The papaya fruit is sweet and delicious, making for tasty snack. But that’s not all its good for. Papaya has multiple enzymes in it that have long been used to improve overall wellness of the digestive system and even treat some inflammatory diseases. Papaya enzyme is typically sold in chewable tablet form and the recommended dosage is 2 to 3 after eating a meal. One of the enzymes in papaya called papain contains latex, so it may not be a good idea to take papaya enzyme supplements if you have a known latex allergy. Always ask your physician before taking dietary supplements, especially if you are pregnant or nursing.
Stomach Acid Reduction
The papaya enzyme called papain assists your body with the breakdown and digestion of food, which reduces acid in the stomach. This can help reduce or eliminate indigestion, heartburn and even acid reflux. Due to the acid reduction papain provides, papaya enzyme supplements are also recommended for people that have painful peptic ulcers that are not bleeding. When you have an ulcer, stomach acid causes you extreme pain when it comes in contact with the ulcer.
Inflammation
Papaya also contains an enzyme called chymopapain which is very effective at reducing inflammation and certain inflammatory diseases such as various forms of arthritis. If you are taking papaya enzymes to reduce inflammation be sure to look for chymopapain in the active ingredients, which is not to be confused with papain that helps in digestion.
Cold and Sinus Relief
Some medical professionals swear by the papaya enzyme to reduce cold and sinus symptom. They say that if you are stopped up or have a sore throat accompanied by pain or swelling in either area, taking papaya enzyme supplements will reduce or even eliminate these symptoms. As opposed to chewing the tablets and swallowing, it is recommended to let the tablets fully dissolve on the tongue before swallowing so that the papain fully coats the throat during the process.
Possible Colon Cancer Prevention
Some preliminary studies suggest that papaya enzyme supplements may contain compounds that attach to toxic substances in the colon and carry them out of the body. These toxic substances if left to fester in the colon could result in colon cancer. This has not been entirely proven and is only in the preliminary stages of medical research.
