The Healing Power of Ripe Papaya (Pawpaw)

Monday, May 10, 2010

The Healing Power of Ripe Papaya (Pawpaw)

We've had quite a bit of papaw (also known as pawpaw or papaya) come into our home in the past couple of weeks. I decided to research papayas to see exactly what nutrients the Lord was blessing us with.

Papaya is a delicious orange colored fruit when ripe. It is sweet with black seeds that are edible. Papaya is about 88% water and contains about 103% of the recommended daily allowance(RDA) of Vitamin C for an adult. The vitamin A in a papaya is about 18% of the RDA for an adult.

According to the book Healthy Foods, papayas are very easy to digest and they contribute to the digestion of other foods as well. It is used in the treatment of various ailments such as:

stomach disorders

Papaya is recommended in cases of difficult digestion and gastritis. It helps neutralize excess gastric acid and as a result it is extremely good for gastroduodenal ulcer, hiatal hernia, and pyrosis(heartburn).

intestinal disorders

The papaya's emollient and antiseptic effect on the digestive mucosa makes it useful in any type of case of gastroenteritis or colitis, even irritable bowel.

skin disorders

Papaya is can be part of the suggested diet for those with skin disorders such as eczema, furunculosis(boils) and acne because of its rich amounts of Vitamin A.

The papaya(pawpaw) has a lot of nutrients and vitamins in varying amounts. The highest amounts being Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Folate and Calcium.

Vitamin A : 1,750 I.U
Phosphorus : 16 mg.
Potassium : 470 mg.
Folate 115.52 mcg
Vitamin C - 61.8 mg
Calcium - 24 mg
Magnesium - 10 mg
Sodium - 3 mg
Vitamin E - 1.12 mg
Niacin - 0.471 mg
Iron - 0.1 mg
Zinc - 0.07 mg
Vitamin B2 - 0.032 mg
Vitamin B1 - 0.027mg
Vitamin B6 - 0.019 mg

Since discovering that the seeds are edible we do not scoop out the seeds anymore. They are bitter when chewed so we simply swallow them along with the pawpaw. I'm also researching the health and healing benefits of the seeds and ways to use it other than just swallowing it like we do. More on that later this week. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. I'm enjoying all that he provides.

Look out for and eat more papaya. It's good for you. And if you know anyone who is suffering with any of the above ailments point them to papaya.

For more information you would enjoy reading this article about papaya. There are so many things that can be done with it and this article lays out many more uses and benefits.

whfoods.com, hubpages.com, healthy foods, amazing power of healing plants