Say Yes To Raw Papaya: The Secret To A Healthier, Happier Summer
So, whether you are trying to stay cool, keep your gut in check or nourish your skin from within, raw papaya offers a natural, affordable and delicious way to do it all. Let's dive into why this humble green fruit deserves more love during the summer season.
Also Read: Papaya Seeds For Diabetics: Benefits, Side Effects And How To Consume
Photo Credit: iStock
5 Reasons To Add Raw Papaya To Your Summer Diet:
1. Packed With Cooling And Hydrating Properties:
Raw papaya has a high-water content. According to USDA data, it contains nearly 88 percent water, which helps keep you hydrated. It also has a mild diuretic effect, which helps flush out toxins and cools down the body naturally.
2. Great For Digestion:
Papaya contains papain, a powerful enzyme that breaks down proteins and aids digestion. According to a study published in the journal Neuro Endocrinology Letters, papain not only improves digestion but also eases symptoms of bloating and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). During summer, our metabolism tends to slow down, and raw papaya can help get things moving smoothly.
3. Boosts Immune Health:
Packed with vitamin C and vitamin A, raw papaya supports the immune system and protects against common summer infections. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 100 grams of raw papaya offers over 60 percent of your daily vitamin C needs, which is essential to strengthen immunity against seasonal diseases.
4. Helps Manage Weight:
Low in calories and high in fibre, raw papaya keeps you full longer and aids weight management. It also has a low glycaemic index (GI), which means it can help manage blood sugar levels too. Several studies have further linked raw papaya with reduced cholesterol levels.
5. Nourishes Skin:
Nutritionist and Macrobiotic Coach Shilpa Arora explains, "Since fibre in the raw fruit cleans the body internally of any toxins, eating raw papaya daily helps with skin conditions like acne, blemishes and pigmentation." It may also help dissolve dead skin cells and repair the old ones, thus helping the skin rejuvenate from within.
Also Read: Calories In Papaya: How To Use This Low-Calorie Fruit For Weight Loss
How To Add Raw Papaya To Your Summer Diet:
1. Toss it into a crunchy Som Tam-style salad:
If you love chaat and crunchy salads, then you will surely love this. Make your own version of the famous Thai Som Tam salad using shredded raw papaya, green chilli, crushed roasted peanuts, lemon juice, a dash of jaggery and tamarind water. It is tangy, spicy and cooling, making it a perfect side for a hot afternoon.
2. Add grated raw papaya to paratha stuffing or sabzis:
Grated raw papaya works beautifully as a stuffing for parathas. Saute it with jeera, ajwain, hing and a touch of amchur for a wholesome and fibre-rich breakfast. It also blends well into dry sabzis or mixed vegetable preparations, adding volume, fibre and nutrition.
3. Make a refreshing raw papaya juice with lemon and mint:
Blend peeled and chopped raw papaya with cold water, lemon juice, fresh mint leaves and a pinch of black salt for a hydrating summer cooler. It is light on the stomach and excellent for digestion.
4. Try it in Indian-style stir-fries or thoran:
In South Indian cuisine, raw papaya is often used in thoran, a simple stir-fry made with grated coconut, mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chillies. It pairs beautifully with rice and rasam.
5. Make pickles or chutneys with it:
Raw papaya pickles are packed with gut-friendly nutrients. You can also make quick chutneys with grated papaya, green chillies, garlic and lemon juice. It can be a zesty accompaniment for comforting dal-chawal or khichdi.
Also Read: Love Papaya? We Have 7 Healthy Ways For You To Include It In Your Diet
Photo Credit: iStock
The Bottom Line: Raw Papaya Is Just What Your Body Needs This Summer
Raw papaya is vibrant, versatile and perfect to add to your summer diet. So, the next time you are at the market, do not overlook those raw papayas at the vegetable stores.
Word Of Caution:
Pregnant women are often advised to avoid papaya as it may stimulate uterine contractions. So, it is always better to consult an expert before adding it to your diet during pregnancy.
Advertisement
About Somdatta Saha Explorer- this is what Somdatta likes to call herself. Be it in terms of food, people or places, all she craves for is to know the unknown. A simple aglio olio pasta or daal-chawal and a good movie can make her day.
For the latest food news, health tips and recipes, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and YouTube.
Tags:
Papaya
Raw Papaya Benefits
Raw Papaya For Summer
Show full article
Comments
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
36 minutes ago
- News18
These 5 Monsoon Fruits Can Help Boost Your Immunity Naturally
As summer fades, fruits of the monsoon season have started arriving in the markets. While seasonal summer fruits are gradually disappearing, several unique and nutritious monsoon fruits are now appearing. Some of these are rare but highly beneficial for health. (News18 Hindi) One of the first fruits to appear after the initial monsoon showers is jamun (Indian blackberry). It has a short season and remains available for only a few days, yet its demand in the markets is quite high. Jamun is known for its health benefits, particularly in managing fatty liver, diabetes, and digestive issues such as gas. (News18 Hindi) After jamun comes the khajuri fruit. Not to be confused with dates, khajuri is a wild fruit commonly found in fields and forests. The trees begin to bear fruit around February - March, and the fruits remain through the summer, ripening once the rains begin. Available for about a month during the monsoon, khajuri is sweet like dates, though it is known to have a naturally hot nature. (News18 Hindi) Next is karond a, a favourite among locals. This small, round fruit is sour in taste and enjoyed with a pinch of salt. It is widely consumed during the monsoon season, loved by both children and adults. Karonda is not only eaten raw but is also popularly made into pickles. The tangy karonda pickle is a household staple and pairs perfectly with roti and butter, often replacing vegetables entirely. (News18 Hindi) In states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana, karonda pickle still holds a special place in traditional meals. It is not unusual to see children happily polishing off several rotis with just a helping of this pickle and a bit of homemade butter - showing how such local produce continues to add flavour to everyday life. (News18 Hindi) Then there's the humble pear or nashpati. This delicious monsoon fruit is packed with sweetness and nutrition. The pear is a popular fruit in households and is enjoyed fresh during this season. (News18 Hindi)
United News of India
2 hours ago
- United News of India
Muscle, exercise studies to maintain crew health in Space
Chennai, July 17 (UNI) After the safe splashdown of four member AX-4 crew, including Indian astronaut Shubhansu Shukla, following their 18-day stay in the orbital platform, NASA today said maintaining muscles and monitoring astronaut health in space were the top research subjects aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The Expedition 73 crew also replaced critical life support hardware and serviced a variety of experimental gear. The lack of gravity weighing down on a human living in space contributes to muscle loss since it takes much less effort to move around in weightlessness. Spaceflight crews exercise daily for two hours to counteract space-caused muscle atrophy and bone loss to stay healthy in microgravity and remain in shape for the eventual return to Earth. Scientists are studying electrical muscle stimulation in combination with exercising in space to improve muscle function, reduce workout times, and design lighter exercise equipment. NASA Flight Engineers Nichole Ayers and Jonny Kim joined each other in the Columbus laboratory module on Wednesday for the muscle study that may benefit future long-duration space flights as well as patients on Earth with mobility issues. Ayers wore electrodes that sent electrical signals to her legs as Kim operated the biomedical equipment that also recorded how her muscles responded. Next, Ayers removed the electrodes then wore a sensor-packed headband and vest collecting her heart and breathing rate as she worked out on the advanced resistive exercise device that mimics free weights on Earth and then pedaled on an exercise cycle. Researchers will use the health data to continuously adjust crew exercise plans and improve aerobic and cardiovascular conditioning in microgravity. Ayers and Kim later assisted NASA Flight Engineer Anne McClain as she replaced a catalytic reactor in the Tranquility module. The catalytic reactor introduces oxygen into the station's water processor assembly and oxidizes organic material in the wastewater. Station Commander Takuya Onishi from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) helped the trio conclude the maintenance work as he reinstalled hardware removed in Tranquility so the crew could access the advanced life support components. Onishi began his day in the Kibo laboratory module troubleshooting and inspecting combustion research hardware in the Multipurpose Small Payload Rack. Onishi then replaced a device, the Microgravity Measurement Apparatus, that measures the vibrations Kibo experiences due to astronaut activities and spacecraft dockings that may affect sensitive science experiments. Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Kirill Peskov also participated in an exercise study as they took turns jogging on the Zvezda service module's treadmill for a fitness evaluation. Doctors will use the data to determine a crew member's energy requirements to stay fit in space and ensure readiness for strenuous activities such as spacewalks and the return to Earth's gravity. Roscosmos Flight Engineer Alexey Zubritskiy started his shift cleaning ventilation systems and smoke detectors. He then trained to perform medical procedures on the orbital outpost including eye checks, needle injections, injury treatments, and more. The Progress 91 cargo craft docked to the rear port of Zvezda fired its engines for nearly 12 minutes on Wednesday. The reboost lifts the space station's orbit to the correct altitude for the approach and docking of the Progress 93 cargo craft planned for September. UNI GV 1755
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Can an Indian version of Mediterranean diet protect your heart? AIIMS finds out
Doctors and researchers are testing a new diet plan designed especially for Indians suffering from heart by the popular Mediterranean diet, this Indian-adapted version could be a way to offer simple, local, and effective strategies to protect the heart, especially at a time when India faces a high burden of cardiovascular Indian Adapted Mediterranean Diet (IAMD) is now in its third phase of testing through a clinical trial involving 140 patients at the All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi, and funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).advertisement Developed by experts at AIIMS and The George Institute for Global Health, with help from researchers in the US, the diet uses Indian ingredients to recreate the health benefits of the original Mediterranean diet, known for its heart-protective and anti-inflammatory details of the IAMD have been published in the peer-reviewed journal BMC THIS DIET MATTERSCoronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease and one of the leading causes of death in India. CAD happens when the arteries that supply blood to the heart become narrow or blocked due to plaque buildup (sticky, waxy substances made of cholesterol, fat, calcium, protein in the blood or even waste products from cells).This can lead to chest pain, shortness of breath, and even heart risk factors contribute to CAD like poor diet, lack of physical activity, obesity, and family history. Multiple studies show that changing the way we eat can lower the risk and help prevent future heart problems. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease and one of the leading causes of death in India. () 'The first phase was about the development of the diet,' Dr. Ambuj Roy, professor of cardiology at AIIMS Delhi, who is leading the trial, told 'We explored what the Mediterranean diet is and whether we could create equivalents within the food constraints here in India, while retaining its anti-inflammatory properties.'ADAPTING THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET FOR INDIAThe traditional Mediterranean diet includes lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil, and herbs like rosemary and thyme. These foods are linked with lower rates of heart disease and better overall for Indian patients, eating olives and fava beans isn't practical, or affordable. That's why the researchers created a local version of the diet using ingredients easily found in Indian of farro and bulgur, they used broken whole wheat and Basmati rice. Mustard and peanut oil replaced extra virgin olive oil. Herbs like tulsi (holy basil), ajwain (carom seeds), turmeric, and nutmeg were used in place of Mediterranean vegetables were swapped thoughtfully. 'We supplemented green leafy vegetables with Indian greens like bathua, chaulai, fenugreek, and radish leaves,' said Dr. Suparna Ghosh Jerath, a nutrition researcher at The George Institute and part of the IAMD THE DIET PLANSThe team from The George Institute didn't just stop at picking the ingredients. They built detailed seven-day diet plans that matched the calorie needs of different people. These included five calorie options: 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800, and 2000 kcal diet was split into six meals a day - three main meals and three smaller ones. Meals were built to balance nutrients, with 15% from proteins, 25–30% from fats, and 50–53% from carbohydrates. The traditional Mediterranean diet includes lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil, and herbs like rosemary and thyme. ( advertisement"We developed 7-day diet plans tailored to each individual's calorie needs and gave them these meal plans. For now, we are experimenting with North Indian cuisine. As you know, food habits change every 100 kilometres in India. So, we do plan to extend this to other parts of the country—South Indian, Eastern, and Western cuisines," Dr. Roy researchers provided a detailed matrix representing recommendations for the Mediterranean Diet, the Indian counterparts, their availability and acceptability, and the adaptations based on the North Indian food environment. Except for quinoa, cannellini, and fava beans, the whole grains and legumes found in the MD were also present in North Indian whole wheat and local rice varieties (Basmati) were substituted for bulgur and farro, respectively, and maize flour was added instead of virgin olive oil was partially replaced with the more culturally acceptable and available mustard and peanut oils. Some condiments and spices in the MD, like thyme, rosemary, and marjoram, were supplemented with other herbs and condiments used in Indian cuisine, such as Indian basil (tulsi), carom seeds (ajwain), turmeric (haldi), Nutmeg (jaiphal) and mace (javitri).advertisementSimilarly, the green leafy vegetable list was supplemented with Chenopodium Album (Bathua), amaranthus viridis (Chaulai), fenugreek leaves (methi), and radish leaves (mooli ke patte).The team has already applied for grants to expand this work into other regions of INFLAMMATION WITH DII SCORESThe researchers also used a scientific tool called the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), pioneered by Dr. James Hebert of the University of South Carolina, to check how much inflammation each diet could cause or plays a big role in heart disease, and diets that reduce inflammation can help protect the heart. Inflammation plays a big role in heart disease, and diets that reduce inflammation can help protect the heart. () Most Indian diets studied in CAD patients had DII scores between -1.8 and 3.8, with a median score of 1.1, which is slightly pro-inflammatory. The adapted Mediterranean diet, however, scored between -7.8 and -8.4, which is strongly anti-inflammatory.'We tried to make the recipes highly anti-inflammatory by including foods known for such properties,' said Dr. Jerath. 'For example, if we prepare dal and add garlic tadka and spices, it becomes more anti-inflammatory because of the properties of these ingredients.'advertisementMAKING THE DIET PRACTICAL AND AFFORDABLEA common worry about healthy diets is affordability. Many believe that plant-based diets rich in nuts, seeds, and oils are too expensive for the average Indian household.'When we talk about nuts and oils, there's a perception that this kind of diet is for the rich. But we've tried to divide the portions and design recipes in a way that even people from humble backgrounds can follow," Dr. Jerath added that it's not just about copying the Mediterranean diet, but making it culturally relevant and accessible. 'We didn't just copy the Mediterranean diet. We looked at Indian equivalents like whole grains and pulses and built from there.'FROM HOSPITALS TO HOMESThis study isn't just about feeding hospital patients. The researchers hope to eventually promote these diets at a community level.'We need to engage with community health workers and create an impact once we find that it's effective,' said Dr. Jerath. 'We focus on promoting traditional diets, especially in rural areas, things like consuming unpolished rice, whole grains, vegetables from kitchen gardens, and using natural farming methods.'She added that people have moved away from home-cooked food and rely more on processed food from the market. This shift has contributed to poor health HAPPENS NEXTCurrently, the third phase of the trial is underway at AIIMS Delhi. So far, 115 patients have been recruited. The plan is to recruit a total of 140 patients, who will be followed for six months. While the study is not large enough to test for major heart health outcomes, it is designed to measure dietary changes, anti-inflammatory effects, and improvements in health underway, the results from this trial could help shape future dietary guidelines for patients with heart disease and encourage more widespread adoption of healthier eating habits rooted in traditional Indian Dr. Roy summed it up, "It's not just the ingredients that matter, but the quantity, portion, intensity, and lifestyle factors that come with it."- Ends
