Papaya Prevents Heart Disease and Cancer

(AP)

By    |   Thursday, 24 January 2019 08:55 AM EST ET

If it tastes sweet and delicious it can’t be healthy, right? Not so, in the case of papaya, a tropical fruit that originated in Central America and is packed full of nutrients, some of which help prevent cancer and heart disease.

“Papayas are one of the healthiest fruits around,” Dr. Ellen Kamhi, Ph.D., author of “The Natural Medicine Chest,” tells Newsmax. “They are rich in vitamin C, folate, potassium, fiber, and vitamins A, E, and K, along with antioxidant flavonoids.”

Here are some of the health benefits of papaya:

  • Promotes good digestion and helps prevent colon cancer. “Papaya contains the enzyme papain which helps digest proteins,” says Kamhi. “It’s also used to make digestive enzyme dietary supplements.” Papaya also contains nutrients such as folate and fiber. Its fiber helps bind with and rid your body of cancer-causing toxins in the colon. Papaya is also rich in lycopene, which is known to prevent damage to DNA and fight prostate cancer. Studies have shown that men who eat the most lycopene-rich fruit and vegetables were an incredible 82 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer!
  • Fights heart disease. The nutrients in papaya help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in your body. “This is important because when cholesterol is oxidized it can stick to the walls of our blood vessel leading to plaque that can cause heart attacks and strokes,” says the expert.
  • Fights inflammation. The enzymes in papaya help lower inflammation in the body. This is particularly beneficial for people with asthma, osteoarthritis, or rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Supports the immune system. Papaya is rich in vitamins A and C that help keep your immune system functioning at its optimum level.
  • Protects eyes and lungs. Eating papaya helps prevent macular degeneration, the most common cause of vision loss among the elderly. The lungs also receive protection against secondhand smoke.
  • Improves skin health. Eating papaya promotes healthy skin, hair, and nails. You can apply its flesh directly to your skin to fade freckles or as a treatment for wounds or areas that aren’t healing properly. Kamhi says papaya can also help relieve the pain and itching of mosquito bites.

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Health-News
If it tastes sweet and delicious it can't be healthy, right? Not so, in the case of papaya, a tropical fruit that originated in Central America and is packed of nutrients.
heart disease, prevention, cancer, papaya
354
2019-55-24
Thursday, 24 January 2019 08:55 AM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

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