestyle.