After being attracted by the luscious taste, rich texture, and soft butter-like consistency of papaya, Christopher Columbus called papaya “The Fruit of the Angels”. Papaya is popular around the world and being favored by many people.
This tropical fruit is high in vitamins A, C, E, K, and contains antioxidant properties. It also has magnesium, potassium, niacin, protein, fiber, carotene, and an enzyme named papain which can provide many health benefits. Not only the fruit pulp but also the seeds of papaya can bring many benefits for health.
Papaya contains several components which are great for your hair as well as skin.
This is the reason why papaya enzymes are found in a lot of cosmetics, hair, and beauty care products. In this article, Zemtime.com will present to you the top 10 health benefits of papaya. This article listed the best advantages of this fruit from reliable sources. However, it is only for the informational target, and it is not aimed to give medical advice. Continue reading this writing to understand more!
Top 10 Health Benefits of Papaya You Should Know
1. Hydrate Your Skin
Papaya is high in water that may help in keeping your skin soft, moisturized, and smooth. When you blend it properly, it may be used to hydrate your skin like an excellent face mask.
- To make a homemade face mask, you firstly blend ½ cup of a ripe papaya to get a fine paste.
- Then you put a little raw honey in it and mix well.
- Now, apply this paste directly to your face and neck.
- You should leave it on there for 15 minutes and rinse off carefully with lukewarm water.
- Finally, you use a soft towel to pat your dry skin.
- Or you may include a ripe papaya in the diet. You may enjoy it normally or blend it with some hydrating ingredients else such as cucumber and watermelon to make smoothies.
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2. Reduce Pimples
This is a great benefit in the list of top 10 health benefits of papaya that you should know is to treat pimples. The papain enzyme in this fruit has skin-cleansing properties which assist in getting rid of clogged pores. This will help you to prevent pimples. In addition, papaya has the exfoliating effect and thereby removing dead skin cells to help in unclogging pores.
- You can extract the juice of some raw papaya pieces.
- Next, you apply this juice on your affected skin by using a cotton ball.
- You allow it to sit on there for about 10 minutes and then wash it off with warm water. Remember to apply this remedy once per day to get rid of pimples quickly.
- You may also rub a raw papaya piece gently on your affected skin for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, you wash it off with warm water.
- To prevent pimples and blemishes, you’d better supply raw and ripe papaya to your diet.
3. Treat Wrinkles and Crow’s Feet
You may also use papaya to reduce the appearance of crow’s feet as well as wrinkles. Papaya contains antioxidant properties which may help to ease crow’s feet appearing around the outer corners of your eyes and wrinkles around the forehead or mouth.
In addition, papaya has a high source of vitamin C which can be useful in fighting off free radicals damaging the skin’s elastin and collagen.
- You just rub a piece of raw papaya directly around your eye area for 3 to 5 minutes once per day to get relief from crow’s feet.
- Then you let it on skin for 10 minutes and rinse it off with clean water.
- Another option for you is to take a tbsp of ripe papaya pulp and a little olive oil and then mix them well.
- Next, you apply it directly to your affected area and allow it to sit for about 20 minutes.
- Finally, you rinse it off with water and use a moisturizer.
- Keep repeating this way every day.
4. Lighten Unwanted Facial Hair
In order to remove unsightly facial hair, you may use raw papaya. When you use it regularly, it will provide your skin with the papain enzyme to help weaken the hair follicles on the face and thereby prevent regrowth. A ripe papaya also has this enzyme, but it is contained more in raw papaya.
- You just mix ½ cup of blended raw papaya with a half teaspoon of turmeric powder.
- Next, you apply this paste directly on your affected area and then allow it to dry naturally on your face.
- Now, you scrub off this paste and rinse off with warm water.
- Keep applying this once a week.
5. Control Dandruff
To cure and control dandruff, let apply papaya. Papaya contains several enzymes that will be beneficial in preventing the buildup of impurities and oil on your scalp, which causes dandruff.
- Now, you blend a raw papaya thoroughly till it forms a fine paste.
- Next, you add 1/2 cup of yogurt to this paste and mix well.
- After that, you apply this mixture directly on your hair as well as your scalp for extra shine.
- Let it on there for 30 to 45 minutes and then rinse off with cold water.
- You finally shampoo your hair and keep using this remedy 1 or 2 times a week to get rid of dandruff.
6. Nourish Your Hair
Papaya is also very beneficial for hair. This fruit is high in several vitamins, minerals, and enzymes which may boost hair strength and growth.
It may even help you to add thickness, shine, volume to your hair and control baldness. Besides, papaya also has protein which will have the ability to reduce split ends.
- If you want to make a homemade hair mask from papaya, you first blend 1 cup of ripe papaya and 1 cup of ripe banana.
- Then you mix them well with yogurt and 1 tablespoon of coconut or olive oil.
- After that, you apply this paste to damp hair and use a shower cap to cover your head for 30 minutes.
- Finally, you rinse it off with warm water.
- You should use this hair mask every week to get healthy hair.
- You may also regularly eat papaya or include both ripe and raw papaya in your diet.
7. Heal Cracked Heels
Cracked heels may lead to flaky or red patches, itching, bleeding, peeling skin from the cracks and make you feel pain. Ripe papaya may treat dry and cracked heels, mainly thanks to its moisturizing properties.
- You simply take 1 cup of mashed ripe papaya and then apply it on the freshly cleaned heels.
- Allow it to sit for about 15 minutes.
- Next, wash off gently with warm water and pat it dry.
- After that, apply some drops of olive oil. Remember to wear a pair of socks overnight.
- You should do this daily before the bedtime to get soft and smooth heels.
8. Fade Skin Spots
Papaya is also helpful for lightening skin spots as well as removing tan from the skin thanks to the several enzymes in it.
It may help you treat black spots, brown spots, acne spots, dark knees and elbows. In addition, this fruit will improve your complexion and tone your skin.
- You firstly mix raw papaya paste (¼ cup), lemon juice (1 tablespoon) and raw honey (½ tablespoon) together.
- Then you apply this paste on your affected skin.
- You allow it to dry naturally and wash it off with water.
- You should apply this face mask thrice per week to get rid of spots of any kind.
9. Keep Aging Signs At Bay
Papaya has a source of vitamin A which will be helpful for removing dead skin cells and keeping your skin soft and supple. Besides, it also has alpha hydroxyl acids, and these acids will assist in dissolving dead skin cells to get rid of signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles. Moreover, the vitamins C and E in it can rejuvenate the skin and thereby give you a younger-looking skin.
- You just thoroughly blend ½ cup of ripe papaya.
- Then you mix this with 1 tablespoon of milk and some drops of raw honey.
- Now, you apply the mixture on your neck and face.
- You let it sit for about 15 minutes and then wash it off with clean water.
- You should use this mask 1 or 2 times a week.
- Additionally, eating papaya daily will help you to delay the signs of aging.
10. Brightened Skin Complexion
Do you know that one of the most effective benefits of papaya is to lighten your skin complexion? In fact, papaya has natural bleaching properties. Additionally, its cleansing properties also help in protecting the skin from impurities. Besides, vitamin C in papaya will protect your skin cells from being damaged by the sun.
There are many ways to lighten your skin complexion by papaya.
- You can take a thin slice of 1 ripe papaya and then rub it on your neck, face, hands and legs.
- Then you let it dry and rinse it off with water.
- You should apply for this 3 or 4 times per week.
- Or you may make a facial pack by taking mashed ripe papaya (½ cup) and the juice of a lemon.
- You mix them well and then massage this mixture to all your face and neck.
- You leave it on the skin for about 30 minutes and rinse it off with water.
- Keep doing this at least once per week.
- Besides, you may mix green papaya (1 cup) with 1 teaspoon each of plain yogurt, vitamin E oil, and honey until they form a paste.
- Then you gently massage this paste to your skin.
- You leave it on the skin for 10 to 20 minutes and rinse it off with water.
Notice:
The alpha hydroxyl acids and enzymes in papaya can irritate your skin, especially sensitive skin. Hence, you should remember to apply a test patch on the inner elbow to make sure if it is suitable for your skin.
If you want to know more about the benefits of other ingredients, please go to our main Health Nutrition page. After reading the article of top 10 health benefits of papaya, I hope that it can help you find out the best benefits of papaya. However, the article is only for the purpose of information; therefore, you should see your doctor in order to get the advice. If you have any questions, please leave the comments below, I will respond to you as soon as possible. And if you know other health benefits of papaya, please leave them below.