Digestive Benefits of Papaya

One of my favorite fruits to eat as part of my regular diet is papaya. I have always heard that papaya was good for digestion and intestinal health, and I love the flavor, so I try to eat a couple of papayas during the week. Usually I cube up the papaya and put it in a Tupperware container for a delicious snack between meals. Because I eat papaya regularly I wanted to learn more about the digestive benefits of papaya and it’s other nutritional value. It turns out papaya not only tastes good, but can help you stay healthy too.

Of its many nutritional benefits, papaya contains an unique enzyme that helps to break down proteins and clean the digestive tract.

The papaya plant may look as large as a tree, but it is actually an herb which overgrows. This plant is grown in tropical areas around the world, though it is commonly believed to have found its origins in Central America and Mexico.

Though the fruit of the papaya is flavorful and is often consumed just for the sheer pleasant experience, in terms of practical use, it is most commonly used in order to aid in digestion. There are many properties in the papaya fruit that can help with the digestive process. For example, papayas are the single source of the enzymes papain and chymonpapain. No other plant in the world contains these natural digestive enzymes that work to break down proteins that have been consumed, and to clean out the digestive tract.

These digestive benefits of papaya are particularly good because when proteins are broken down more effectively, they provide greater nutrition and easier weight loss and maintenance. Furthermore, the cleaner the digestive tract is, the more efficiently it runs, also reducing bloating, flatulence, cramps, and nausea, and allowing for easier weight loss. In fact, many people who consume papaya find that their bodies are more forgiving of the occasional “cheating” on their regular weight loss diet.

Of course, beyond the actual digestive benefits of papaya, the fruit also has its own high nutritional contribution to offer. They are exceptionally high in the antioxidant vitamin C, as well as potassium and folate (folic acid). Furthermore, papayas are considered to be a good source of the antioxidant vitamin E, as well as vitamin A, carotenoids, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene, and fiber. With a small amount of papaya every day, you’ll be doing a great deal for your overall nutrition as well as your overall digestion.

Even better for those who are seeking to lose weight or keep weight off, is the fact that all of this nutrition is available in a fruit that can provide it with fewer calories than other fruits with comparable nutrition. For example, to receive the same amount of vitamin C from an orange, you’d need to consume a notably larger amount of calories.

Ideally, nutritionists recommend that for the best results in nutrition and weight loss, you should eat about 2 cups of papaya every day. The fruits range widely in size and weight (from 7 to 20 inches long and from 1 to 20 pounds), so it is best to measure in cups than by the number of fruits themselves.

Other Related Posts and Articles You May Find Interesting: “How Fiber Helps Weight Loss“, “How Antioxidants Enhance Weight Loss“, “Best Anti-Aging Diet Foods” and “Goji Berries and Weight Loss“.