When we think of eating a papaya, we normally think about the flesh of the papaya fruit. It is delicious and filled with health benefits. Entire meals are made using papaya because of its unique taste and filling flesh. But the flesh itself isn’t the only good part about it; the papaya leaves are just as worthy of your time and attention.
Papaya leaves have a high concentration of papain and other special enzymes, phytonutrients, and antioxidants. This concentration of health-oriented compounds makes the papaya leaf an excellent remedy for a whole host of ailments.
Papaya Leaf Health Benefits
Papaya leaves have lots of health benefits that make them worthwhile additions to any healthy diet. Regularly consuming papaya leaves can lead to a reduction in some very unwanted symptoms:
- Dengue ever
- Malaria
- Detoxifying the body
- Stimulating hair growth
- Anti-cancer properties
- Stimulate digestion
- Prevent constipation
- Alleviate menstrual pain
- Alleviate mood swings
- Relieve fatigue
- Improve the circulatory system
- Boost platelet levels
How to Actually Use Papaya Leaves
Papaya leaves are relatively simple to use medicinally. You can’t just munch on them raw unfortunately, but you can prepare them into either a tea or a juice. You can also turn the papaya leaves into a face mask or a soothing type of salve.
Papaya Leaf Side Effects
While papaya leaves are wonderful for your health for the most part, they do have some problems. Eating papaya leaf or papaya leaf extract can cause allergic reactions or pregnancy complications. But there is not enough research on the adverse effects of papaya leaves to say how bad the allergic reactions or pregnancy complications can become. Generally speaking, though, people who are allergic to the fruit will be allergic to the leaf. Some common allergic reactions include upset stomach and topical inflammation.
