Papaya isn’t very popular in the United States. But as the benefits below will attest, incorporating the fruits into your diet can contribute towards better health and, ultimately, lower risk of disease.
While papaya is typically available as chopped fresh or dry fruit, many of its greatest benefits actually come from its seeds. The seeds have a peppery flavor and can be enjoyed raw, dried, crushed, or frozen. Since they have a strong taste, they’re best taken with a bit of honey or used to season meat or add flavor to dressings and sauces (1).
7 Benefits of Papaya Seeds
Start with 2-3 seeds a day and work your way up to a full teaspoon.
1. Liver Detox
Papaya seeds were traditionally used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to detoxify the liver and body. The fruit was also known to protect against chemically-induced liver damage (1,2).
While it’s been documented that papaya seeds are highly beneficial in the treatment of alcohol and malnutrition-induced cirrhosis, studies have yielded mixed results (3). Still, eating both the fruit and seeds are beneficial for your body.
2. Better Digestive Health
The seeds and fruit are a digestive aid that can kill harmful amoebas and parasites.
One study found that dried seeds effectively killed human intestinal parasites without harmful side-effects. In it, the researchers concluded: “Their consumption offers a cheap, natural, harmless, readily available monotherapy and preventive strategy against intestinal parasitosis, especially in tropical communities.” (4)
Another study found that the seeds protected the digestive tract from ulcers by increasing mucus production and decreasing gastric acidity (5).