What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Papaya Regularly

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsBenefitsTraditional MedicineNutritionLatex Risk

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Benefits

Traditional Medicine

Nutrition

Latex Risk

Papaya (Carica papaya) is a tropical American fruit that is green when unripe and light or deep yellow-orange with orange or red juicy flesh when ripe.Papayas are high in vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial substances.

Papaya has been used in folk medicine to treat several health concerns, includinggastrointestinal(GI) andskin problems, and is an interest to the pharmaceutical industry for its potential health benefits.

Papaya Benefits for Specific Conditions and Overall Health

Three of the main benefits of papaya are that it is:

The fruit, leaves, stems,seeds, and other plant parts of papaya contain substances that are known to have health benefits. The fruits possess a large proportion of:

The alkaloids andflavonoidsfound in several parts of the plant have antimicrobial and medicinal properties.Papain, an enzyme found in papaya latex, is used in medicinal products for health problems such as skin rashes, kidney problems,digestive disorders, and certain infections such as ringworm.

Papaya pulp from ripe fruit may help with:

Unripe papaya may help with:

Papaya juice may help with gastrointestinal disturbances, such as relieving colon infections and indigestion.

Papaya Benefits in Traditional Medicine

While it is not a substitute for medicine, papaya is believed to have pharmaceutical properties and is used in folk medicine to treat some health conditions.Papaya pulp is used in African hospitals for burn and wound care.Papaya latex may be applied topically to treat burns.

Properties found in various parts of the papaya plant are being researched for their potential benefits in treating or preventing medical conditions such as:

More research is needed to determine how components of papaya may be used in medicine for these conditions.

The following is nutrition information for 100 grams (g) of fresh, raw papaya:

Forms of PapayaPapaya can be consumed in many forms, including:Raw, ripe fruitJamAdded to teas and flours (leaves and seeds)In salads, cakes, ice creams, and juice (often the green fruit)Dried or candied

Forms of Papaya

Papaya can be consumed in many forms, including:Raw, ripe fruitJamAdded to teas and flours (leaves and seeds)In salads, cakes, ice creams, and juice (often the green fruit)Dried or candied

Papaya can be consumed in many forms, including:

Risks of Latex in Papaya

Alatex allergyrefers to an allergic reaction to natural rubber latex that comes from the sap of the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis). This latex is used in many products.Because some foods have proteins that are similar to the proteins in rubber tree sap, people with a latex allergy mayreact to certain foods, including papaya. This occurs in approximately 30% to 50% of people who have a latex allergy, and is called latex-fruit syndrome or latex-food allergy syndrome.

Summary

The papaya is a tropical American fruit. Its benefits include being high in nutrition, low in cost, and potentially useful in treating or preventing some health conditions. Different parts of the papaya, such as the flesh, leaves, and latex, contain substances that may help with health concerns, like skin conditions, GI problems, and some infections. Research is underway on ways the substances found in papaya may be used along with traditional medicine for conditions like anemia and high cholesterol.

8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Koul B, Pudhuvai B, Sharma C, et al.Carica papaya l. : A tropical fruit with benefits beyond the tropics. Diversity. 2022;14(8):683. doi:10.3390/d14080683Leitão M, Ribeiro T, García PA, Barreiros L, Correia P.Benefits of fermented papaya in human health. Foods. 2022;11(4):563. doi:10.3390/foods11040563Muss C, Mosgoeller W, Endler T.Papaya preparation (Caricol®) in digestive disorders.Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2013;34(1):38-46.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Papaya leaf.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Papayas, raw.Santana LF, Inada AC, Espirito Santo BLS do, et al.Nutraceutical potential of carica papaya in metabolic syndrome. Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1608. doi:10.3390/nu11071608American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Latex allergy.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Latex allergy.

8 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Koul B, Pudhuvai B, Sharma C, et al.Carica papaya l. : A tropical fruit with benefits beyond the tropics. Diversity. 2022;14(8):683. doi:10.3390/d14080683Leitão M, Ribeiro T, García PA, Barreiros L, Correia P.Benefits of fermented papaya in human health. Foods. 2022;11(4):563. doi:10.3390/foods11040563Muss C, Mosgoeller W, Endler T.Papaya preparation (Caricol®) in digestive disorders.Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2013;34(1):38-46.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Papaya leaf.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Papayas, raw.Santana LF, Inada AC, Espirito Santo BLS do, et al.Nutraceutical potential of carica papaya in metabolic syndrome. Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1608. doi:10.3390/nu11071608American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Latex allergy.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Latex allergy.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Koul B, Pudhuvai B, Sharma C, et al.Carica papaya l. : A tropical fruit with benefits beyond the tropics. Diversity. 2022;14(8):683. doi:10.3390/d14080683Leitão M, Ribeiro T, García PA, Barreiros L, Correia P.Benefits of fermented papaya in human health. Foods. 2022;11(4):563. doi:10.3390/foods11040563Muss C, Mosgoeller W, Endler T.Papaya preparation (Caricol®) in digestive disorders.Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2013;34(1):38-46.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Papaya leaf.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Papayas, raw.Santana LF, Inada AC, Espirito Santo BLS do, et al.Nutraceutical potential of carica papaya in metabolic syndrome. Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1608. doi:10.3390/nu11071608American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Latex allergy.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Latex allergy.

Koul B, Pudhuvai B, Sharma C, et al.Carica papaya l. : A tropical fruit with benefits beyond the tropics. Diversity. 2022;14(8):683. doi:10.3390/d14080683

Leitão M, Ribeiro T, García PA, Barreiros L, Correia P.Benefits of fermented papaya in human health. Foods. 2022;11(4):563. doi:10.3390/foods11040563

Muss C, Mosgoeller W, Endler T.Papaya preparation (Caricol®) in digestive disorders.Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2013;34(1):38-46.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Papaya leaf.

U.S. Department of Agriculture.Papayas, raw.

Santana LF, Inada AC, Espirito Santo BLS do, et al.Nutraceutical potential of carica papaya in metabolic syndrome. Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1608. doi:10.3390/nu11071608

American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Latex allergy.

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Latex allergy.

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