benefits of papayas

Papayas may be very helpful for the prevention of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease. Papayas are an excellent source of the powerful antioxidantsvitamin Cand vitamin A (through their concentration of provitamin A carotenoid phytonutrients).These nutrients help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. Only when cholesterol becomes oxidized is it able to stick to and build up in blood vessel walls, forming dangerous plaques that can eventually cause heart attacks or strokes.

The nutrients in papaya have also been shown to be helpful in the prevention of colon cancer. Papayas fiber is able to bind to cancercausing toxins in the colon and keep them away from the healthy colon cells. In addition, papayas folate, vitamin C, betacarotene, and vitamin E have each been associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer.

Papaya contains several unique proteindigesting enzymes includingpapainandchymopapain. These enzymes have been shown to help lower inflammation and to improve healing from burns. In addition, the antioxidant nutrients found in papaya, including vitamin C and betacarotene, are also very good at reducing inflammation. This may explain why people with diseases that are worsened by inflammation, such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, find that the severity of their condition is reduced when they get more of these nutrients.

Vitamin C and vitamin A, which is made in the body from the betacarotene in papaya, are both needed for the proper function of a healthy immune system. Papaya may therefore be a healthy fruit choice for preventing such illnesses as recurrent ear infections, colds and flu.

Data reported in a study published in theArchives of Ophthalmologyindicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of agerelated macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily. In this study, which involved over 110,000 women and men, researchers evaluated the effect of study participants consumption of fruits; vegetables; the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; and carotenoids on the development of early ARMD or neovascular ARMD, a more severe form of the illness associated with vision loss.

Choosing to regularly eat lycopenerich fruits, such as papaya,anddrink green tea may greatly reduce a mans risk of developing prostate cancer, suggests research published theAsia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition(Jian L, Lee AH, et al.)In this casecontrol study involving 130 prostate cancer patients and 274 hospital controls, men drinking the most green tea were found to have an 86% reduced risk of prostate cancer compared, to those drinking the least.

If you want to eat them within a day of purchase, choose papayas that have reddishorange skin and are slightly soft to the touch. Those that have patches of yellow color will take a few more days to ripen.Papayas that are totally green or overly hard should not be purchased, unless you are planning on cooking them, or unless you want to use green papayas in a cold dish like an Asian salad, as their flesh will not develop its characteristic sweet juicy flavor.

While a few black spots on the surface will not affect the papayas taste, avoid those that are bruised or overly soft. Papayas are more available during the summer and fall; however, you can usually purchase them throughout the year.Papayas that are partially yellow should be left at room temperature where they will ripen in a few days. If you want to speed this process, place them in a paper bag with a banana. Ripe papayas should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within one or two days, so you can enjoy their maximum flavor.

Papayas can be used many different ways. They can be eaten as is, added to a fruit salad or to a host of different recipes.One of the easiest (and most delightful) ways to eat papaya is to eat it just like a melon. After washing the fruit, cut it lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and then eat it with a spoon. For a little extra zest, you can squeeze lemon or lime juice on top.To cut papaya into smaller pieces for fruit salad or recipes, first peel it with a paring knife and then cut into desire size and shape.

Mix diced papaya, cilantro, jalapeno peppers and ginger together to make a unique salsa that goes great with shrimp, scallops and halibut.Sprinkle papaya with fresh lime juice and enjoy as is.Slice a small papaya lengthwise and fill with fruit salad.In a blender, combine papaya, strawberries and yogurt for a cold soup treat.