Papaya fruit is widely known for its taste, nutrition and health benefits but not many people are aware of the immensely beneficial Papaya seeds, that are usually thrown away. These tiny round seeds are actually edible and are good for our health if consumed in a limited quantity. They help in weight management, relieve menstrual pain and possess anti-cancer properties. They also boost our cardiovascular health and thus are considered as one of the best heart-healthy foods.

Papaya seeds are black and have a shiny, wet and slimy covering. If you remove this covering, you can feel the rough black seeds. They are slightly bitter and peppery in taste. You can consume them by drying and grinding.

Nutritional Value of Papaya Seeds:

• 100 grams of dried papaya seeds provide around 558 calories of energy. They are rich in proteins, fat and fibre.
• They also contain vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, etc.
• Papaya seeds are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid. They also contain polyphenols and flavonoids that are powerful antioxidants.

The pros and cons of Papaya seeds

Can papaya seeds be used for diabetes? Researchers suggest that other than several medicinal uses, the extracts from Papaya seeds might be used for aiding diabetes as it might manage blood sugar levels.

Dr. Siddharth Gupta, B.A.M.S, M.D (Ayu)

Health benefits of Papaya seeds are:

1. Powerful Antioxidant:

Papaya seeds are rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins and saponins. They are strong antioxidants.

Antioxidants protect the body from damage by free radicals, protecting us from a variety of diseases.

2. Healthy Gut:

Papaya seeds are rich in fibre. They regulate our bowel movements, removing toxins from the body and thus maintaining a healthy gut. They are helpful in constipation.

Carpaine present in papaya seeds kills bacteria and parasites in our intestines and thus keep our digestive system healthy.

3. Helps in Weight Loss:

Papaya seeds are rich in fibre. They keep our digestion on track, thus helping in the removal of toxins from our bodies. They also help in regulating our metabolism and prevent our body from absorbing fat. This helps in preventing obesity.

4. Lowers Cholesterol Levels:

Papaya seeds are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid. These fatty acids regulate cholesterol levels by reducing bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol ).
Papaya seeds are also rich in fibre. Fibre helps in reducing cholesterol levels in the body.

Thus, consuming papaya seeds helps in maintaining healthy cholesterol levels in our bodies.

Read More: Understanding Cholesterol Levels

5. Anti-cancer Properties:

Papaya seeds contain polyphenols that are powerful antioxidants. They prevent our body from different types of cancers.

Papaya seeds also contain isothiocyanate, which inhibits the formation and development of cancer cells.

6. Nephroprotective

Papaya seeds protect our kidneys from damage. Consumption of papaya seeds ensures the smooth functioning of our kidneys.

7. Maintains Cardiovascular Health:

Papaya seeds protect our hearts. These seeds are rich in various antioxidants that protect our bodies from free radical damage. 

They also help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which protects our heart from various disorders.

8. Reduces inflammation:

Papaya seeds are proven to be effective in reducing inflammation.

Papaya seeds are rich in vitamin C and compounds like alkaloids, flavonoids and polyphenols. All these compounds exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. 

They are thus useful in preventing and reducing inflammation in diseases like gout, arthritis etc.

9. Good for our Skin:

Papaya seeds exhibit anti-ageing properties. They maintain the elasticity of our skin and thus prevent the development of fine lines and wrinkles.

10. Antibacterial:

Papaya seeds protect our body from bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella dysenteriae, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, etc.

11. Relieves Menstrual Pain:

Papaya contains carotene and this substance is essential in helping the body regulate the production of a hormone known as estrogen. While papaya seeds can help induce menstruation and also increase its frequency, they can also help to some degree in managing menstrual cramps.

12. Manage Liver Cirrhosis:

Papaya seeds have also been known to contain the vital nutrients necessary to help manage diseases like Liver cirrhosis. Consuming 3 to 4 papaya seeds, crushed and mixed with lime juice on a daily basis, can help in the treatment and recovery of liver cirrhosis. 

13. Cures Food Poisoning:

Research has shown that preparing and consuming an extract of papaya seeds can help to successfully kill bacteria like E.coli, Salmonella,  Staphylococcus, etc. which are responsible for most cases of food poisoning.

14. Supports Dengue Treatment

Dengue is a virus transmitted by mosquitoes, it affects the platelets in your blood and begins destroying healthy platelets too. Papaya seeds have been shown to improve platelet counts in animal studies. Hence, apart from the previous health benefits of papaya seeds, they can be also useful as a support for your dengue recovery.

15. May Help With Dandruff Control

Dandruff usually has a fungal origin, particularly the Malassezia fungus. The papaya fruit and seeds have been shown to have strong antifungal properties. This may be useful when applied to the hair and scalp and reduce or prevent the development of dandruff. Use a hair pack or scrub that contains papaya seed extract to try this benefit out. 

Did you know papaya seeds might help with parasitic worm infections? Papaya seed extracts are believed to have anti-helminthic properties and hence might aid in parasitic worm infections.

Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS

Recipes To Add Papaya Seed To Your Diet 

To truly enjoy the health benefits of papaya seeds, you’ll need to make it part of your diet. Here are a few simple recipe ideas to do just that:

• Scoop the raw seeds and eat them fresh (1 teaspoon) or store them in the fridge for later 
• Add it to a vinaigrette, salad dressing or smoothie. This may add a bitter taste, so cut the bitterness with other flavours
• Make a marinade with papaya seeds, lemon zest, cream, lemon juice, chopped garlic and cilantro 
• Clean, dry and bake the papaya seeds, then crush into a powder and add to your favourite spice mix

Also Read: 11 Health Benefits of Sunflower Seeds

Side Effects of Papaya Seeds:

• Excess consumption in pregnancy may be harmful to the growing foetus.
• Excess consumption of papaya seeds may decrease fertility in men by affecting the number of sperms.
• Excess consumption of papaya seeds may cause diarrhoea.
• Eating too much papaya seeds is not recommended for lactating mothers.

Also Read: Is Papaya Good for Diabetes? Evaluating the Research-Based Evidence

Dosage of Papaya Seeds:

You should not consume more than 1 teaspoon of papaya seeds per day.

Also Read:  14 Health Benefits of  Pumpkin Seeds

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