Benefits of Papaya
According to a popular saying of Mexico and Central America: "a papaya a day keeps the doctor in the distance". Papaya is a rich source of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and digestive enzymes with important benefits and properties for our health. Here we tell you some of the most important:
1. Prevents fatty liver
PQQ, an antioxidant found naturally in foods such as kiwi and papaya, helps prevent fatty liver disease, according to a 2018 study by the University of Colorado, USA.
Help in digestion
2. Combat constipation
The consumption of papaya in the form of fresh fruit, juices, smoothies or as part of a salad, stimulates intestinal movement or motility (combat constipation) due to its high fiber content and properties of pa pain. The World Health Organization recommends taking 30 grams of fiber a day to have a good intestinal transit, avoid problems of constipation and prevent digestive complications.
3. Eliminates intestinal parasites
A recent research by a group of students from the University of Karachi, India found that papaya seeds contain high levels of Proterozoic enzymes and an alkaloid called Carpathian that has been shown to be very effective in killing worms of intestinal parasites and amoebas .
4. High vitamin C content
The papaya has about 80 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams, which is equivalent to the amount that can bring us an orange of more than 150 grams. The doses recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for vitamin C are 90 milligrams a day for men and 75 milligrams for women.
Sources of vitamin C
5. Friend of our skin
Papaya is a great source of antioxidants, vitamin C and E, and beta-carotene. The high levels of these nutrients can help protect our skin against free radicals, molecules that cause oxidation, cell damage and muscle aging.
6. It's good for your eyes
The papaya contains lute in carotids (absorbs the sun's ultraviolet rays preventing damage to the retina) and Xanthippe (protects the fatty substances inside the eyes from damage caused by free radicals) that can protect us against the development of cataracts, glaucoma and other chronic eye diseases.
Common myths about the eyes
7. Source of folic acid
Papaya is a good source of folic acid that helps control our levels of homo cysteine in the blood. Researchers at the University of Washington link folic acid deficiency with a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases, such as arteriosclerosis, blockage of arteries, heart attacks, stroke and congenital heart defects.
8. Improves blood flow
High levels of vitamin C and vitamin E, along with antioxidants such as beta-carotene and papaya Penelope can help reduce the oxidation of cholesterol in our arteries. The international recommendation given by the World Health Organization (WHO), is not to exceed 300 mg daily of cholesterol in the diet and eat fruits and vegetables.
9. Low in calories
Papaya is usually included in diets to lose weight because 100 grams of this fruit provide only 30 calories. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, for its acronym in English) the high content of pa-pain speeds up the intestinal transit and helps achieve a proper assimilation of what is consumed.
10. Papaya cicatrizante
Papaya is ideal for treating inflammations, suppuration of pus, corns, warts, pimples and other skin diseases. In Central America, where there are no hospitals or pharmacies, papaya leaves are applied in the form of compresses on infected wounds to help cleanse and heal the skin.
