Can a diabetic eat Papaya?
Yes. a diabetic can indeed eat papaya. Papaya is one of the best fruits for diabetics. Papaya is full of pulp. The pulp is mostly made up of water. Severe thirst is one of the diabetic symptoms. A papaya can keep a diabetic well hydrated. Diabetics are normally at risk of more ailments than non-diabetics. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels in diabetics can lead to organ damage or nerve damage etc. This may result in higher risk of heart attack, stroke etc. If you include papaya in your diet, you will reduce the risk of such damage and can potentially improve life style and life span.
All the great nutrients abundantly available in Papaya and high water content make it great fruit for diabetics. The best way to eat papaya is fresh. But when fresh papaya is not easily available, you can eat dry papaya. Many people keep a bag of dry papaya with them to snack on the go.
A 100 gm of papaya generally contains about 39 calories made from 10-11 gm carbohydrates, approximately 8 gm natural sugars, around 0.5 gm protein, 2 gm dietary fibre.
Papaya is rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, folate, potassium, and calcium.
Why should a diabetic eat papaya?
Eating papaya often improves a person’s metabolism. Papain, an enzyme in papaya improves digestion. Fibre and water are also abundant in papaya. Hence, eating papaya regularly, improves bowel movements too. With better digestion and improved bowel movements, a person can feel better. This keeps a diabetic in better health too.
Many type 2 diabetics achieved improved levels of insulin, cholesterol, glucose and lipid levels with papaya in their diet. For these reasons and many more, a diabetic can definitely eat papaya. For a more comprehensive list of foods a diabetic can eat, please visit this post.
Does papaya help weight loss?
Experts do say that papaya helps in weight loss. As papaya is rich in water, you feel less hungry after eating papaya. When you are less hungry, you eat less and so you will lose some weight. Moreover, as seen above, papaya improves, digestion, bowel movements and metabolism which in turn helps you shed some belly weight.
Does eating papaya cause any side effects?
Papaya sometimes can cause allergic reactions. So, if you are allergic, you must be careful with papaya. Papaya latex is known to irritate skin. Papaya pulp, juice or seeds generally are safe to eat but papaya leaves may cause stomach problems if you eat too much.
Can a diabetic eat Papaya leaves?
Yes, a diabetic can eat Papaya leaves. People consume papaya leaves in many ways including as an extract, juice or tea etc. In Mexican folk medicine, Papya leaves are are used as natural therapy for diabetes. Regular consumption of papaya leaves can help regulate blood sugar levels.
What are the benefits of eating Papaya leaves?
- Papaya leaves can offer many health benefits if you consume in limited amounts.
- Papaya leaves extract, juice and tea can help alleviate dengue fever symptoms as it contains acetogenin. Acetogenin in papaya leaves helps boost platelet count and ensures speedy recovery from dengue
- Leaves from papaya plant can have antioxidant properties and help fight inflammation.
- Regular consumption of papaya leaves extract can improve skin and hair health and reduce cancer risk.
- Consuming papaya leaves juice on empty stomach can help improve bowel movements and cleanse your body of toxins.
- Drinking papaya leaf juice on a daily basis can help boost general immunity if you have a weak immune system.
- Papaya leaves can help regulate hypertension and protect vital organs such as heart, brain, eyes, kidneys and vital arteries etc.
- For people suffering from chronic liver conditions such as jaundice, liver cirrhosis, cancer etc. papaya leaves extract can help improve liver function. Cleansing and detoxifying liver is easier when consuming papaya leaves juice.
- Consumption of papaya leaf extract can help boost kidney health.
What are the side effects of papaya leaf juice?
- Papaya leaves can cause severe allergic reaction in some people.
- If you consume papaya leaves in huge amount, you may end up with stomach irritation.
