Papaya was known as the fruit of the angels by Christopher Columbus. It comes from a North American tree which has purple flowers and edible yellow fruit. Not only the fruits that have good benefits for our health, almost all parts of papaya tree are beneficial too, including the leaf. You can get to know further by looking at these benefits of papaya.
Papaya leaf is also good for our health, starting from the skin to the body system. You can find more about the specific benefits of papaya leaf in benefits of papaya leaves for diabetes.
Let’s get to know how much nutrient you can find in papaya leaf. There are around 50 ingredients in papaya leaves, including vitamins (A1, B1, C and E), protein, calories, carbohydrates, calcium, iron, potassium, sodium, and many more.
No wonder, papaya leaves are very good for our health. Let’s see the complete surprising health benefits of papaya leaf.
Papaya leaves contain karpain which is in charge of killing bacteria that cause problems, such as gastritis. Papaya leaves are able to reduce the inflammation in the stomach lining and heal gastric ulcers. They kill H. pylori bacteria.
Besides, papaya leaves also contain papain, protease enzyme and amylase enzyme. These enzymes break down proteins, carbs and soothe the gastrointestinal tract. It also helps relieving discomfort caused by acid reflux.
Papaya leaves can be consumed in a form of tea. Papaya leaf tea has been used to relieve colon inflammation which leads to irritable bowel syndrome and other inflammatory diseases.
Recently, papaya leaves have been gaining their credibility in Western medicine. They have anticancer powers which tribal folk cultures have recognized for a long time. Many cancer therapy regimens have a devastating effect on the body, however, papaya extract made of leaves, does not give any effects on normal cells.
There are some clinical studies which have confirmed that papaya leaf extract inhibits the growth of cancer cells and improves immune system. When the immune system is boosted, it will help treat and prevent certain types of cancer, including cervix, breast, lung and pancreas cancer.
If you’re looking for some natural ways of treating cancer, think of tempe. Are you curious? Let’s read more about it in benefits of tempeh for cancer.
Papaya leaves are rich in antioxidants which could be useful to diabetic patients, especially type 2 diabetes. It is characterized by poor insulin sensitivity because of inefficient glucose uptake by the cells.
Most patients also suffer from secondary complications, such as fatty liver, kidney damage, oxidative stress and the compromised process of wound healing. Fortunately, these effects can be restricted with the help of papaya leaves extract.
When papaya leaves are turned into hair masks and juice, they can be used to support hair growth and scalp health too.
Some research has shown that hair loss has been related to the high levels of oxidative stress in the body. However, eating antioxidant-rich food may help alleviating oxidative stress and improve hair growth. It’s all due to the antioxidant properties, such as flavonoids and vitamin E.
Not only the leaves, health benefits of papaya seeds for hair growth will also make you think twice before throwing away the seeds.
Not only good to be consumed, papaya leaves can also be applied topically to your skin. Applying papaya leaves extract to your skin is one of the ways of maintaining soft, clear and youthful skin.
It is all due to papain, a protein-dissolving enzyme in papaya leaves which can be used as an exfoliant to remove dead skin cells. Furthermore, it also reduces the occurrence of clogged pores and acne.
If you want to know more about the impacts of papaya leaves on skin, spare time reading these benefits of papaya leaves for skin.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne virus which can be transmitted to humans. It causes flu-like symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, nausea and skin rashes. Fortunately, several studies show that papaya leaves extract significantly increased blood platelet levels. What’s better? Papaya leaf therapy had very few side effects and more effective than the conventional treatments.
Despite all the surprising health benefits mentioned above, there is a caution of consuming papaya leaf. It is considered safe to be consumed as medicine for up to 5 days. More than that, it may cause some side effects, such as nausea and vomiting. So, think of consuming papaya leaf in a considerate amount.