Source:Jamaica Gleaner-https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/your-health-your-wealth/the-medicine-tree-_208575?profile=1213
This enzyme makes papayas unique in digesting proteins. Found only in papayas, the greatest amount of papain lies right under the skin of the fruit when unripe.
Papaya aids in digesting meat, egg, and milk protein, alleviating indigestion, guarding against infection and is also a medicinal aid for diabetics and patients of hepatitis.
Papain attacks and removes the epidermis of most parasites, such as hookworms, that may get stuck in our colon and intestines.
Chewing leaves and seed
Try eating papaya when green and bitter. If you can't, chewing and ingesting a piece of the leaf or a tablespoonful of the seeds after each meal may prove beneficial. The latter thought may also be unpleasant, given the pungent taste of the seeds, but when weighed against the health benefit of eradicating harmful parasites, one may consider ingesting them.
We eat a lot of crap because they're tasty, so we should try breaking ourselves into the habit of eating things that may not be tasty, but are healthy.
A slice of the ripe fruit works very well in preventing indigestion, which may accompany a meal high in protein. The fruit is nice for snacking and making a refreshing juice or smoothie.
Natural tenderiser
Try wrapping raw meat overnight in papaya leaves. You will be amazed how tender it becomes.
Hunters in some countries do this after they kill an old animal, and by the next day the meat becomes tender as that of a young animal's. A similar effect can be seen by rubbing tough meat with papaya juice.
That bad cold or sore
Every once in a while, a bad cold overtakes us.
Cook papaya flowers in water, add brown sugar, then strain off the syrup for a fine cough mixture.
Curative benefits also come from tying papaya leaf on sores, and a poultice of papaya flesh works well as a topical treatment for skin blemishes.
This tree is a local wonder. Little wonder, in the onslaught of the chikungunya virus, many attributed medicinal value to the leaves of the tree. So, why not take up a pound or two of the fruit when next you go to the market? They'll likely see you before you see them. And be sure to drop a seed or two in the backyard and reap the benefits of this tall medicine tree.
