Pawpaw and its Benefits

The Pawpaw Tree is cultivated widely all over the tropical regions for its deliciously sweet pear-shaped fruits. Botanically, the plant is named as Carica papaya and belongs to the genus ‘Carica’ of family ‘Caricaceae’. Papaya is a creamy treat loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and other essential nutrients. 

 It is higher in beneficial fats, protein, vitamin B Complex, calcium, phosphorous, copper, manganese, zinc, magnesium and iron, in comparison to oranges, bananas and apples. The fruit is also a richest source of seven of the essential amino acids. It is loaded with varying amounts of health-promoting antioxidants like vitamin A, vitamin C and phytochemicals carotenoids and bioflavonoids. It is also excellent source of folate, dietary fiber and vitamin E, and good source of riboflavin, thiamine and niacin.

Ripe papayas aid digestion. Eating them is especially helpful for weak or old people who complain of stomach upset when they eat meat, chicken, or eggs. Papaya aids the digestion of these foods.

Papaya can also help get rid of intestinal worms. Collect 3 or 4 teaspoons (15-20 ml.) of the ‘milk’ that comes out when the green fruit or trunk of the tree is cut. Mix this with an equal amount of honey and stir it into a cup of hot water. If possible, drink along with a laxative. Alternatively, dry and crush to a powder the papaya seeds. Take 3 teaspoons mixed with 1 glass water or some honey three times a day for 7 days. Thus, the papaya seeds powder has the potency to reduce fats  stored around the abdominal region.

Papayas can also be used for treating pressure sores. The fruit contains chemicals that help soften and make dead flesh easier to remove. First clean and wash out a pressure sore that has dead flesh in it. Then soak a sterile cloth or gauze with ‘milk’ from the trunk or green fruit of a papaya plant and pack this into the sore. Repeat cleaning and repacking 3 times a day.