Health Benefits of Papaya

1# Lowers cholesterol: Papayas are rich in fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants that prevent cholesterol buildup in your arteries. Too much cholesterol build-up can block the arteries completely, causing a heart attack. Papaya extracts have also found to reduce lipid and triglycerides.

2# Helps weight loss: One medium sized papaya contains just 120 calories. So, if you’re planning to lose weight, don’t forget to add this light fruit to your diet.

3# Boosts your immunity: Your immune system acts as a shield against various infections that can make you really sick. A single papaya can fulfil more than 200% of your daily requirement of Vitamin C, making it great to build a stronger immune system.

4# Good for diabetics: Despite being sweet in nature, papayas are low in sugar content (8.3 gm in one cup of sliced papaya) as well as glycemic index. This property makes papayas excellent fruits for diabetics. The vitamins and phytonutrients present in them prevents development of heart disease in diabetes. Also, people who don’t have diabetes can eat papaya to prevent it from happening. 

5# Great for your eyes: Papayas are rich in Vitamin A and flavonoids like beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin and lutein which keep the mucus membranes in the eyes healthy, preventing them from damage. Vitamin A in them also prevents the development of age-related macular degeneration. The best thing about papayas is that the carotenoids present in them are more bioavailable than those present in other vitamin A rich foods like tomatoes and carrots.

6# Protects against arthritis: Eating papayas are good for your bones as they have anti-inflammatory properties along with Vitamin C which helps in keeping various forms of arthritis at bay.

7# Improves digestion: Eating a papaya daily can make up for such occasional mistakes, as it has a digestive enzyme known as papain along with fibre which helps improve your digestive health.

8# Helps ease menstrual pain: Women who experience menstrual pain should help themselves to several servings of papaya, as an enzyme called papain helps in regulating and easing flow during menstrual periods.  

9# Prevents signs of ageing: Papaya is rich in vitamin C, vitamin E and antioxidants like beta-carotene which helps prevent your skin from free radical damage keeping wrinkles and other signs of ageing at bay. Here’s how you can use papaya to keep your skin beautifully glowing.

10# Promotes hair growth: Apart from keeping the skin healthy, papayas are very effective for maintaining healthy hair. Vitamin A in them is utilised in production of sebum, a compound that is crucial for keeping the hair smooth, shiny and moisturized. External application of papaya extract to the scalp can help you get rid of dandruff. The nutrients present in them help hair loss. They boost hair growth and strengthening. Although there is no scientific evidence, papayas are also thought to prevent hair thinning.

11# Prevents cancer: Papaya is a rich source of antioxidants, phytonutrients and flavonoids. The richness of beta carotene in papayas protected against prostate cancer and colon cancer growth.

12# Helps reduce stress: The wonder fruit is rich in several nutrients like Vitamin C which can keep you free from stress.