Papaya
Carica papaya
Fruits. Caribbean, Latin American & Amazon, Folk & home remedies and Modern nutrition.
Also called Lechosa, Fruta bomba, Tree melon
Pinyin: Fān Mù Guā
Spanish: Papaya
Avoid unripe papaya in pregnancyPapaya is a sweet tropical fruit with orange flesh, eaten for its vitamin C, vitamin A and fiber, while its leaves are used in folk remedies.
Did you know? Papain, an enzyme found in papaya, is used to tenderize meat and is sold in some digestive enzyme pills.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Infections. Small trials of papaya leaf juice or extract in people with dengue fever gave mixed results. This is not proven and must not replace medical care.Early proof
- Digestion & gut health. Papaya has fiber and papain, an enzyme that people have long used for digestion. Good human trials are lacking.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
In the Caribbean and Latin America, papaya leaf teas and juice have been used for fever and digestion for generations. Unripe fruit and seeds were also used in folk medicine, but they carry real risks.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Nutritive, Antioxidant. Energy: neutral.
How people take it
Ripe fruit eaten fresh is the normal food use. Leaf juice or capsules have been used in dengue studies, but doses vary and results are mixed.
Food, juice, tea and capsule.
Where to get it
A fast-growing tree grown in tropical areas of Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, Brazil, India and Africa. Sold fresh, dried, as juice, as leaf extract and as papain capsules. Key nutrients: vitamin C, vitamin A (from beta-carotene), folate, potassium and fiber.
Be careful
Unripe papaya, seeds, latex and leaf teas can cause uterine contractions, so avoid them in pregnancy. Papaya latex can irritate skin and cause allergy, especially in people with latex allergy. Large amounts of papain can upset the stomach.
Avoid if: pregnancy; latex allergy.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Papaya is a natural source of papain, a protein-digesting enzyme.
- Works well together
Both fruits contain protein-digesting enzymes (papain and bromelain).
- Works well together
Papaya with lime juice is a common Latin American snack.
The honest take
Ripe papaya is a sweet, healthy fruit rich in vitamin C and vitamin A. Leaf teas and extracts are sold as dengue remedies, but the human trials are small and mixed, so do not rely on them. Papain as a digestive aid has little good human proof.