Papaya

🌱 What it is

Papaya is a soft, orange-fleshed tropical fruit rich in natural digestive enzymes, most often eaten ripe on its own or added to fruit salads.

📜 Where it comes from

Papaya originated in Central America and was spread throughout the tropics by Spanish explorers in the 1500s. Traditional Central American and Caribbean folk medicine used the fruit and its unripe form for digestive troubles, a practice that later drew scientific attention to its natural enzyme content.

✨ Why it's good for you

• May help support easy, comfortable digestion
• May help support smooth, regular bowels
• May help support healthy skin from the inside out
• May help support the body's antioxidant defenses

🥗 Nutrition

Per 1 cup, cubed (145 g) · about 62 calories

• Vitamin C
• Folate
• Vitamin A
• Potassium

Source: USDA FoodData Central

🥄 How to use it

Eat ripe papaya as a food, especially after meals to aid digestionHow your body breaks food down into pieces small enough to use for energy. More →; the seeds are sometimes used as a traditional remedy but are strong and best left to guidance.

How much: A serving of ripe papaya, especially after meals.

Why it works: Researchers point to papain, a natural enzyme in papaya, as helping to break down proteins and ease digestionHow your body breaks food down into pieces small enough to use for energy. More →, while the fruit's fiber is thought to support regularity.

📚 Learn more

💬 Ask Remy about Papaya

📚 Resource confidence

Based on mentions in health references

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