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As surfers, we typically have only positive associations with papaya. The fruit is commonly found in tropical destinations with pumping surf i.e. Hawaii, Mexico, Indonesia, Central America, Brazil…etc. If you’re lucky enough to live in one of these areas, you associate the fruit with home, and if you’ve been lucky enough to visit one of these places, you associate the fruit with a surf trip well spent. However, aside from our fond memories of the tasty bright colored fruit, papaya is damn good for you. Here are 5 reasons you should snack on a papaya today.
Protect Against Heart Disease
Papaya is rich in vitamin C and vitamin A, both of which are powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. Only oxidized cholesterol can stick to the walls of blood vessels, which if in the wrong places, can lead to heart attack or stroke. Additionally, papaya is a great source of fiber, which can actually help lower high cholesterol levels.
Support Digestive Health
Again, as it is rich in fiber, papaya help keep everything in the digestive tract moving smoothly. However, papaya also contains nutrients that have been shown to help prevent colon cancer. The fiber in papaya can bind to toxins in the colon and prevent these toxins from interacting with healthy colon cells. Additionally, papaya contains vitamin E, beta-carotene, folate, and vitamin C, all of which have been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer.
Reduce Inflammation
Papaya contains a number of enzymes the two most prominent of which are known as papain and chymopapain. These enzymes have powerful anti-inflammatory effects, which is great for overall health and is especially helpful for managing conditions worsened by inflammation. The severity of conditions like asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis can be reduced when the individual consumes these enzymes. Papaya also contains other anti-inflammatory nutrients like beta-carotene and vitamin C.
Prevent Prostate Cancer
Researchers have found that regularly consuming lycopene rich foods like papaya in combination with drinking green tea can significantly reduce an individual’s risk of developing prostate cancer. One component of the study found that regularly drinking green tea could reduce an individual’s risk by 86%, and another component found that consuming a lot of lycopene rich foods can reduce an individual’s risk by 82%. Researchers also noted that when consuming both green tea and lycopene rich foods, there was a synergistic effect, and the resulting reduction of risk of developing prostate cancer was greater than either of the benefits individually.
Boost Immunity
With vitamin C, vitamin A, and beta-carotene, papaya offers a great immunity boost. Eating the fruit can help fend off nasty colds, ear infections, and flus surfers are prone to while traveling.
