Origin

Papayas are a delightful fruit from the Carica tree which is commonly found in the Caribbean. The tree is native to the tropics of the Americas and was cultivated in Mexico several centuries before its emergence in the Mesoamerican classic culture. It is originally from southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. Nowadays it is cultivated in most countries where the climate is tropical like Brazil, India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines

Papayas can be eaten raw or in the form of juice. This is a fruit which you come to love once you develop a taste for it. It is not everyone’s favourite, but those who love it find it hard to get by a morning without digging into a bowl of freshly cubed papayas. It has several benefits from Lowering cholesterol to improving digestion. The enormous amount of nutrition that is packed in this fruit says all by itself

Nutrition value per 100 gm

Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Energy	43 Kcal	2%
Carbohydrates	10.82g	8%
Protein	0.047g	1%
Total Fat	0.26g	1%
Cholesterol	0.00mg	0%
Dietary Fibre	1.7## Vitamins

Vitamins are a group of substances that are needed for normal cell function, growth, and development. Basically, your body needs vitamins in order to work properly, and it needs different vitamins to help perform specific activities like produce energy, protect cells from damage, guide mineral utilization, and regulate cell and tissue growth. If your body doesn’t get enough of the vitamins it needs, it could lead to deficiencies and altered function that over time may foster illness development.

Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Folates	37 µg	9%
Niacin	0.338 mg	2%
Pantothenic acid	0.218 mg	4%
Pyridoxine	0.038 mg	3%
Riboflavin	0.027 mg	2%
Thiamin	0.023 mg	2%
Vitamin A	950 IU	32%
Vitamin C	60.9 mg	102%
Vitamin E	0.30 mg	2%
Vitamin K	2.6 µg	2%

Electrolyte

An electrolyte is a substance that produces an electrically conducting solution when dissolved in a polar solvent, such as water. The dissolved electrolyte separates into cations and anions, which disperse uniformly through the solvent. Electrically, such a solution is neutral. We lose electrolytes when we exercise as we get dehydrated, in fact, as your body starts to get low on electrolytes, that's what triggers the thirst mechanism.

Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Sodium	8 mg	0.5 %
Potassium	182 mg	4 %

Minerals

Different minerals have different benefits, so no mineral can be termed as more beneficial or less beneficial than another. All minerals, even trace ones, are critical for the proper functioning of the body. Most of the minerals aid in body metabolism, water balance, and bone health, but they can participate in hundreds of other small ways to effectively boost health as well

Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Calcium	20 mg	2%
Iron	0.25 mg	3%
Magnesium	21 mg	5%
Phosphorus	10 mg	1%
Zinc	0.08 mg	0.05%

Phytonutrients

Phytonutrients, also called phytochemicals, are chemicals produced by plants. Plants use phytonutrients to stay healthy. For example, some phytonutrients protect plants from insect attacks, while others protect against radiation from UV rays

Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Carotene-β	276 µg	--
Crypto-xanthin-β	761 µg	--
Lutein-zeaxanthin	75 µg	--

Benefits of Papaya

Rich In Antioxidants

The antioxidants present in dried papaya help to strengthen immunity and eliminate free radicals that are hazardous to your health. This fruit contains more amount of beta-carotene than in carrots.

Nausea treatment

Papaya is beneficial in the treatment of nausea, morning sickness and motion sickness. It is also beneficial for pregnant ladies when it taken in small quantity. It is suggested that during pregnancy, one should consult the doctor before taking papaya for morning sickness. Papaya prevents nausea and show good result when taken along with pineapple juice. The presence of vitamin C, vitamin E, and folate in papaya also give relieve in case of motion sickness.

Antioxidant properties

Papaya contains carotenoid, an antioxidant, that neutralizes the free radicals. Free radicals are molecule produced during the metabolism but too many of them can result in disease. Papaya is one of the best sources of carotenoid.

Controls Dandruff

One of the best papaya seeds benefits is that it can help reduce dandruff when used in a hair pack.

One of the main causes of dandruff is a fungal infection. The antifungal properties of papaya seeds help in controlling and preventing dandruff (11).

What You Need

½ papaya with the seeds intact

What You Have To Do

1. Peel the papaya and blend the pulp and the seeds to make a smooth paste.
2. Massage the paste into your scalp and apply it to the rest of your hair as well.
3. Leave it on for one hour and then shampoo as usual

Skin and Wound Care:

Due to papain’s antiseptic and anti-inflammatory capacities, it is currently being studied for topical applications on burns, irritations and wounds. It has also been used for ulcers and bedsores. Traditional cultures in Hawaii and Tahiti made poultices out of the skins of papaya, as this part of the fruit is particularly concentrated in papain. They applied it to the skin to heal wounds, burns, rashes and bug stings.The University of Minnesota Medical Center cites papain as a debrinding agent, used to remove dead tissue and improve healing on wounds and skin.

Whiten the skin

Papaya contains papain enzyme which lightens skin and decreases pigmentation.The beta carotene and photochemical present combats free radicals and reduces wrinkles.The potassium in it hydrates and moisturizes dry skin.The alpha hydroxy acids present in it exfoliate dead cells accumulated on the skin.It’s Vitamin C boosts collagen production and improves the elasticity of skin.The presence of Vitamin A in it reduces dark spots and acne scars. Flavanoids in it repairs the damaged skin.

How to use Papaya for Skin Whitening:

1. Papaya

This process helps to provide a natural glow to your skin.

Smash a few pieces of papaya into a fine paste and apply over the skin.
Let it rest for 15 minutes then rinse it off with water.
Follow this 2 – 3 times a week.

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, fuava, 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.

Reduce Inflammation In The Lungs

Smokers, both active and passive, can develop lung inflammation. Papayas have vitamin A that can help prevent and reduce this inflammation.

Drink a glass of papaya juice if you experience bouts of coughing.

Ringworms

Raw Papaya contains an enzyme that kills fungus, and it reduces inflammation.

How to Use?

Remove the seeds from a fresh papaya.
Spread them on a baking sheet and leave them in the sun to dry.
Crush or grind them to make a powder.
Add enough water to make a paste.
Apply papaya seed paste to infected skin.
Leave on 15-20 minutes, then rinse with water.
Repeat 3 times daily.

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.

Can Treat Ulcers

Although the meat of the papaya is the most notable part of the fruit used for its health benefits, the seeds, leaves, and roots of the papaya plant are also very helpful in treating certain conditions. Specifically, the extract from papaya seeds has been recognized to have both gastroprotective effects and antiulcerogenic activity.

Helps Reduce Stress

100 grams of papaya contains only 43 calories – making it an ideal weight loss food. The fiber content in papaya will make you feel full and clear your bowel movement. This makes it easy for you to lose those pounds

Liver Health

Papaya seeds contain vital nutrients that help heal cirrhosis of the liver. Grind or crush 5-6 Papaya Seeds and have them with food or juice, especially lime juice. This should be done for 30 days. Moreover eating small amounts of Papaya seeds regularly helps in detoxing the liver and keeps liver diseases at bay

Side effects of papaya

Papaya is Harmful For Pregnant Women

Papaya is classified as being harmful during pregnancy. It is considered as a ‘hot’ fruit. Latex, present in high concentrations in raw and semi-ripe papayas, causes uterine contractions which might lead to abortions. Avoid eating raw papaya if you are pregnant.

Can Develop Respiratory Disorders

Papain, the enzyme present in papaya, is a powerful allergen. Excessive consumption of papaya could, therefore, trigger various respiratory disorders, such as:

Obstructed breathing
Wheezing
Continuous congestion of the nasal passages
Hay fever
Asthma