Papaya is a tropical fruit that belongs to the same family as melons, passion fruit, and guavas.
It grows in South and Central America and is usually purple in color.
There are many different types of papaya, but the most common variety is red papaya.
The papain found in papaya acts as an enzyme when interacting with other bodily substances.
Papain is an enzyme found in the papaya fruit.
It is located in the digestive system and is used to help break down protein and other substances in the digestive system so they can be absorbed into the body more easily.
Papaya leaves also contain carotenoids which make them yellow.
The presence of these properties combined can help you fight against several ailments, including:
- Diabetes
- Infections like bronchitis and pneumonia
- Acne
- Inflammation in the digestive tract
- Ulcers
- Kidney stones & kidney disease
- Heart disease
- Obesity
- Macular degeneration (a leading cause of vision impairment)
- Skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis
- Tooth decay
- Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums)
- Halitosis (bad breath)
- Toothaches
- Cracked lips
- Hair loss
- Dandruff
What is Papaya
Papaya leaf juice is the beverage obtained from the fresh leaves of the papaya plant.
The juice is a green color because it contains chlorophyll, which is what makes plants green.
Chlorophyll is also responsible for a lot of the fruit's health benefits.
The juice can be made from either raw or cooked leaves and contains fiber, vitamins A and C, antioxidants, minerals, and more.
The juice can help you detoxify your body naturally and give you many essential nutrients that you may be lacking in your diet.
In addition, some people report a significant improvement in their digestive system when drinking papaya leaf juice daily.
This is mainly due to its high level of antioxidants.
It also helps with digestion by breaking down food on your stomach walls so that it can be better absorbed into your intestines to help feed your body the nutrients needed for good health.
Papaya Leaves For Diabetes
Papaya leaves have also been shown to help with diabetes.
In a study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, researchers found that consuming papaya leaves can lower fasting blood glucose levels.
The study also showed that papain-rich papaya leaves reduced glucose production, which is associated with type 2 diabetes.
Only when people consumed many papaya leaves daily did increased protein and other substance absorption into the body become apparent.
Eating papaya leaves might be an idea worth exploring if you're looking for a way to improve your insulin sensitivity.
Nevertheless, the results suggest that eating more fruits rich in minerals like iron and potassium can help prevent anemia associated with type 2 diabetes.
A study found that women who regularly eat a diet rich in fruits like papaya and bananas had fewer type 2 diabetes risk factors than women who ate less fruit.
Papaya Leaf Benefits For Skin
Papaya leaves are also rich in antioxidants which help fight wrinkles and other signs of aging.
Papaya leaves have astringent properties that can also help with acne and eczema.
The leaves contain tannins which can also act as astringents.
Tannins attach themselves to fatty acids on the skin and pull them away from the skin's surface, helping to remove excess oil, dirt, and dead skin cells that build up on the skin's surface.
The nutrients in papaya leaves make it an excellent source for healing cuts, burns, wounds, and minor injuries or surgery because they tend to get infected easily.
These nutrients combine with body proteins to help heal injuries faster.
Protein and collagen in papaya leaves prevent cell dehydration.
So if you're looking for a way to boost your body's natural defenses against bacteria, viruses, and fungi, this fruit might be able to provide some relief.
Papayas are nature's answer to fighting cancer naturally.
Papaya Leaves Benefits For Platelets
Platelets are a type of cell that circulates in the blood.
They are responsible for stopping bleeding, clotting, and removing bacteria from the bloodstream.
Platelets also help maintain blood pressure by regulating the body's transport of nutrients and water.
Papaya leaves contain vitamin C, necessary to produce collagen in your skin, cartilage, and other connective tissue.
In addition, papaya leaves can help ward off viral infections like colds or flu.
You can also use papaya leaves to fight against gingivitis (inflammation of the gums).
Research has shown that papaya leaves have antibacterial properties which can help prevent dental caries and gum disease.
These properties also make them useful for treating wounds that don't heal well after minor injuries or surgery because they tend to get infected easily
Papaya Leaf Juice Benefits For Hair
The carotenoids in papaya leaves can help you fight against hair loss by strengthening the hair and making it stronger.
You can try adding a few drops of papaya leaf juice to your shampoo or conditioner to help with this.
The carotenoids in the papaya leaves also make your hair shinier and healthier, giving it a natural glow.
If you're experiencing dryness in your hair, try adding papaya leaf juice to a squirt bottle and saturate your ends before washing.
For dry scalp, the properties of papaya leaves can help relieve it by moisturizing the scalp and making it feel softer.
This will also make your hair look healthier because of the added shine from the carotenoids in them.
If you want to use this on your scalp, try using just a bit of water and rubbing some freshly crushed leaves on your scalp before washing them out.
It's just as easy as that!
How to Make Papaya Leaf Tea
To make a papaya leaf tea:
- Start by taking one or two leaves and cutting them into smaller pieces.
- Put the leaves in boiling water with some sugar and let it steep for around 10 minutes. You can also use honey or any other type of sweetener you prefer.
- Strain the liquid and drink it as often as desired.
To make a more concentrated version of papaya leaf tea, add some fresh coconut milk or milk substitute to the mixture before straining it.
This will give your drink a thicker consistency that is easy to store in porcelain or glass jars.
Papaya Leaf Juice Recipe
There are many different ways to include papaya leaves in your diet.
One way is to drink papaya leaf juice or eat a fresh papaya leaf salad. You will need.
- 1/2 oz / 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. Mustard
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1/2 tsp. Sugar
- 5 tbsp. Olive oil
Pour the vinegar, mustard, salt, and sugar into a blender and blend until well combined, then add the oils drop by drop until the mixture becomes emulsified.
Add 2 cups of cold water and blend until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy and does not contain any lumps.
Hot watercress is an edible plant loaded with antioxidants that can help protect you from numerous health conditions, including cancer.
In addition to being an antioxidant powerhouse, hot watercress also has anti-inflammatory properties, which can keep chronic inflammation from taking over your body.
If you struggle with chronic inflammation as one of the symptoms of arthritis, you may want to try this green vegetable for relief.
Hot watercress may help relieve symptoms like joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and redness.
The high levels of vitamin C found in hot watercress can also help fight free radicals that cause oxidative stress in our bodies which can lead to severe illnesses like cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's disease
Side Effects of Papaya Leaf Juice
While papaya leaf juice is popular among bodybuilders and athletes as it promotes weight loss and aids recovery, it can have unpleasant side effects for some people.
These side effects include constipation, diarrhea, and gas (usually caused by iron).
In some cases, these side effects go away after a few weeks of regular use and drinking plenty of water; however, if they continue or become more severe, you should stop drinking papaya leaf juice and consult your doctor.
A more severe side effect is the development of stomach ulcers due to the enzyme papain, which is found in the plant's leaves.
Therefore, if you are taking other medications or supplements that cause stomach upset or ulcers, it is best to avoid this product.
As always, consult your doctor before taking any supplements to ensure there are no interactions or adverse side effects.
Most of the time, drinking plenty of water with supplements will help with all the side effects.
However, if you experience more severe side effects, you should consult your doctor before taking more papaya leaf juice.
Conclusion
Papaya leaf tea is an excellent source of many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and trace nutrients.
Papaya leaf juice can also be a great way to flush out your system.
For those with diabetes, it can help improve blood sugar levels.
Papaya leaves can also help improve your skin, which can be beneficial for those with acne.
It can also be a great way to increase the number of platelets in your blood, which can help reduce the risk of bleeding gums or hemorrhaging from cuts and abrasions.
