Tropical fruits such as papaya are known for their versatile nature and also for being densely populated with nutrients ranging from fibers to vitamins. The same goes for papaya leaf, which, in addition to these nutrients, contains other plant-based phytochemicals that further enhance its beneficial characteristics. Vitamins such as vitamin E and vitamin C are two of its most-common compounds, which coincidentally are also responsible for providing it with powerful antioxidant qualities. Other than that, an enzyme called papain, known to be a potent digestive-aid is also found in papaya leaves and that too in an adequate amount. However, before you decide to add these leaves into your daily routine, take a look at some astounding health advantages that they can be linked with eating papaya leaves:
Benefits Of Consuming Papaya Leaves
1. Promotes Healthy Digestion
Papain, an enzyme found in papaya leaves is known to improve bloating and reduce constipation in people who are suffering from these chronic digestive issues. Furthermore, this enzyme also helps in the breaking down of food nutrients such as protein, which are broken down into peptides and amino acids, thus ensuring that it is adequately absorbed by the digestive system. Due to all these facts, papaya leaves have been used as a folk medicine for its digestion benefiting functions.
Also Read: Best And Worst Foods For Digestion
2. For Recovery From Dengue
Another amazing advantage of papain is the fact that its consumption significantly increases the platelet count in the body, which in turn is quite effective in fighting off diseases such as dengue. Papaya leaf juice, hence, is often suggested to people who are suffering from this disease, as one of the major symptoms associated with dengue is the reduced concentration of platelet in the blood. Diminished blood platelet count could result in excessive bleeding and slower wound repair. About 25 ml of papaya leaf juice about two times a day is the suggested intake for achieving satisfactory results.
3. Papaya Leaves Are Adequately Loaded With Fibers
Above all else, papaya leaves are exceptionally fibrous. This means that not only are they great for your digestion, but they can also be beneficial for boosting your metabolism and the effective burning of calories. How? Well, dietary fiber is the non-digestible part of the food item, thus when fiber-filled foods such as papaya leaves are consumed, they tend to slow down your digestion rate, since it requires an extra amount of time and effort for their complete digestion. This further boosts your metabolism, as few calories are burned in the process of digestion itself.
Also Read: Super Foods To Reduce Belly Fat | Best Diet To Shed Tummy Flab
4. It is A Powerful Antioxidant
Packed with vitamin E and vitamin C, there is no doubt in the fact that papaya leaves have a powerful antioxidant quality associated with their consumption. This property of papaya leaves allows them to help in the fight against free radicals or free oxygen atoms that are present in the bloodstream. These free-radicals are responsible for combining with healthy cells and damaging them by exerting oxidative stress in the outer cellular walls. However, an antioxidant-rich diet allows you to lower the concentration of these so-called free-radicals are reduces the risk of free-radical induced damages or inflammation.
Also Read: A To Z Of Antioxidant-Rich Food | Complete List Of Food Items To Fight Free-Radicals
5. Helps In The Protection Of Liver
A combination of bad diet and unhealthy habits can lead to high cholesterol levels. Papaya leaves contain a chemical known as phytosterols, which, as their name suggests, have a similar structure as bad-cholesterols, or LDL. Thus, these chemicals are responsible for displacing LDL from the cells and preventing the accumulation of bad cholesterol in the blood vessels. This results in minimal lipid peroxidation, meaning that it keeps the liver safe from any free-radical damage (1).
6. Papaya Leaves Can Significantly Strengthen Immunity
Consumption of papaya leaves in a healthy amount has been used even in some traditional medicinal practices for the treatment of disorders which were as complex as cancer itself. Their consumption is directly linked with increased production of some of the immune system components such as T-lymphocytes, which are responsible for defense against external pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. In addition to that, the phytochemical compounds present in these leaves such as α-tocopherol too, have a certain antibacterial quality that further increases their effectiveness.
7. Promotes Hair Growth And Fights Off Dandruff
The external application of papaya leaves extracts and a thorough massage is linked with the removal of excess oil and dirt. Apart from that, the vitamin and nutritionally dense nature of these leaves are known for providing an adequate and healthy quantity of nourishment to the hair follicles, which can result in proper and healthy hair growth.
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Table of Contents
The Best Way To Use Papaya Leaves For Their Beneficial Properties
One of the most common and popular ways in which papaya leaves can be consumed is in the form of juice. The steps involved in the preparation of this beverage are quite simple.
Things That You’ll Need
- Blender
- 8-10 leaves which are fresh and clean.
Step That You Need To Follow
- Place the leaves inside the blender that you’ll use to thoroughly crush the leaves.
- Stop the blender once the desired consistency is achieved.
- Place the crushed components inside a thin cloth and then hold it over a container or a glass.
- Strain the leaves through the cloth and collect the clarified juice in the container.
Side-Effects Of Papaya Leaf
Health foods are beneficial only until they are consumed in limited quantity. Such is the case with papaya leaf as well, for a nutrient-dense product such as this one would certainly disrupt a balanced diet upon being consumed in an unregulated manner.
Fiber, which is present in papaya leaves, can lead to weight gain when consumed in large quantities. The same can be said about vitamins, as a heavy dosage of vitamin E can result in you feeling nauseated, and can also sometimes cause diarrhea and fatigue.
Though the side-effects of papaya leaves might come across as severe, you must also understand these leaves, when consumed in the right amount, would prove to be much more beneficial as compared to other health food products. It is natural and fresh, which further increases its likability. However, don’t except the juice to taste like heaven.