Papaya: Why you should be eating this superfruit

Looking for a fresh exotic fruit to add to your diet and take your salad bowl to the next level? Go tropical with the versatile papaya, the tender orange fruit with a soft, buttery consistency and a sweet, almost musky taste. Inside, you’ll also find the black, round seeds. They’re edible too, although their peppery flavor is a little on the bitter side.

And don’t pass over the green papaya. Popular across Southeast Asia, they are simply immature papayas that have not yet begun to ripen. 

When they’re green, papayas have white flesh, a neutral flavor and crunchy carrot-like texture – a match for raw salads and coleslaws.

If you’re health-conscious, too, this is the fruit for you. Papaya health benefits for skin, papaya health benefits for the liver, papaya health benefits for men – and women, but men take note! – papaya and papaya seeds health benefits are many. This superfruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, and one single medium fruit provides 224 percent of your daily needs.

They also have a long list of other nutrients and papain, a powerful enzyme that aids in digestion and can also be used as a meat tenderizer.

Papaya: Nutrition facts

Papayas are also a good source of folate, vitamin A, magnesium, copper, pantothenic acid and fiber. They have B vitamins, alpha and beta-carotene, vitamin E, calcium, potassium, vitamin K and lycopene, the potent antioxidant most commonly associated with tomatoes. Have a look at the nutrition facts chart we’ve provided.

Papaya: Health benefits from head to toe

The big picture: Numerous studies have shown that eating more plant foods like papayas decreases the risk of obesity and overall mortality, diabetes, heart disease, and promotes a healthy complexion and hair, increased energy, overall lower weight. So papayas have all that going for them! Let’s take a closer look at papaya health benefits…

Papaya skin benefits

As we’ve mentioned, the fruit is rich in vitamin C, a key component in new skincare anti-aging products. But why not eat the fruit and glow from the inside out? 

Vitamin C and E and antioxidants like beta-carotene all help protect your skin from free-radical damage. That means keeping wrinkles and other signs of aging at bay.

Papaya has natural skin health benefits to even skin tone and improve texture, and you can easily make a homemade papaya enzyme mask or papaya mask recipe for hyperpigmentation. More on these in a minute.

Papaya hair benefits

Who doesn’t want healthy hair without dry ends or a flaky scalp? Papaya acts as a natural shampoo because it is rich in minerals, vitamins and enzymes – cleansing the scalp and making your hair softer and smoother. There are great homemade shampoo recipes for fine hair and homemade shampoo recipes for dry hair. See ours below!

Papaya health benefits

The papaya has so much to offer, so here’s a look at some of the fruit’s main health benefits for the body:

Digestion: Because of their enzyme, papain, papayas are excellent for digestion. With good digestion, you’ll increase your energy, improve your sleep and keep regular. This also is where papaya health benefits give your liver a boost as well.

Stress relief: Another shout-out to papaya’s vitamin C, which can keep you free from stress. A study at the University of Alabama found that 200 mg of vitamin C can help regulate the flow of stress hormones in rats.

Bone health: Low intakes of vitamin K have been linked to an increased risk for bone fracture. Vitamin K helps with calcium absorption and may reduce the excretion of calcium in urine. Eat more papaya.

Papaya: Caution in pregnancy

One word of caution, if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, avoid papaya. Unripe papaya contains a latex substance that may cause contractions of the uterus. Papaya or papaya enzymes are recommended for soothing indigestion (you’ve likely heard all about morning sickness), but steer clear of papaya. Although a fully ripe papaya is not considered a problem, better to play it safe and avoid it altogether.

Recipes for hair and skin
Ready to try it for yourself? Here are two recipes to DIY:

Homemade papaya shampoo recipe
No parabens or solvents here! Mash your ripe papaya (without seeds) and add a bit of lemon juice, sea salt and pure aloe juice or gel.

Homemade papaya facial mask recipe
Take half a ripe papaya. Mash and mix with some spoons of honey to make a paste. Apply your face and neck. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water. Now glow!

Papaya smoothie
For your skin, hair and rest of your body, drink and eat papaya often. Change up your morning smoothie! Add ripe papaya to your blender with a sliced banana and some sliced strawberries. Add ice and a little coconut water, and there you have it!

Be adventurous with your diet and don’t miss out on papaya health benefits – great hair, skin and overall health protection. All in this fantastic fruit.