Papaya Enzyme: Health Benefits from a Tropical Fruit
Many tropical fruits have come under scrutiny as people become more interested in alternative health therapies, and papaya enzyme from this large, exotic fruit seems to offer many benefits. The papaya or pawpaw is a native tree of tropical South America and Mexico which bears yellowish, pear-shaped fruits filled with small black seeds. Under a tough, often warty skin the flesh is soft and luscious, varying from pink to reddish orange and with a sweet, musky flavor. Papaya enzyme benefits are said to range from improving hair condition to guarding against heart disease and even cancer.
Papaya enzyme, or papain, is found in the tree as a whole but is extracted from the fruit, where it is found in large quantities particularly while the fruits are still unripe. The fruit is a healthy choice to eat for its vitamin content, with large amounts of vitamins A, B, C and E present in the flesh, as well as flavonoids and folate and minerals including magnesium and potassium. The fruit is also an excellent source of dietary fiber and of lycopene, a carotenoid associated with decreased cancer risk. The papaya enzyme is also used in the manufacture of chewing gum.
Papaya Enzyme Benefits to Health
This astonishing fruit is almost a drugstore by itself, with papaya enzyme benefits starting with its help to the digestion and to conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome and acid reflux. Papain helps to digest proteins and also provides protection against colon cancer, while the raw fruit will also help guard against digestive tract cancers with its high quantities of fiber and antioxidants. The papaya enzyme is also used to treat sports injuries, sprains and bruises, and even allergies. It is even marketed for its breath-freshening abilities, combined with peppermint and chlorophyll as super papaya enzyme.
Papain and another papaya enzyme called chymopapain have been shown to lower inflammation and promote healing, so are used in the treatment of burns. The nutrients from the whole fruit combat the oxidation of cholesterol, thus having a protective effect against heart disease and strokes, and the fiber content of the fruit also helps with this.
Papaya Enzyme Supplements
Papaya enzyme is extracted from the fruits and sold in pill or powder form for a number of health benefits. An immune system booster, the enzyme has been used in the treatment of HIV and AIDS. It is used as an anti-aging supplement in Japan, while its anti-inflammatory properties have made it popular for treating conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and joint injuries. It can also reduce edema in injuries, lessening the pain. Papaya enzyme benefits the skin and it is used in beauty products to eliminate blemishes, clear away dead skin cells and stimulate new ones.
In addition for dieters, papaya enzyme even offers the hope of weight loss, as the enzyme is said to burn fats and aids the metabolism.