Don't waste precious papaya in your backyard

Most housewives in Kerala choose to make a dish with papaya when all the other vegetables are used up. But they do not realise how nutritive it is. Nobody also seems to recognise the fact that papaya can prevent several diseases much more effectively than other fruits we buy spending a good amount of money.

Papaya tree is found on the premises of most houses in Kerala. Various parts of the tree are used to make traditional medicines and as a panacea for many ills.

Bexantin, an antioxidant in papaya, can counter muscle pain caused by ageing. Beta-carotene in the papaya can check asthma, and Vitamin-K is good for healthy bones.

Traditionally, papaya was cooked with red meat like beef to enable easy digestion. Papain, an enzyme found in papaya, can wash away several harmful substances that accumulate in the liver.

The high fibre content in ripe papaya is a remedy for constipation. Papaya has been found to prevent heart disease and even cancer. It has antioxidants and phytochemicals which can also check the onset of age-related diseases and arthritis, vision problems, colon cancer etc.