Papaya Fruit Benefits for Skin & Weight loss
The papaya fruit or pawpaw for some is an excellent addition to fruits commonly used in the Philippine diet. Being rich in nutrients it can be eaten raw ripe for a sweet taste with leaves often added to various dishes as fresh green leaves are reported to have medicinal values along with its fruit that is nutritious, tasty, and healthy.
The papaya fruit is often included as one of the ingredients in various Filipino dishes like beef pares and adobong manok (chicken). It can be cooked for a soup dish, pickled with vinegar or salty fish, or preserved with sugar for a dessert that people enjoy having once in a while such as sugar-coated ripe papaya or Maruya (banana fritter).
The papaya fruit is a good source of vitamins and minerals. It contains vitamin A, B complex group, C, E, and K vitamins along with various minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, and sulfur. These nutrients have health benefits for the body. It is also reported to have carotene that helps prevent some types of cancer.
It is recommended that a person has two servings or two papayas per day to provide the requirement of nutrients for health benefits. Eating ripe fruit will produce more benefits than green unripe fruits. For weight loss, it can also be eaten for low-calorie diet food.
One problem with the papaya fruit is that it contains latex which is reported to be an allergen to some people. Those who are allergic may suffer itching, contact dermatitis, and other symptoms when their skin comes in contact with latex that can even cause mild to severe health problems. This is especially true for people who are sensitive to latex.
The papaya fruit is among the foods that can be eaten to benefit health. It is also good for losing weight, making it ideal for those who want to lose extra pounds or maintain their present figure.
Its nutritional value makes it an excellent food though some people do not enjoy eating raw fruits due to the sour taste. Papaya fruit is also good when cooked, or when made into juice or yogurt or simply preserved with sugar that can be enjoyed any time of the day.
Papaya side effects:
Papaya (Carica papaya), also known as Pawpaw, is a tropical fruit. It was domesticated in the Brazilian region about 4000 years ago and it’s now cultivated worldwide for its large fruits which can weigh up to 2 kilos. Papayas have an exotic tropical taste and sweet smell. They are loaded with vitamins and great for the health of your skin, bones, and digestive tract.
When you buy papaya at the supermarket or greengrocer, it’s usually unripe and hard to the touch; green fruits don’t ripen on the tree before being harvested but can be kept at room temperature until they become yellow and soft enough to eat. It’s a fruit that needs some time to ripen, but if you leave it too much on the countertop, it will become overripe.
Papaya calories:
Average papaya (150 grams) is only about 85-100 kcal. Although it contains lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, you shouldn’t overindulge in this tropical fruit; simply because the calories are easy to remember. This means that eating two or more slices (400 grams) of raw papaya every day isn’t a good idea if you’re on a diet.
In addition, at least in Brazil, where this fruit is most common and eaten all the time, many people eat it as snacks between meals, which increases their total calorie intake; even more, if they get addicted to eating too much of it. This isn’t recommended because it could lead to weight gain.
Papaya contains lots of water and its low glycemic index makes it a healthy food for diabetics.
Papaya fruit nutrition facts:
It’s easy to see that papaya is filled with great nutrients just by checking out the composition table below:
The above nutrition facts are for a fresh, raw, ripe papaya; 100 grams of it provides 60% of the daily vitamin C requirements and Vitamin A.
The presence of insoluble fiber in papaya is responsible for cleaning your digestive system and obtaining a regular bowel movement. You’ll also get some potassium and magnesium from this fruit, which regulates blood pressure.
Papayas are good due to their proteins, folates, and calcium. In the end, they contain a significant amount of vitamin A and some healthy fats as well as omega-3 fatty acids.
Papaya fruit seeds:
Although you might think that all papayas have large black seeds which are edible, this isn’t true; only a small number of papayas have seeds that are edible when raw. If you want to be sure, just cut the fruit in half and examine the inside; if you see small white or black dots, then it’s a good idea not to eat this papaya because its seeds can be poisonous. The edible (and tasty) seeds are very rich in protein (up to 30%).
Papaya benefits for skin:
papaya benefits for skin Just as most fruits, papayas are loaded with antioxidants and vitamins, which can help you prevent age-related damages. When it comes to your skin, papayas have a rejuvenating effect since they remove dead cells, slow down the aging process of your skin by preventing wrinkles and sunspots.
Papaya contains great amounts of vitamins A and C, which help reduce fine lines. They are also loaded with beta carotenes, another antioxidant that acts as a precursor to vitamin A which is essential for your skin’s normal regeneration process.
The content of antioxidants makes papayas an excellent choice for people who regularly expose their skin to the sun since it can protect them from burns and reduce the chances of suffering a severe sunstroke.
In addition, papaya is a great fruit for people with oily skin. It contains citric acid which helps regulate sebum production and keep your skin clean from any excess oils that might have been produced by your body. Papayas also contain malic acid, which is also found in apples.
When it comes to healing dry skin there’s nothing better than applying papaya pulp on the affected area; thanks to the presence of vitamins A and E, this fruit can eliminate any signs of cracked or chapped skin. Mixing some yogurt with the pulp into a paste will give you an even better treatment.
Another good thing about papaya is that it has firming properties; its high level of vitamin C makes your skin firm and reduces the appearance of cellulite. Regularly applying papaya pulp on your legs, arms, stomach, and buttocks will make them firmer in no time.
Raw papaya benefits:
Raw papaya contains lots of enzymes that will help you digest your food faster and eliminate bloating or any heaviness after meals. The high fiber content in this fruit is responsible for cleaning your digestive tract and regulating the transit time. This, in turn, contributes to weight loss since your body can absorb all the nutrients from the food you eat instead of storing them as fat.
You can take advantage of these enzymes by eating a slice of raw papaya 15 minutes after your meal; its fibers will help you digest your food much faster and avoid bloating or an upset stomach.
In order to lose weight, consuming this fruit is a good idea since it regulates digestion and eliminates constipation. Thanks to the high fiber content, it’s an excellent fruit for weight loss.
However, papayas can also help you control diabetes since they contain pectin which slows down the release of glucose into your bloodstream. This will prevent sudden spikes in your blood sugar levels after eating and keep fluctuations at bay.
When it comes to vitamins, you can’t go wrong with papayas. They are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is essential for strengthening your immune system and for preventing infections.
Vitamin A is another benefit you’ll get from eating this fruit; it will help improve your vision since it’s required by the retina to take in light. It also boosts your skin and hair health and reduces the signs of aging.
Also, papayas are rich in vitamin B; this will help your nervous system function properly and improve your overall well-being by eliminating mood swings and depression. Lastly, it’s also a great source of vitamin E which is essential for lowering cholesterol levels, improving blood flow, and stabilizing your blood pressure.