Papaya Sweet Answer to our Well Being and Health
Just recently I came across an eye opening book by Barry Thomson “Join Our Escape From Death Row-Cancer Jail”, where he in a most genuine and generous ways shares valuable information and his knowledge in effective fight against cancer and ill health. Among other very interesting information I red about simple but wonderful papaya and its healing properties. One chapter in this book awoke in me more desire to learn and research as much as I possibly could as on a professional level I deal with people suffering many different health issues and aliments who look for alternative ways to help them. I would love to share what I know as I believe it can make difference in everyday life of many others. I am also hoping that this will prompt other people to share their knowledge about improving our general well being and health.
Papaya, Paw Paw, Tree Melon (botanical name Carica Papaya), it has oblong shape, normally greenish yellow, yellow or orange color. It is a large tree plant fruit usually reaching 2.5kg. It has bitter sweet taste and comes from tropical places with higher humidity, native to Mexico, countries of Central America, Thailand, Africa and Asia and growing well in Australia.
Papaya Health Benefits
Paw Paw how we call it here in Australia is these days plentiful all year round in most of the countries. The parts that are used medicinally are fruit, seeds, stems and leaves. I did look around and found out you can buy paw paw in all forms, in a form of fermented papaya, herbal teas even tablets and of course plenty of the fresh fruit, which can be eaten as it is or in a form of juice. So you ask what are these awesome healing properties of paw paw? Well where do I start? Papaya fruit is and excellent source of dietary fiber, folate, vitamin A, C and E. It also contains small amount of calcium, iron, riboflavin, thiamine and niacine. It is also very rich in antioxidant nutrients flavonoids and carotenes, very high in vitamin C plus A, and low in calories and sodium.
PawPaw tree. Paw paw is rich in enzymes called papain and chymopapain which helps with the digestion, particularly it breaks down the proteins from the food we eat into amino acids. The latest research shows that amino acids are responsible for all what is happening in our organism, basically for what is happening in every chemical reaction as well as our mental and physical health. As we age we produce less of the digestive enzymes in our stomach and pancreas, which leads to ineffective digestion of proteins. Due to this we end up with excess amount of undigested protein, which leads to overgrowth of the bad bacteria in our gastrointestinal system and not enough of amino acids to perform all important chemical reactions. We can say that good quality protein is absolutely essential for our healthy being. This is where the papaya enzymes can be very beneficial.
The papain enzymes are produced in the skinny peel of paw paw. The combination of these enzymes repels insect during the ripening, without this protection paw paw fruit would not survive. Eating paw paw after a meal makes for better digestion, prevents bloating and chronic indigestion. It can also lower the inflammation in the body, alleviates the pain and edema caused by sport injuries. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties papaya can relieve the severity of Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Because of its high antioxidant content, papaya can prevent cholesterol oxidation and can be use in a preventative treatments against atherosclerosis, strokes, heart attacks and diabetic heart disease.
In a everyday health papaya works magic on strengthening the immune system preventing the recurrent colds and flu. After treatment with antibiotics eating paw paw or drinking its juice replenishes the good intestinal bacteria, which was destroyed by the antibiotic treatment. The latest good news from eating paw paw comes down once again to papain the enzyme which I talked about, it was found to destroy intestinal parasites. Papain is proteolitic enzyme, which means that it digests inert (non-living) proteins. Intestinal parasites are largely protein, the papain attacks it and causes parasite to die. Also, home applications of leaf and bark papaya extract is used to deal with mouth gums and toothaches which is being effectively practised in many cultures around the world.
Papaya Research and Products
Papain is also being studied for relief of cancer therapy side effects, especially relieving side effects such as difficulty swallowing and mouth sores after radiation and chemotherapy as well as boosting up the immune system and helping body to fight the cancer. I am big fan of the products made by Rochway, Australian company (for more information visit rochway.com.au) as they use organically grown papaya, producing among other products, product called Papaya35, fermented papaya enzymes. They also produce Blueberry and PawPaw probiotic Punch, which has very strong antioxidant properties that protects against free radicals. Free radicals contribute largely in many diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and cancer. Rochway products are 99% sugar free which makes them suitable for people suffering diabetes as well. As you can see there is plenty we can benefit from this simple fruit, more and more research is being done and I can’t wait to hear more about it.
For references and more on the current studies you can look up www.pubmed.gov as for the products there are few available on the market.I am sure if you look around you will be able to find many available or simply stick with the fresh fruit. However if you are looking or hoping for more therapeutic effect of eating papaya, you need to be aware the unripened papaya (still green papaya) contains far more of the proteolytic enzymes papain and chymopapain than ripened papaya which we commonly eat. You can also juice the leaves and stems but be prepared for the vile taste of it …. you can’t naturally like its taste nor does the cancer cells.
Summary of Healing Properties of Papaya
- Increases quality of proteins in whole organism.
- Revitalise the human body and maintain energy and vitality.
- Encourages the renewal of muscle tissue.
- Supports cardiovascular system.
- Boosts up the immune system.
- Helps with the digestive system, by breaking down the proteins and supporting production of digestive enzymes.
- Papaya can be use also externally as a treatment for skin wounds that don’t heal quickly, for this you can use papaya peel or ointments made out of papaya.
- Prevents the cataract formation.
- Due to high vitamin A, it lowers the risk of emphysema in smokers and passive smokers.
- Alleviates inflammation.
- Helps with the nausea and constipation.
- Can benefit people suffering colon cancer and other forms of cancers and aliments of cardiovascular and gastroitestinal systems.
I would absolutely love new info on papaya and I would love to hear from any one who used it to improve their health.
© Copyright statement – KangaRado Hand ® All rights reserved.
July 4th
I do agree with you that papaya is a great fruit for your health.
I myself used it after recovering from Jaundice.
~Himanshu~
July 5th
Thanks for that Himanshu, I didn’t know that papaya is used in the diet and recovery diet from jaundice, I am going to find out more about it. I like your blog.
September 8th
i recently heard that pawpaw leaves crushed and drank can help build the immune system so much it can actually help remove dengue fever bacteria from the system . so i’m still looking for that info to confirm. reply if u know of this
September 30th
Papaya is an important fruit tree for diet and health improvement in Uganda. I am currently undertaking a protocal to research on it. Will be greatful if I get more literature about it.
Thank you
December 10th
Such a huge benefit papaya has on health! It is also a cheap fruit available in many countries. It is well suited for some precautionary measures of some diseases in human. Thanks for your post as this will result in health improvements for many visitors.
December 10th
I love papayas, but I never knew that they are so beneficial. Who would have thought that it can prevent some types of cancer? Even more, I had no idea that people have started using papaya for medicine, I am glad I consume it often. Thanks for the information; I will now pass it on to my friends and family.
January 10th
When I was a student I had a lot of gastro-type problems e.g. too much acid – I would never leave home without gaviscon! I’d feel nauseous and retch but wouldn’t actually throw up. I was treated with various ulcer-type medicines and eventually had an endoscopy which found nothing. After that I started seeing a naturopath who got me to eat nothing but pawpaw. She never actually told me what had been wrong – but the pawpaw fixed me up within about a month!
January 11th
For last two years I have made in my kitchen, just for my family, some of fermentated beverages: ‘Kombucha Tea,’ from the living medusin-is ready in 8-10 days; ‘Tibetian kefir’, made with the living dairy bacteria-is ready in 24 hours. I made fermentated different veges (f.e., soy beans) and fruits (f.e., unpeeled bananas). Tomorow I will fermentate blended whole papaya with peel, seeds and fruit itself, using very strong dairy bacterias.
How and what are You fermentate? Let’ do exchahge of our experience. 01.11.09 St. Paul. USA
January 30th
i like to eat paw paw. it gives me more vitamins and helps me to be more powerful. hope that this little words of mine could inspire more people to eat papaya.
February 7th
When anyone in my family has a toothache due to a hole in any of the tooth, my mother would get a papaya leaf and scrape the bark off the stick then sqeeze the juice out into the tooth that troubles you. You repeated that twice or three times. After a short while, you do not feel the pain anymore. It has been used for many generations in the past.
February 21st
I have a receipe for paw paw tea that my great grandfather used to cure his stomach cancer I think in the 1930′s. My mother told me that he was taken to Sydney Australia from his country home to be operated on they found when opened up that he had stomach cancer and nothing could be done. So he returned home and set about finding a cure, he believed you had to find something bitter(that’s where the paw paw tea came into the equation) that the cancer didn’t like and every other food to be red or orange. He cured himself and he lived another 7 years and died of a heart attack and no signs of cancer.
June 6th
After prolong standing on my feet my feet and ankles would swell to more than double the normal size. A gentlemen from Mexico told me to eat papaya and the swelling would disappear. Sure enough – I ate it and the swelling was gone within 48 hours. It does work and I will continue eat papaya after each meal.
June 11th
I heard that papaya leaves juice can cure dengue fever. Hope for the best.
July 9th
My grandmother was cured of stomach cancer in the early 1960′s with consuming the whole papaya. She was told by her physician that she had stomach cancer which was inoperable and to go home and put her affairs in order. Instead, she took off for Mexico to a health resort, and there she was instructed on how to go about juicing the whole papaya, seeds and all! Papaya was readily available to her upon her arrival home to So. Florida. Eight months later, she was declared, by her doctor, as totally cured–no sign of cancer!! She lived for another 14 years with no sign of cancer; ended up dying of heart complications, which she had prior to her cancer diagnosis.
We give God all the glory and praise for healing her and for using this fruit in the healing process!
My sibling has recently been diagnosed with a rare squamous cell carcinoma of the stomach and he is currently using papaya as a managing tool for comfort, nausea, and reducing of inflammation while more medical tests are being done on him to see what the doctors are gathering for the best treatment for him. Meanwhile, we trust the Lord for healing once again. Our God is an awesome God!
July 14th
Thank you for your great article on Paw Paw.
As I grow my own Paw Paw I found your article very interesting
and also have found that my digestive system feels great after eating
paw paw after a meal. So I googled ” the health benefits of paw paw”
an your page popped up.
I just thought you might like to know about two typos I found
on your page. This is not a complaint. I know webmasters are always
asking for submissions on errors on their sites.
• Encourages the renewal of musle {Muscle} tissue.
• Helps with the digestive system, by braking {Breaking} down the proteins and supporting production of digestive enzymes.
Thanks again.
Added by admin:
Thank you Valerie, I fixed those two typos – braking { Breaking } and musle { Muscle }, took me some time though. I can see that you have red this page thoroughly …
September 19th
i remember in the 70′s in a hospital in South Africa we used the flesh of the paw paw to heal a massive bed sore.
November 12th
i needed to loose weight, and being a health consultant, i decided to try out paw-paw, so i could recommend it to people i came in contact with who are desirous of loosing weight. i am glad to tell you that it worked well for me and it is still working. i plan recommend it as a very safe alternative in trying to lose weight.
November 12th
also, it had been impressed on my heart that paw-paw might be able to control cancer which was what prompted this search, and i am delighted that my feeling has been confirmed. this is so important to me because i have been researching on the treatment of cancers naturally, as i am a health consultant. in addition to this, paw-paw also have skin conditioning properties!
December 1st
This is awesome….am eating paw paw as we speak and had it years ago! I have terrible acid and bloatedness and am so glad i searched for the benefits of this fruit. Will advise my whole family and keep on eating it for years. Thank you!
December 8th
I understand too that Paw Paw contains magnesium. They used to make a stomach powder in South Africa called Pawmag which was an ant-acid for stomach upsets, made from Paw Paw.
December 12th
I was diagnosed with bladder cancer about two and a half years ago, after surgery the doctor insisted on BCG treatment(a form of tuberculosis) which flushed into my bladder weekly for 6 weeks, after 3 months and an inspection the cancer had subsided a bit but was still active. A local farmer told me about pawpaw leaf tea, so I drank it thrice daily following each dose with a teaspoon of organic molassis for 3 months. After which another check revealed no trace of any tumor another checkup is due in mid 2010. You can draw your own conclusion.
December 16th
About twenty or so years ago my mother ate or drank of papaya (Paw Paw) daily. She had many conditions, so I forget what she was taking it for … but it worked! She died about fifteen years later of an unrelated disorder aged about eighty.
My wife was quadraplegic and had sinus ulcers from respite-care mis-handling. I used Dr Lucas Paw Paw ointment as a skin-healing growth-accellerant (in conjunction with other medications to kill off golden staff and sudamonis colonisations) and when she died many years later, the doctors and nurses were dumbfounded that she had no skin lesions.
I found that paw paw ointment could be used where manuka honey couldn’t because the honey blocked my wife’s exudate from escaping her wounds. Also she needed her skin to heal quickly or else bed-sores etcetera would develop.
We’ve used paw paw products in our family for at least twenty years and our friends are eternally grateful for our telling them about it.
January 5th
yes .. i love to eat papaya specially during breakfast… i
love the fruit and the taste and above all its nutritional value..
i never knew that it could fight against cancer ..and delays the aeging
process, i encourage others to try this friut too…
January 19th
I’m seeking a help about the antihelimintic property of papaya leaf extract. (“Antihelminthic property” or “Anthelmintic property” often referred to seed oils.) if you had any information on that there. Anyway I am a student of Cagayan State University taking up bachelor of science in chemistry.
January 19th
The leaves too are used a lot here in PNG to relieve the symptoms of Malaria. Boiled and drank 1/2 cup as it is bitter or with tea.
You can also boil plenty of the leaves in a lot of water and have a long soak to relieve body aches and pains, or just to feel good and ease tension.
January 21st
What some helpful information you are supplying, i do hope everyone who comes across such wonderful information on the benefits of the paw paw will use it to keep healthy. I am already taking a lot of it to help me lower my blood sugar levels, i pray it works.
Ruth Sibanda Zimbabwe Gweru
February 14th
The health benefits of papaya, or paw-paw as we call it in South Africa, are truly phenomenal. I have a condition called duodenitis and I find that when I have discomfort a few teaspoons for paw-mag in a half glass of water really helps. Fresh paw-paw works even better!
The duodenum is the initial part of the small intestine, in humans about 25cm to 30 cm or 10″ to 12 inches in length of the gut part, bending tube up to 3 times, and so duodenitis condition is acute or chronic inflammation of this duodenum section.
February 17th
Please as an advice do not take dried papaya leaf with Malaysian Tongkat Ali, can get hospitalised for that. Can be very bad for a human heart. Benefits are that this shrub by strengthening the immunity system helps with fighting against mental fatigue and also physical exhaustion, but on the other hand at the same time this can also create side effects.
Is there any market for bartering dried papaya leafs with olives packed in saltwater?
February 24th
I will need more information on how to extract papain enzyme and chymopapain from paw paw. Also i want to know how to process pawpaw leaves, skin etc for other values. Please email me with details on ikputu@yahoo.com
Thanks
March 4th
I took 1.5 to 2 cups cold papa in a blender with 1/2 cup plain, sugar-free yogurt or home made yogurt, along with some molasses, ice, and some water…makes a great papa flavored shake. Add a banana, too. It’s very subtle, but you might like the flavor.
Chewing any food is of much more value than drinking anything, as any time you have pressure on the teeth and gums, you activate enzymes all through the GI track, which is needed to properly digest. Actually, the stomach has some enzymes, when it is depleted, the pancreas is the back up. When the pancreas is depleted of all enzymes, you are diabetic!!! So, chew and eat raw fruits and vegetables, so that you are replenishing the enzymes you so much need. Any questions? Have a great day. Thanks for all of you contributions.
Added in by admin:
Hi Steve,
wonderful papaya shake recipe, thank you very munch for sharing. We’ll make it at home this weekend. For sure people need to watch their pancreas and its insulin production. It’s very important, also how much weight we put on mainly in the area around our waist which puts an extra pressure on pancreas, consequences would be that one can become a diabetic (am I right?)
You’ve mentioned also: “Any questions?” – of course YES we do have – rising awareness on health issues and learning about is/should be important for everybody; Could you create an article on this subject Mate?, we could post it as an individual page on the site for public to go through, many people will visit and read it and, be informed. Thank you ahead, Rado.
March 5th
As for AARahim’s quip, “Is there a market for papaya leaves packed in salt water,” let that person ask himself, if they have ever exerted their mind to do anything they weren’t told to? You may answer for yourselves. I personally have met people who “had” MS. I saw an autistic boy, who spoke not a word ’til he was 4, but now is as normal as you and I. I know a woman born deaf & remained so until 78 years, where she had to progressively turn down her digital telephone–from 10 to 9,8,7, etc-it was becoming too loud for her. I know people whose eyesight has improved 2 prescriptions & still improving. Shall I go on to tell you of the childless now pregnant, the blind who see, the arthritic who are creak-free, the mentally unstable, who now live in peace & confidence, the cancerous, the heart diseased…it goes on and on…the unhappy couples, now smiling and holding hands? I can see the moon, but just because I haven’t set foot on it, doesn’t mean it isn’t really there. So, I can’t deny that someone else hasn’t. Nonsense, isn’t it?
March 10th
I live in South California. Where can I find paw paw leaves?
March 12th
For those who have problems with bowel movement, try this — Eat half a medium-sized papaya at breakfast. It acts as a natural laxative and will ease constipation. Works like a charm!!
March 16th
Papaw is one of the most tasty fruits in the fruit world. It contains a lot of vitamin A and it’s very tasty too. So i hope every body enjoys this fruit while eating it.
April 2nd
paw paw is a fantastic fruit, and it may interest you to know that the whole tree is useful, the fruit, the leaves, the roots have help in the cure of MALARIA. i was down with malaria some years back and all my mum did she treated me with just the pawpaw base from the whole tree. i ate the fruit, bath with the leaves boiled in water and drank the juice of the roots cooked with stout.
April 13th
The papaw fruit or the sweet red papaya version are perfect also for an oral hygiene. Eating a small quantity of paw paw or papaya fruit daily improves your gums and teeth health quality, it also prevents teeth and gum diseases. There is of course not an age limit for every person to practice the best dental habits instead just going for a dentist visit.
April 14th
Concerning those who have an eye problem or wears a glasses with lense, when ‘they’ eat pawpaw for six months and above would that problem be solved, can u confirm or an advice?
Thanks though for the insight.
April 22nd
Pam Rasmussen
Can you please send the recipe for the healing paw paw tea of your great grandfather, sounds like something everyone should be drinking!! Thank you so much
April 27th
Health benefits of papaya are incredible. I am making my own juice extracting from papaya leaves and beetroot plus adding lots and lots of vitamin C appart of the vit C in my organic dietary inputs. I use the Samson brand juicer to protect the papaya benefits structure and so I fully benefit from them if that is being offered to me. Cancer – make it weakened under the papaya health benefits – are strong. I am searching for an extra information and this page is truly extremely valuable. Investing into health and insuring it prior to being ill, and mainly being healthy, is sometimes more important than life insurance throughout a healthy life enjoyed in prospetity. Thank you.
May 8th
I was told the pawpaw seeds can be eaten for constipation. I’ve found it works really well!!
May 11th
I have a question: Where can I puchase Australian Papaya Tree Bark Green Tea? I live in Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia.
May 17th
Its a great fruit and has many benefits on health.
But I like to warn everyone:
Papaya should never be eaten by pregnant ladies as it can result in miscarriage or several other complications..
May 22nd
I was diagnosed with cll which is Leukemia, i went to treatment and then i read about paw paw leaf tea, I found some and started drinking the tea and also eating paw paw. i just went to the doctor recently and they could not find any sings of cancer, i still take the tea and continue to eat paw paw as part of my diet.
I tell you it works, recomended for those that are facing problems with cancer and itp.
but also works along with prayers and being positive. And my last recommendation for all is that have faith to be directed to the right palce to get your health.
May 25th
I was amazed knowing that papaya could prevent the cataract formation. I might suggest it to the whole family. It’s very helpful! Aside from its health benefits, papaya also can be used as skin whitening.
June 9th
I wanted to confirm what my mother-in-law told me about the great nutritive value of paw paw. She brought me 2 big paw paws because I am breastfeeding and told me how good they were for my health. I was not very sure of all her claims so I decided to do a research on this fruit. I am glad I have confirmed my doubts and will continue to eat paw paw from this day forward.
June 23rd
The skin of the papaya applied as a poultice to a hard to heal wound is 100% effective. I have done it and I got very good results.
June 30th
I would be grateful for a papaya tea recipe using dried cut up papaya leaves detailing the method that would maximize its therapeutic value for various or specific health treatments, with an indication of the how to mixing ratio with preparation and quantity needed on a daily basis for a therapeutic value. Thank you very much for your help.
July 5th
Have used Papaya peel to treat hard to heal and infected incisions with 100% success. I applied the peel with a little bit of flesh left on it to the red/infected area and the redness was gone in about 20 minutes. Continued to heal quickly over 3 days.
I’m eating 2-3/day now (smallish strawberry papayas) to detox organs and entire system and treat arthritis.
best in health ~Antsuz
August 14th
I have just been visiting organic farmers in Uganda. The women say that they make insecticide concoctions from leaves of Papaya, Lantana camara, Tephrosia and red pepper itself. I have come to believe the effect of papain and chymopapain enzymes on insects since in my compound it is only oranges, guava trees and others that I spray aginst pests but not pawpaws. Fred
August 23rd
Do you only cook/drink dried papaya leaf? Can raw one be cooked for drinking too?
September 1st
Wonderful Papaya! One of my favorite fruits of all time. It really is important to understand how Whole-Food nutrition and Phytonutrition add immeasurable value to specific nutrients. For example, when you eat an orange, you get vitamin C, AND an entire complement of supportive, naturally associated compounds including in the matrix bioflavonoids which science is still trying to identify 80 years after the discovery of vitamin C! Even though you may be injesting major doses of a variety of vitamins everyday, your body still craves the naturally associated factors more than a high dose of an isolated nutrient!