Papaya
Papaya contains ‘papain’ which helps to digest food.
Introduction:
The original home of papaya is Mexico and the West Indies Islands. It is believed that in the early part of the 17th Century, it was introduced into India, Africa, Australia and other countries.
Papaya is a well known, cheap and easily available sweet fruit. It grows during the months of February and March as well as May to October. The unripe papaya is green in colour. On its ripening, it becomes yellow in colour. The seeds of the ripe papaya are pepper-like black. They are bitter in taste.
Qualities:
The ripe papaya is delicious, heavy, warm, oily, laxative and antibilious. It increase virility. It is beneficial to the heart. It helps to alleviate insanity. It is beneficial to the liver. It helps to check splenic enlargement (splenomegaly). It is a good medicine for constipation and urinary disorders.
Analysis of Contents:
Papaya Contains 89.6% Water, 0.5% Protein, 9.5% Carbohydrates, 0.4% Minerals, 0.01% Calcium, 0.01% Phosphorus, 0.4 mg/100 gm Iron, 2020.I.U./100 gm Vitamin ‘A’, 46 to 136 mg/100 gm Vitamin‘C’, 0.1% Fat.
Nearly one the half of the sugar in papaya is constituted of glucose and the other half by mostly fruit sugar (fructose). As a source of Vitamin ‘A’ among fruits, papaya ranks next to mango. Vitamin ‘C’ in papaya increase with maturity.
In an experiment carried out in Hawaii, it was found that extremely raw papaya contains 32 mg., green 40 to 72 mg, half- ripe 53 to 95 mg and the ripe papaya 68 to 136 mg of Vitamin ‘C’ per 100 gm.
The sugar and vitamin ‘C’ contents in papaya are highest during the months of May to October. Papaya also contains Vitamin ‘B1, and Vitamin ‘B2’ and niacin.
The white (milky) secretion of raw papaya contains the digestive enzyme papain in significant amount. Papain is a protein-digesting enzyme.
Use:
Raw Papaya can be used in its juice form. The ripe papaya can be taken in its natural form. Juice can also be extracted from it by adding a little milk or water to it in a mixer. Papaya juice is delicious and refreshing.
Benefits:
The raw papaya juice is very helpful in expelling round worms from the digestive tract. The papaya is effective in liver trouble also. It helps to secure proper menstrual flow.
The Ayurveda experts have regarded papain as a remedy for abdominal disorders.
It is a good medicine for dysentery, hyperacidity, dyspepsia and constipation.
It has also been proved useful in anaemia and splenomegaly.
In addition to papain papaya contains enzymes such as arginine (for male fertility ), carpain (good for heart) and fibrin (necessary for blood-coagulation).
Dr. Lytton Bernard has claimed rejuvenating properties for papaya for the control of ageing.
Papaya cleanses the body completely. To get such cleansing benefits one should take about 200 ml of papaya juice daily. The purpose is rapidly served if one undertakes juice fasting and consume 200 ml of papaya juice alternated each hour with the equal amount of cucumber juice.
Because of the different type of enzymes contained by papaya, it has been recommended for use as a part of the treatment for cancer. After treatment with antibiotics, the use of papaya juice will hasten the restoration of the friendly symbolic bacteria in the gut which will have been destroyed by the drugs.
Papaya is also a diuretic. It is therefore beneficial in kidney disorders. The ripe papaya is a sure remedy for constipation. It gives relief in asthma too.
Note:
Pimples are removed by rubbing the white pulp of raw papaya on the face. It brings lustre to the face and removes wrinkles.
Some Ayurveda experts believe that papaya causes heat in the body. That is why they advice to avoid papaya in pregnancy, and in fever.
The seeds of the ripe papaya are used for quenching thirst and for destroying intestinal worms.
A poultice of the leaves of a papaya plant is beneficial in neuralgia (nerve-pain) and elephantiasis.
