I Love Papaya

Papaya – the fruit of the angels

MANILA, Philippines – Many of us love to take papaya for breakfast. The ripe fresh pear-shaped papaya with rich orange or bright yellowish color. For its sweetness and for its vitamin C content. 

Little did I know until recently, based on information taken from the internet, that papaya, reportedly called the fruit of the angels, by Christopher Columbus – has fantastic health and curative benefits. Beyond what many of us know. 

Let me share with you some information taken from the internet about the deliciously sweet papaya that is available year-round in our country – to encourage us to eat fresh papaya fruit rather than canned fruits. 

• Do you know that papaya which reportedly originated in Southern Mexico and Costa Rica was brought by the Spaniards to Manila in the mid-16th century? Today, papaya is grown not only in the Philippines but in other places as well like China, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, Central and Southern Africa, Australia and in some Pacific Islands; 

• Do you know that papaya contains arginine which is essential for male fertility? It is ironic that many in the male gender avoid eating papaya because they are wrongly informed that papaya lessens their sex drive; 

• Do you know that papaya is good for many digestive disorders and improves poor digestion? Papain is the enzyme in papaya that helps the body digest protein and starchy carbohydrate like wheat gluten/bread/cereals. This being so, those with celiac disease (a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents it from absorbing parts of food; the damage is due to a reaction to eating gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats) should be encouraged to eat papaya. Papain is being extracted from papaya (unripe papaya has more papain content than the ripe one) and used as health supplement. 

Papaya, one of God’s gift to man has surprisingly a beneficial tonic effect in the stomach and intestines. Thus, curing stomach ailments and indigestion. 

• Do you know that papain is used to treat sport injuries and also trauma and allergies? 

• Do you know that aside from Vitamin C, papayas are rich sources of beta carotene, folic acid (folates) vitamin B and flavonoids, soluble fiber potassium, magnesium, and pantothenic acid – all of which help prevent different kinds of cancers in organs and glands and improve cardiovascular health and cure other diseases. Low folates, for example is reportedly related to Alzheimer’s disease; 

• Do you know that papaya is low in sugar and is therefore good for diabetics; 

• Do you know that papaya juice helps relieve infections of the colon and prevents nausea (including morning sickness and motion sickness); 

• Do you know that papaya juice has inflammatory properties due to its enzymes papain and chymopapain? Also, papaya hastens the recovery of one suffering from burns. Unknown to many, chymopapain is being used in the treatment of slipped spinal disc and pinched nerves; 

• Do you know that papaya reduces the external and internal inflammation of diseases worsened by inflammation like asthma, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteo-arthritis; 

• Do you know that pregnant women are being advised to avoid papaya because it is a uterine stimulant (stimulates labor pains by increasing the intensity and frequency of uterine contractions). Also, people with the so-called “latex allergy” should consult their doctors before taking papaya because of possible allergic reaction to certain foods like fruits. In layman’s terms, latex allergy is allergy to natural rubber latex – like elastic bands, rubber/latex gloves, balloons, clothes, shoes, and other things that contain natural rubber latex. There are some people with latex allergy who may also have an allergic response to some plant products like fruits (latex-fruit syndrome). Fruits (and seeds) like bananas, pineapple, avocado, mango, and strawberry should therefore be avoided by those with latex-fruit syndrome. Likewise, those taking blood thinning medication on a regular/maintenance basis (like aspirin) should consult their doctors before taking papaya because the fruit has anticoagulant properties; 

• Do you know that the skin of papaya is an external treatment for wounds; 

• Do you know that the black seeds of papaya with a peppery flavor is edible and are used not only to expel worms but also used in the treatment of cirrhosis of the liver due to different causes like alcoholism and malnutrition. Not many know that a tablespoon of juice extracted by grinding the seeds and mixing it with 10 drops of fresh lime juice taken once or twice daily for a month is already being used as a treatment of a patient suffering from cirrhosis. As an antihelmintic (drugs that expel parasitic worms from the body), the papaya seeds are chewed and swallowed (2 teaspoon of seeds) after each of the 3 principal meals; 

• Do you know that as a home remedy for throat disorders like inflamed tonsils for diphtheria – the fresh juice of raw papaya mixed with honey is used also as a treatment; 

• Do you know that among the cancers treated by papaya is colon cancer? Simply because the fiber in papaya is able to bind itself with cancer-causing toxins in the colon and the fiber can distanced the cancer-causing toxins from the healthy colon cells; 

• Do you know that some culinary aficionados rub slices of green papaya over tough meat to make the meat more tender? Especially in the rural areas where the pressure cooker (tenderizer) is an expensive cooking utensil which the rural folks cannot afford. 

Need I say more about the health and curative benefits of papaya?

Have a joyful day! 

Papaya 

No need to cry about scarcity of blueberries, strawberries, etc 

We have our wonderful payayas, pineapples and bananas, and durians and mangoes are affordable. Papaya was the only studied food found to halt breast cancer. Scientists studied 14 plant foods commonly consumed in Mexico to determine their ability to halt breast cancer cell growth.These included avocado, black sapote, guava, mango, prickly pear cactus (nopal), pineapple, grapes, tomato, and papaya. They also evaluated beta-carotene, total plant phenolics, and gallic acid contents and antioxidant capacity. They found that only papaya had a significant effect on stopping breast cancer cell growth. (International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition)

Papaya is a store-house of cancer fighting lycopene. 

The intense orange-pink color of papaya means it is chock full of cancer fighting carotenoids. Not only beta carotene, but lycopene is found in abundancce. The construction of lycopene makes it highly reactive toward oxygen and free radicals. 

Scientists at the University of Illinois think this anti-oxidant activity contributes to its effectiveness as a cancer fighting agent. Epidemiological studies have indicated an inverse relationship between lycopene intake and prostate cancer risk. They showed that oral lycopene is highly bioavailable, accumulates in prostate tissue, and is localized in the nucleus of prostate epithelial cells.

In addition to antioxidant activity, other experiments have indicated that lycopene induces cancer cell death, anti-metastatic activity, and the up-regulation of protective enzymes. Phase I and II studies have established the safety of lycopene supplementation. (Cancer Letter, October 8, 2008)

Prostate cancer was the subject of a study in Australia that looked at 130 prostate cancer patients and 274 hospitalized controls . The scientists found that men who consumed the most lycopene-rich fruits and vegetables such as papaya were 82% less likely to have prostate cancer. In this study, green tea also exerted a powerful anti-cancer effect. When lycopene-rich foods were consumed with green tea, the combination was even more effective, an outcome the researchers credited to their synergy. ( Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007) 

Isothiocyanates found in papaya restore the cell cycle to eliminate cancer. 

Organo-sulfur compounds called isothiocyanates are found in papaya. In animal experiments, isothiocyanates protected against cancers of the breast, lung, colon, pancreas, and prostate, as well as leukemia, and they have the potential to prevent cancer in humans. Isothiocyanates have shown themselves capable of inhibiting both the formation and development of cancer cells through multiple pathways and mechanisms. (International Journal of Oncology), October, 2008). Researchers in Japan clarified the mechanisms of action in a type of isothiocyanate found in papaya known as BITC, that underlies the relationship between cell cycle regulation and appropriate cell death. When cancerous cells die on schedule, they are no longer a problem. The researchers established that BITC exerted cancer cell killing effects that were greater in the proliferating cells than in the quiescent cells. Cancer cells that are proliferating are much more dangerous than cancer cells that are in a state of dormancy. (Forum of Nutrition, 2009) 

Enzymes from papaya digest proteins including those that protect tumors. 

The fruit and other parts of the papaya tree, also known as the paw paw tree, contain papain and chymopapain, powerful proteolytic enzymes that facilitate chemical reactions in the body. They promote digestion by helping to break down proteins from food into amino acids that can be recombined to produce protein useable by humans. Proteolytic enzymes protect the body from inflammation and help heal burns. They do a good job of digesting unwanted scar tissue both on the skin and under its surface.

Research has shown that the physical and mental health of people is highly dependent on their ability to produce proteins they can use effectively. However, as people age, they produce less of the enzymes needed to effectively digest proteins from food and free needed amino acids. They are left with excessive amounts of undigested protein which can lead to overgrowth of unwanted bacteria in the intestinal tract, and a lack of available amino acids. 

Eating papaya after a meal promotes digestion, and helps prevent bloating, gas production, and indigestion. It is quite helpful after antibiotic use to replenish friendly intestinal bacteria that were the casualties in the war against the unwanted bacteria. When the intestinal tract is well populated with friendly bacteria, the immune system is strengthened, and can better protect against flu and cancer.

Being a proteolytic enzyme, papain is able to destroy intestinal parasites, which are composed mostly of protein. To rid the body of intestinal parasites, half a cup of papaya juice can be alternated each hour for twelve consecutive hours with the same amount of cucumber or green bean juice.

Papaya contains fibrin, another useful compound not readily found in the plant kingdom. Fibrin reduces the risk of blood clots and improves the quality of blood cells, optimizing the ability of blood to flow through the circulatory system. Fibrin is also important in preventing strokes. Proteolytic enzymes containing fibrin are a good idea for long plane rides to minimize the potential of blood clots in the legs. People who sit at a desk all day might want to use proteolytic enzymes too.

Proteolytic enzymes are able to digest and destroy the defense shields of viruses, tumors, allergens, yeasts, and various forms of fungus. Once the shield is destroyed, tumors and invading organisms are extremely vulnerable and easily taken care of by the immune system.

Undigested proteins can penetrate the gut and wind up in the bloodstream where they are treated by the immune system as invaders. If too many undigested proteins are floating around, the immune system becomes overburdened and unable to attend to the other tasks it was meant to do. Proteolytic enzymes can digest these rogue proteins, freeing up the immune system. 

Let's ensure a slice of papaya every day in our diet. Papaya juice will be great.