Papaya - Fruit for Abortion

Scientific Synonym - Carica

Also known as - Big Melon, Paw Paw

Native to - Originally from southern Mexico, Central America and northern South America, the papaya is now cultivated in most countries with a tropical climate, such as Brazil, India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Haiti, Southeast Asia and Philippines

Rich Source of - vitamin A, C and E.
More unusual, but very valuable is its high arginine, papain and carpain contents. Papaya also contains fibrin, a rarity in the plant world.

• Arginine is known to be good for male fertility
• papain is a proteolytic enzyme
• Carpain is an enzyme considered to be good for the heart
• In humans, fibrin is an essential part of the blood clotting process

Tastes like - Sweet

Propagation - Papayas are generally grown from seed. Rooting of cuttings has been practiced in South Africa, especially to eliminate variability in certain clones so that their performance can be more accurately compared in evaluation studies

Interesting Facts -

• Papaya plants come in three genders: male, female and bisexual
• During the filming of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Harrison Ford was treated for a ruptured disc incurred during filming by having papain injected into his back
• The ripe fruit is usually eaten raw, without the skin or seeds. The unripe green fruit of papaya can be eaten cooked, usually in curries, salads and stews. It also has a relatively high amount of pectin, which can be used to make jellies
• Green papaya fruit and the tree's latex are both rich in an enzyme called papain, a protease which is useful in tenderizing meat and other proteins. Its ability to break down tough meat fibers was utilized for thousands of years by indigenous Americans. It is included as a component in powdered meat tenderizers
• Papain is also popular (in countries where it grows) as a topical application in the treatment of cuts, rashes, stings and burns. Papain ointment is commonly made from fermented papaya flesh, and is applied as a gel-like paste
• Women in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and other parts of the world have long used green papaya as a folk remedy for contraception and abortion.Enslaved women in the West Indies are also noted for consuming papaya to prevent pregnancies and thus preventing their children from being born into slavery. Medical research in animals has confirmed the contraceptive and abortifacient capability of papaya, and also found that papaya seeds have contraceptive effects in adult male langur monkeys, possibly in adult male humans as well.Unripe papaya is especially effective in large amounts or high doses. Papaya is not teratogenic and will not cause miscarriage in small, ripe amounts. Phytochemicals in papaya may suppress the effects of progesterone
• The black seeds are edible and have a sharp, spicy taste. They are sometimes ground up and used as a substitute for black pepper
• In some parts of Asia the young leaves of papaya are steamed and eaten like spinach
• Papaya is frequently used for hair conditioner but should be used in small proportions
• The papaya fruit, seeds, latex, and leaves also contains carpaine, an anthelmintic alkaloid (a drug that removes parasitic worms from the body) which can be dangerous in high doses
• Excessive consumption of papaya, as of carrots, can cause carotenemia, the yellowing of soles and palms which is otherwise harmless
• The leaf also functions as a vermifuge and as a primitive soap substitute in laundering
• Dried leaves have been smoked to relieve asthma or as a tobacco substitute

Availability - All Year

Health Benefits -

• Papayas promote Lung Health
• Protection from Macular Degeneration
• Papayas and Green Tea against Prostate Cancer
• Eating papayas may reduce common symptoms of acute inflammation, such as arthritis and asthma
• Protection against digestive diseases
• Papayas protect against heart disease
• After a course of antibiotic therapy, papaya juice will rapidly return the intestinal bacteria count to normal