For a long time I had forgotten the taste of a pawpaw until last week when a friend invited me for lunch and we were served food together with a glass of pawpaw juice. The juice was very sweet I had to ask for a second helping!

With my crazy system- the pawpaw juice was a God send, and had to pinch myself as to why I allow myself to suffer when actually pawpaw can do a good work for my system.

Paw-paw has many nutritional and health benefits. It is easily digestible and aids in the digestion of other foods. It is rich in vitamin A and C, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, and soluble vegetable fibre.

It is recommended that paw-paw be taken regularly because of its digestibility, vitamins, and mineral content. Paw-paw is much desirable and enjoyed when eaten fresh and ripe. Taking it in this way makes it to become an excellent breakfast and desert. Paw-paw juice mixed with milk is an excellent blood tonic, dessert and appetizer. Paw-paw also prevents stomach troubles, such as indigestion, constipation, and peptic ulcers.

Paw-paw is rich in enzymes called pa-pain, which help in the breakdown of protein into amino acids and digestion. Eating paw-paw after a meal aids digestion and prevents bloating and chronic indigestion.

Paw-paw is very good in treating infective diarrhoea, due to its emollient action. Paw-paw is rich in vitamin A, which helps in the prevention of skin problems like eczema, pimples, and acne. Paw-paw with its vitamin A helps to protect the eye.

It is also known that paw-paw helps to tighten and smoothens the skin, due to the presence of enzymes.
Paw-paw improves digestion of protein and expels worms. The vitamin C is generally known to strengthen the immune system and assist in combating diseases.

As a worm expeller, chew two tablespoons of seeds of unripe paw-paw fruit, first and last thing in the morning and night respectively, for about three days. For malaria fever and jaundice, squeeze some yellow paw-paw leaves in water and take a glassful three times daily for seven days.

For stomach ulcer, cut a big unripe fruit of papaya and put in a bottle with water, store for four days, sieve and take half a glass, thrice daily for two weeks. For Asthma, burn the dry leaves of papaya and inhale whenever there is an attack. Also prevent further attacks by inhaling the smoke every night.

One can never eat too much paw-paw and there are no side effects that frequent consumption of it can provoke. On the contrary, paw-paw is recommended to be consumed regularly and this is thanks to its content which is rich in vitamins A and C and minerals, like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron.

The best way to eat paw-paw is when it’s fresh and full-grown, and because of its fleshy rich texture, it can even be a full breakfast.

Pawpaws are also very good to small children, but they should be given with limitation unlike adults. Finally, the vitamin C in paw-paw fruit reinforces the entire immune system and gives the body the support that is required to overcome many diseases.

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