Papaya Benefits | From Building Muscle to Skincare

Living in Bali, papaya (also knowns as “pawpaw”) is a food that I enjoy pretty much everyday when they are in season. Not only does it taste amazing but it’s got some amazing nutritional benefits too. Everything from building muscle mass to helping reduce acne.

Before even looking at the science (which I love!) I like to look at the food and think, “wow I wonder how this can nourish me?”. To me, papaya looks like an enlarged pituitary gland. This is the gland that controls the other glands and hormones in the body.

Papaya For Strong Muscles

Not surprisingly, when you go to the science, it matches up. Papaya boosts the Human Growth Hormone (HGH). Many body builders take HGH supplements for muscle growth and performance, whereas I choose to eat papaya.

Studies have shown papayas will do the same thing that HGH will do by helping your body to break down proteins into amino acids and absorb them into the blood stream. This means you can more effectively use these building blocks for performance and in building muscle, along with other organs and tissue.

Here are a few other benefits of getting your HGH from papaya:

• Fat loss

• Elimination of cellulite

• Higher energy levels and enhanced sexual performance

• Regeneration of heart, liver, spleen, kidneys etc

• Lowered blood pressure

• Improved cholesterol profile

• Superior immune function

• Increased athletic performance

• Better kidney function

• Stronger bones

• Faster wound healing and recovery from injury

• Younger, tighter skin

• Hair regrowth

Papaya For Digestion

Papaya contains the digestive enzyme ‘papain’, which is used to treat sports injuries, other causes of trauma, and allergies.

Papain has also been shown to be helpful in the prevention of cancer. The fibre in papaya is able to bind to cancer-causing toxins in the colon and keep them away from the healthy colon cells.

Papaya For Beauty

Whether you are eating papaya, or using it externally, it is amazing for healthy skin.

To use papaya for skincare, mix one teaspoon of raw honey (or coconut oil if you’re vegan) with about 100 grams of papaya pulp, and apply it to your face. Keep this mask on for 15 to 20 minutes and then wash it off with cold water. This is one of the BEST home remedies for skincare, and it will solve all your skin related problems including acne and black heads.

Papaya For Parasites

The seeds from papaya fruit have anti-helminthic and anti-amoebic properties, meaning they kill intestinal worms and other parasites in our digestive system.

A 2007 study of 60 Nigerian children with strong evidence of intestinal parasites showed over a 75% clearance rate of infection in just seven days.

Simply mix a few tablespoons of the seeds with a big wedge of the fruit in a blender, add bananas and dates for sweetness and some water then blend.

Now you have “A Parasite’s Nightmare Smoothie” 😉

So many amazing benefits from just one amazing fruit!

Papaya is the perfect fruit to start the day with. Especially when intermittent fasting because  it’s easy to digest and it tastes so good.

If you would like to know more about intermittent fasting and the incredible benefits of fruit, check out this blog and this blog.

Have a great day!

Thanks for reading!