Forbidden Fruit?
It’s been a minute, but last week, I revisited something I had a negative experience with 25 years ago. We were at my friend’s home when they decided to cut open Papaya and share it with my children and me. When I saw the fruit inside, my mouth immediately watered because I thought of one of my longtime favorite fruits; cantaloupe. But it didn’t turn out well. Now, many years later, I have a lot of reasons to eat papaya fruit.
Five Minutes Later
However, within five minutes of trying the Papaya, my then 5-year-old little girl broke out in very itchy bumps all over her face and neck! YIKES! And while neither my son nor I had any adverse reactions to the Papaya, I have abandoned the fruit for nearly 25 years, until recently.
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Fast Forward to 2021
I took another chance on Papaya in 2021. And before I sliced it, I imagined the consistency and sweetness of a ripe cantaloupe. Well, it was neither. A google search told me that if the outer skin had begun to turn yellow and I could put an impression in it with my fingers, it was ripe enough to eat. But, it did not work out that way for me. Perhaps either it wasn’t yellow enough or impressionable enough.
Since then, I have learned about the many benefits of eating Papaya, and I am sure I will try it again!
Total Fail
Now the confession. You can see from the photo below that I should have waited longer. I put the whole Papaya in a brown paper bag with a banana. However, I only let it stay for two days, and as soon as I saw the slightest bit of yellowing on the outer skin, I cut it open! That was a total failure. LOL! (See the photo below).
I Cut This Papaya Open Too Soon.
I saw one yellow spot, and due to impatience, I cut the dang one thing open and went for it! LOL! I don’t think I waited long enough.
Some Benefits Of Eating Papayas
Stay Away From Papaya If You Are Pregnant
Often when we think of any fruit or vegetable, we assume it has to be healthy for us. Wait. Not so fast. Significantly enough, expectant mothers should steer clear of Papaya.
They are still doing studies, but apparently, Papaya contains a substance that can cause the uterus to contract during pregnancy, especially if it is not ripe. And no one wants to experience premature labor.
Got Inflammation? Try Papaya!
We all know that whenever our doctor or other healthcare professional mentions the word, inflammation, it’s not a good thing. If your doctor gives you a diagnosis that ends in the suffix “itis,” that indicates inflammation involved. Inflammation can show anywhere in the body, from our head to our feet.
Let’s Go Over A Few Terms
Gingivitis – inflammation of the gums
Appendicitis – inflammation of the appendix
Tonsillitis – Inflammation of the tonsils
Arthritis – inflammation of the joints
Does any of that sound familiar to you? None of those diagnoses are deadly, but it does indicate a disease is present. Papaya is supposed to be good for overall body inflammation because of its high level of carotenoids. That alone is something to consider.
Do You Know What Hair Sebum Is?
Papaya is also beneficial for hair because it contains vitamin A, a nutrient required for sebum production, which keeps hair moisturized.
Combat Dry Hair With Papaya
I first heard the word sebum on a YouTube channel about natural hair care for women of color. Sebum is an oil produced by the sebaceous glands near the roots of the hair. Its primary function is to keep the hair moist. And this is where Vitamin A in Papaya comes in because it helps to produce healthy sebum.
Oh, Vain Woman That I Am!
I don’t know even one woman who does not think about maintaining a youthful appearance. Okay, so maybe I and all of my friends are vain. But apparently, we are not alone because health and beauty are a multi-billion dollar global industry.
I challenge you to read the fine print of the beauty products you use, and you might see Papaya listed as one of the ingredients. They tell me that men go to the salon for facials these days, so this is for men, too. Consequently, women aren’t the only vain creatures.
Don’t Stop Supporting Others
I am not discouraging anyone from purchasing beauty products to support your favorite brands and small businesses. However, even the creators of the best products would encourage us to increase our daily intake of natural and whole foods. Imagine how much money we could save if we EAT our vitamins rather than buy them in a jar.
Everybody’s Talking About Collagen
I have known for years that vitamin C is good for the skin because it helps to build collagen. I have a jar of collagen in my cabinet right now because my doctor told me it would help with my thinning hair. She also said that she is experiencing some postpartum hair shedding and that collagen is helping her with that. Well, the jury is still out of store-bought collagen in a jar.
Ain’t Nobody Trying To Have Wrinkles
In addition, I am also learning that papayas contain lycopene, a substance that helps reduce aging and wrinkles. HELLO! I want skin that looks like the woman in the photo below. Bring on the Papaya!
Ever Heard of AMD? It Could Affect You
“Macular degeneration, often called age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is an eye disorder associated with aging and results in damaging sharp and central vision. AMD affects the macula, the central part of the retina that allows the eye to see fine details. There are two forms of AMD: wet and dry.”
https://pressbooks.umn.edu/sensationandperception/chapter/causes-of-vision-loss/
Although AMD is common in people over 50, there might be some things we could do to curb its effect on our vision. I already mentioned that papayas are high in antioxidants. Well, the beta-carotene converts into Vitamin A. Like me, you may have grown up hearing that carrots are good for your eyes. Now, you can add papayas to a list of fruits and vegetables that help to promote good eye health.
I Need My DIY Projects
I am so ready to fall in love with Papaya! Reading my About Me page, you will learn that I love doing DIY projects around my house. I have always loved to do things with my hands, and now that my children are grown, I have even more time to play around with stuff and even be my own “handy girl” by fixing things around my house.
I cannot imagine being unable to do those things due to poor eye health. My DIY projects are not only practical ways to save money but are also fun and have therapeutic benefits.
Ready To Fall In Love With Papaya?
Here is a quick summary of some of the benefits of eating Papaya regularly. There are more benefits than I have listed here!
- Eye Health – beta-carotene
- Heart Health – Papaya’s high Vitamin C and Lycopene
- Digestive Health – Two enzymes: Papain and Chymopapain
- Hair and Skin Health – Vitamin C and lycopene
- Anti-inflammatory – Carotenoids
- Good For Bone Health – Vitamin K
- Helps With Weight-loss – Only 120 Calories Per Fruit; high in Fiber
A Shot Of Papaya?
Next summer, I plan to have a few of my close friends over. Man, I miss having friends over for mixers. The last time I had my friends over was for a Christmas gathering in 2019 when none of us could have imagined a pandemic. And I might serve papaya juice to see what my friends think.
In closing, as expected, no one will like every fruit or every vegetable. However, education makes a difference, and from what I have been learning, Papaya is like a powerful fruit, and I am glad I decided to give it another try!
