Yellow papaya is a fruit that many people love and eat regularly because of its delicious flavor and many health benefits. In this article, we will explore more uses and notes when eating yellow papaya.
Yellow papaya has high levels of beta-carotene, vitamin C and antioxidants, and is one of the fruits that is recommended to be eaten regularly to supplement nutrition for the body. To better understand the nutritional composition and uses of yellow papaya, you should not miss the following shares.
Nutritional value in yellow papaya
Papaya originated from Central America and Southern Mexico but is now widely grown and used in many places around the world. Papaya in general and yellow papaya in particular contain a specific enzyme called papain that can break down protein chains in the muscle. Therefore, yellow papaya has been used to tenderize meat for thousands of years.
The benefits of yellow papaya come from the abundant nutritional content of this fruit, specifically a small yellow papaya weighing about 152g contains:
- 59 calories;
- 15g carbohydrates;
- 3g fiber;
- 1g protein;
- 157% RDI vitamin C;
- 33% RDI vitamin A;
- 14% RDI folate;
- 11% RDI potassium.
Yellow papaya is not only sweet and delicious but also provides many nutrients for the body.
In addition, yellow papaya also contains small amounts of other essential vitamins and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, vitamin B1, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, vitamin E, vitamin K, etc. Yellow papaya is also rich in healthy antioxidants, such as carotenoids, lycopene, etc. Some studies have also shown that our bodies can easily absorb these antioxidants from yellow papaya better than antioxidants from other fruits and vegetables.
Health benefits of yellow papaya
Research shows that yellow papaya is rich in nutrients and is very good for health and beauty. Specifically, the benefits of yellow papaya include:
Increase antioxidants
Free radicals are formed during the body’s daily metabolism. These substances will promote oxidative stress, thereby leading to more disease risks, including chronic diseases, cancer, etc. Meanwhile, yellow-fleshed papaya contains many antioxidants – factors that can neutralize these free radicals.
Studies also show that when yellow-fleshed papaya is fermented, it can also reduce oxidative stress in the elderly, diabetics, people with mild hypothyroidism and liver disease. Some documents also demonstrate that antioxidants can limit the risk of Alzheimer’s disease caused by the negative effects of free radicals.
Regularly eating yellow papaya is an effective way to supplement antioxidants.
Improve cardiovascular health
Adding yellow papaya to your daily diet can help you improve your cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of dangerous cardiovascular diseases. Studies on the benefits of papaya also show that the habit of consuming fruits rich in lycopene and vitamin C can prevent atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, heart attack, etc.
Antioxidant compounds found in yellow papaya help protect the cardiovascular system, while enhancing the protective effect of good cholesterol in the blood. A large-scale study showed that people who tested using a supplement containing fermented yellow papaya extract for 14 weeks had less inflammation and lower levels of bad cholesterol in the blood than good cholesterol.
Anti-cancer
Research on the antioxidant lycopene shows that this active ingredient in yellow papaya has the ability to reduce the risk of cancer and bring many benefits to people undergoing cancer treatment. In addition, yellow papaya also has a more positive effect than most other fruits, for example, among more than 14 fruits rich in antioxidants, only yellow papaya has the ability to reduce the risk of breast cancer.
According to research, papaya is one of the most effective fruits in preventing breast cancer.
Preventing Inflammation
Chronic inflammation is the root cause of many complex diseases and unhealthy foods and unscientific lifestyles are factors that promote the inflammatory process. Research has shown that fruits and vegetables containing many antioxidants, typically yellow papaya, will help reduce signs of inflammation significantly.
Who should not eat a lot of yellow papaya?
Yellow papaya is delicious and nutritious, but if used by the wrong person, it will cause unwanted side effects. Below are cases where yellow papaya should be limited or completely avoided.
Pregnant women: Pregnant women are advised to limit eating ripe yellow papaya because it can lead to uterine contractions due to its laxative properties. Therefore, it is best to avoid eating yellow papaya in the early stages of pregnancy.
Kidney stone patients: Yellow papaya contains a lot of vitamin C which is necessary for the body, but this vitamin can be converted into oxalic acid excreted in the urine, increasing the risk of forming calcium oxalate crystals which are not good for kidney stone patients. Therefore, if you have kidney stones, you should eat enough yellow papaya in particular and fruits rich in vitamin C in general.
People with kidney stones should not eat too much yellow papaya.
People with latex allergies: Papain, chymopapain, caricaine, chitinase in yellow papaya are substances that can cause allergies, so if you are allergic to latex, you should avoid eating yellow papaya or foods containing papaya.
People with heart problems: People with heart rhythm disorders are advised not to eat yellow papaya because the papain in yellow papaya flesh can slow the heart rate, increasing the risk of serious cardiovascular conditions.
People with poor digestion: Papaya has a laxative effect, supporting digestion, but if overused, it will cause completely opposite side effects. Due to the high fiber and water content, eating too much yellow papaya can easily cause diarrhea and dehydration for people with sensitive digestive systems.
Hopefully the above sharing has helped you understand the uses and eat yellow papaya properly. If you have signs of allergy, fatigue, nausea, bloating, etc. after eating yellow papaya, you need to stop immediately and go to the nearest medical facility if the condition becomes more serious.
