39 Surprising Benefits Of Papaya For Skin, Hair, And Health

I don’t know about you, but if there is one fruit that I can hog in any season, it is the papaya. Not apples. Not grapes. Not even bananas. It’s papaya. And there is a reason. 

In fact, there are many. Benefits of papaya includes managing weight and high blood pressure and even help prevent diabetes. Did you know that a small papaya contains about 300% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C? But that’s not the mind-blowing stuff.

The mind-blowing stuff… Well, read on and find out why you need to incorporate these ‘fruits of angels’ in your daily schedule.

Scientific Name – Carica papaya
Origin – Central America and Southern Mexico
Other Names – Fruit of the Angels (by Christopher Columbus), Papita (Hindi), Boppayi Pandu (Telugu), Pappali (Tamil), Omakaya (Malayalam), Pappayi Hannu (Kannada), Papaiya (Gujarati), and Papai (Marathi)

Native to the tropical areas of Central America and Southern Mexico, papayas have slowly and steadily attained popularity all around the world. They are used in a number of forms – ripe, unripe, and dried.

Papaya Properties

* High In Fiber – Papaya is a great source of dietary fiber (1). This nutrient absorbs toxins in the colon that can cause cancer and eliminates them from the body through bowel movements. Fibers from fruit and vegetables like papaya can nourish the beneficial communities of microorganisms within your body. Due to its rich fiber content, papaya aids digestion and imparts a beautiful glow to your skin from its enzymes.

* Rich In Vitamins And Minerals – Papaya contains abundant amounts of vitamin C, a potent antioxidant (2). It also aids wound healing, can reduce the risk of cancer due to oxidative stress, and boosts your immunity to fight common ailments such as cold and cough. This fruit is also replete with vitamin A and minerals like phosphorus, iron, potassium, copper, manganese, calcium, and magnesium. Vitamin A is required to maintain healthy vision while phosphorus is needed for good heart health.

* Rich In Antioxidants – The antioxidants present in papaya may help to strengthen immunity and eliminate free radicals that are hazardous to your health. This fruit contains more amount of beta-carotene than in carrots by weight.

* Abundant In Bioflavonoids – Also known as vitamin P, bioflavonoids are semi-essential nutrients that work as nature’s modifiers and respond to biological changes in the body. The bioflavonoids in papaya modify the reaction of the body to viruses, carcinogens, and allergens, thereby protecting it from harmful and life-threatening diseases.

What Is Papaya Good For?

Skin Benefits

1. Moisturizes Skin
2. Clears Pigmentation
3. Reduces Wrinkles
4. Reduces Under-Eye Dark Circles
5. Helps Treat Eczema And Psoriasis
6. Treats Melasma
7. Removes Tan
8. Controls Acne Breakout

Hair Benefits

9. Stimulates Hair Growth
10. Controls Dandruff
11. Conditions Hair

Health Benefits

12. Promotes Cardiovascular Health
13. Prevents Macular Degeneration
14. Boosts Immunity
15. Heals Wounds
16. Aids Digestion
17. Has Anticancer Effects
18. Prevents Arthritis
19. Reduce Inflammation In The Lungs
20. Treats Throat Disorders
21. Treatment For Ringworm
22. Helps In Muscle Tissue Renewal
23. Activates Human Growth Hormones
24. Helps Ease Menstrual Pain
25. Helps Reduce Stress
26. Aids Weight Loss
27. Good For Diabetics
28. Treats Piles
29. Cures Vitiligo
30. Prevents Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
31. Treats Nausea And Motion Sickness
32. Helps Increase Platelet Count
33. Keeps Blood Pressure Under Control
34. Used For Birth Control
35. Good For Babies
36. Good For Pregnant Women
37. Treats Gout
38. Helps Increase Lactation