Papaya Health benefits
The papaya is a tropical fruit native to Mexico, Central America, Puerto Rico and northern South America. When ripe it is a deliciously sweet and juicy fruit that tastes something like a mix of pineapple and peach – but much less tart. Not just a taste bud sensation, the papaya is also extremely good for your health.
Health Benefits of Papain
Papayas contain a digestive enzyme called papain that is sold as a supplement for digestive health problems. Besides its useful ability to help us digest food, papain is also used topically for burns and cuts, especially in its native grown countries. Harrison ford was actually treated with papain injections for a disc he ruptured during the filming of one of the Indiana Jones movies!
Colon Health Benefits of Papain
Papayas are a great source of fiber that can help protect us from colon cancer. The fiber binds with toxic cancer causing chemicals in the colon so that they can be eliminated out of the body in feces.
So how does these cancer causing chemicals get into the colon you may ask? The liver has to process and breakdown harmful chemicals that we breathe in from air pollution or ingest in the form of pesticides sprayed on foods into a less harmful (but still somewhat dangerous) form. From the liver, some of these chemicals are sent to the colon so that they can be eliminated. However, if we don’t have enough fiber in our diet to bind with these chemicals, they can hang around in the colon causing inflammation of the colon wall that can lead to cancer.
In addition to its fiber content, papaya is also a good source of folate, vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene. These nutrients are also associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer. They work together synergistic-ally to protect the DNA in colon cells from free radicals (harmful unstable oxygen molecules) that are generated inside feces.
Papaya Juice Benefits
A study has found that papaya juice is effective at inhibiting the growth of human liver cells in the test tube. A study is yet to be conducted with living humans but the preliminary evidence looks promising. To make your own Papaya juicing recipe you will need 3 papayas. You will need to peel the hard skin and remove the pips before placing the papayas in your juicing machine (if you don’t have a juicer I recommend visiting Jack LaLanne Power Juicer Review ). This will provide one glass of juice. Papaya juice is especially good first thing in the morning.