For obvious reasons papaya can protect against heart disease,. The plant contains high amounts of anti-oxidants, such as vitamin C and E. These in turn contribute to preventing cholesterol from oxidizing. This is important, as the oxidation of cholesterol has been discovered to eventually lead to the development of atherosclerosis. The process then unfolds as follows: when cholesterol is oxidized it becomes sticky, thus forming so-called atheromas, or atherosclerotic plaques in the sheaths of the blood vessel walls. As papaya is rich in vitamin C and A, oxidation becomes less likely. Protective effects are further enhanced by the high content in dietary fiber, which are likewise linked to a considerable reduction in total blood cholesterol levels.
Finally, according to a site dedicated to the promotion of the various benefits of the papaya tree, “Papayas (in the form of the fruit) are also rich in folates: protein-like compounds that are necessary for converting homocysteine into benign amino-acids such as methionine and cysteine. Homocysteine has been shown to directly damage blood vessels, and high blood levels of homocysteine are classically reported in medical textbooks as a factor for heart attacks and strokes.”
The preventive as well as curative action of papaya with regard to digestive disorders is likewise easy to comprehend. Any vegetable or fruit as high in dietary fiber as papaya, by virtue of this fact, must reduce the risk of developing digestive diseases. Furthermore, this same fiber binds to potentially cancer causing toxins in the colon, thus preventing their absorption into the system – and thus further preventing colon cancer from developing.
IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a particular vexing problem, as conventional medicine, like with so many other chronic conditions, fails to offer any means for a cure. It even fails to alleviate the condition. Papaya in one form or another, on the other hand, may contribute to the desired relief. Again, the reason can be explained in simple terms, “Papaya aids digestion because it contains papain, which is often used as a meat tenderizer. Containing 212 amino acids, papain acts as an anti-inflammatory and has a mild, soothing effect on the stomach. This is why papaya is very beneficial for relieving the symptoms connected to Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS. Due to papain’s enzyme properties food is digested faster. Hence, there is less chance of acid reflux. In addition, papaya is a rich source for proteolytic enzymes that enable the digestion of protein. These same enzymes have also demonstrated effectiveness in the treatment of stomach ulcers…”
An interesting case study involved 130 prostrate cancer patients and 274 hospital controls. According to the ‘Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition’, where the study was published, “Subjects were given different quantities of green tea and lycopene-rich foods (for example papaya). The study concluded that those that drank the most green tea showed an 86% risk reduction for prostrate cancer, when compared to those who had been given the least amount of green tea to drink. Likewise, subjects that ate the highest amount of lycopene-rich foods equally displayed an 82% reduction with regard to the risk developing prostrate cancer. Follow-up research suggests that by combining these two food choices, the synergistic effect would contribute to diminishing the risk even further.”
You may prepare your own papaya leaf extract. It is quite a simple process: Wash and dry several medium size papaya leaves. Cut them like you would cut a cabbage and place them in a saucepan filled with 2 liters (quarts) of water. Bring the water and leaves to a boil and simmer without a lid until the water is reduced by half. Strain the liquid and bottle in glass containers. When refrigerated the concentrate will keep 3 to 4 days. Discard it the moment it turns cloudy. The recommended dosage is three times 3 tablespoons or 50ml per day.
Naturally there are many brands of papaya leaf extract available commercially. In this regard, we cannot make any recommendation. Only beware of papaya grown in Hawaii, half of which are GMO fruit and thus useless for the purpose. GMO fruit in itself can easily be considered poison.