Papaya, also known as pawpaw, is a tropical fruit with a sweet and juicy taste. It is highly nutritious and loaded with health benefits. Papayas are an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as folate, potassium, and fiber. These nutrients can boost the immune system, improve digestion, and prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Papaya contains an enzyme called papain, which aids in digestion and can help reduce inflammation in the body. The fruit is also rich in antioxidants, which can protect the body against damage from free radicals. With its numerous health benefits and delicious taste, papaya is a great addition to any diet.
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Diabetic patients can consume around 1 cup of papaya. It supplies nutrients to manage blood pressure, relieve constipation, and boost immunity and strength. It also helps in erectile dysfunction due to diabetes.
Table of content
Ayurveda Medicinal Properties of Papaya
Ayurveda Health Benefits and Uses of Papaya .
Benefits of ripe Papaya Fruit in Diabetes
Ayurveda Medicinal Properties of Papaya Leaf
Can Papaya be Used in Pregnancy ?
Papaya is a tiny tree that grows up to 16 ft. Even though this plant is native to the west indies and Central America, now it is widely grown in India. It is a very popular fruit for its immense health benefits. This plant belongs to the Caricaceae family and has a botanical name Carica papaya Linn.
Papaya is known by different names in the local languages of India. It is papeeta in hindi, papaya in english, papeya in bengali, parangi hannu in kannada, boppayi in telagu, popai in marathi, pappali phalam in tamil, papaya pazham in malyalam,.
Ayurveda Medicinal Properties of Papaya
This fruit is known as Eranda Karkati in Ayurveda. It has other sanskrit synonyms like Nalaparni (its leaves have hollow stick stalk), Madhukarkati and Erandachirbhata
Acharya Bhavaprakasha explains the medicinal properties of this fruit as follows.
This fruit is filled with beeja or seeds. The fruit is sweet to taste (madhura rasa) and retains the same taste even after digestion (vipaka). It is heavy to digest (guru). It acts as a body coolant (sheeta veerya).
Ayurveda Health Benefits and Uses of Papaya .
Papaya has immense health benefits.
Balances Tridosha
Papeeta balances vata , pitta and kapha doshas. Hence it can be used in the diet for almost all diseases.
Does the Digestive System Detox
The ripe fruit improves the sensation of taste buds and kindles appetite. Papayas are rich in soft and easily digestible fibers. These fibers induce normal bowel movement and help to relieve constipation. Green raw papaya helps to eliminate intestinal parasites. It is recommended when you have the problem of acidity and stops hiccups. It also helps to reduce dizziness caused due to gastric irritation or excess pitta.
Boosts strength of the heart
This fruit is praised as “hrudya” or heart-friendly. It strengthens heart muscles and clears arteries by reducing cholesterol.
Increases Body Strength
This fruit helps to increase body strength and is best for persons who are recuperating from illness. This is also useful for those who need more energy and strength to do physical work. Ripe Papeeta can be given to persons who are suffering from cough, cold, and fever. It boosts immunity and strength.
Benefits of Ripe Papaya Fruit in Diabetes
Diabetic patients experience a dilemma about consuming fruits. The reason behind this is many fruits are high in glycaemic index (sugar concentration) and may increase blood sugar levels. Maintaining blood sugar levels within normal limits is a big task for diabetes patients. A little change in food quantity and quality may lead to fluctuation of sugar levels in the blood.
Papaya is the best fruit for diabetics to consume. Papaya contains less sugar but provides plenty of nutrients that help in overcoming the nutritional deficiencies of diabetes.
Papayas are cheap and easy to procure. They are available with almost all fruit and vegetable vendors. Papayas are available round the clock. This fruit is available in different sizes and weighs according to its size. When cut we can see a hollow portion filled with black seeds. Some papayas may be seedless.
Papaya is very low in calories and it does not contain cholesterol.It contains plenty of phytonutrients, minerals, and vitamins. These vitamins and minerals are needed by diabetic tissues.
Here are 5 benefits of papaya for diabetics
Helps in Blood Sugar Control
Papaya’s relatively low glycemic index and glycemic load make it a good choice for those with diabetes. The glycemic index is a measure of how quickly a food can increase blood sugar levels, and papaya scores fairly low compared to other fruits, which helps to prevent spikes in blood sugar. Furthermore, its fiber content can slow the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream, thereby moderating the impact on blood glucose levels. It’s important to note that while papaya can be a part of a diabetic-friendly diet, it is not a substitute for prescribed diabetes medication or other recommended lifestyle changes.
Improves Heart Health
Papayas are a rich source of antioxidants like vitamins C, E, and A, which can help combat oxidative stress in the body, including in the cardiovascular system. This is particularly important for people with diabetes as they are at a higher risk of heart disease. Additionally, the fiber in papaya can help reduce levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, further promoting heart health. Moreover, the potassium in papaya aids in controlling blood pressure, which can be beneficial for those with hypertension often associated with diabetes.
Boosts Digestive Health
Maintaining a healthy digestive system is crucial for everyone, including those with diabetes. Papaya contains a naturally occurring enzyme called papain that assists in the digestion of proteins, thereby helping to maintain a healthy digestive system. This can be beneficial for people with diabetes, as some individuals may experience digestion issues as a result of nerve damage caused by prolonged high blood sugar levels. Moreover, its high fiber content can prevent constipation and promote regular bowel movements, aiding overall gut health.
Helps in Weight Management
We all know obesity increases incidences of diabetes. Weight loss in obese diabetic patients helps to reduce blood sugar levels. Papaya fruit is of great help in this condition.
Papaya is a low-calorie fruit that’s also high in fiber, making it an excellent choice for those looking to manage or lose weight. Weight management is crucial in diabetes care as excessive weight can increase insulin resistance, worsening blood sugar control. Including papaya in a balanced diet can aid in maintaining a healthy weight while providing important nutrients. Its sweetness can also be a healthier alternative to high-sugar desserts, satisfying a sweet tooth without significantly raising blood sugar levels.
Improves Eye Health
People with diabetes are at risk of developing eye conditions like diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to blindness if not treated. Papaya is a good source of beta-carotene and Vitamin A, nutrients essential for maintaining good eye health and reducing the risk of age-related macular degeneration. The antioxidant zeaxanthin, also found in papayas, has been linked to reducing the risk of macular degeneration.
Apart from these -Ripe papayas are rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Folic acid, Riboflavin and Thiamine. Vitamin A is required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is essential for healthy vision. Vitamin C has many important functions like free radicals scavenging, immune boosters, and anti-inflammatory actions. The B-Complex vitamins such as Folic acid, Riboflavin, and Thiamine are essential in the sense that the body requires them from external sources to replenish and play a vital role in metabolism.
The nutrient compounds in papaya are known to have antioxidant properties; help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.
Fresh ripe papaya also contains a good amount of potassium and calcium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids and helps control heart rate and blood pressure countering the effects of sodium. Thus it helps in controlling fluctuating blood pressure. Because of these minerals papaya helps men to overcome erectile dysfunction due to diabetes.
It’s crucial to remember that while papaya and other fruits can contribute to a balanced diet, they should be consumed as part of a comprehensive plan for managing diabetes under the guidance of healthcare professionals.
Thus papaya is a fruit of choice for diabetic patients. This is useful as natural ayurvedic remedy for diabetes.
Ayurveda Medicinal Properties of Papaya Leaf
Leaves of papaya are bitter (tikta rasa) and spicy (katu rasa) to taste. The spicy taste remains after digestion. It is light to digest (laghu) and absorbs moisture from tissues (ruksha). It increases body heat (ushna veerya ).
Leaves of papeeta balance kapha and vata. It is heart-friendly (hrudya) . Juice of leaves is recommended in dengue when the platelet count drops.
Home Remedies With Papaya
- Clean a papaya leaf and chop it finely. Soak a table spoon of chopped leaves in 100 ml of water for 8 hours. 25 ml of this cold infusion can be given for fever, UTI, and Cystitis.
- Latex from raw papaya is generally applied on mouth ulcers, wounds, bleeding piles, eczema, ringworm, insect bites, and scorpion bites to relieve pain and inflammation.
- People who are suffering from piles (hemorrhoids), intestinal parasites, and enlargement of the liver can use green raw papeetha in their diet.
- A hot poultice of papaya leaf is applied to swollen body parts and joints. This relieves pain and swelling.
Can Papaya be Used in Pregnancy?
It is a common notion in India not to eat papaya during pregnancy. The reason behind this is the latex of raw papaya may cause abortion. In the olden days, raw papaya was used as a medicine to terminate unwanted pregnancy. Hence ayurveda recommends not to eat papaya during pregnancy. But this can be used to lose weight after delivery .
Consult Dr.Savitha Suri for infertility, erectile dysfunction and PCOS for free. Email drsavithasuri@gmail.com . WhatsApp + 91 6360108663
Author : Dr. Savitha Suri Consultant Ayurvedic Physician
Reference: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285117822_Basketful_benefits_of_papaya
