Papaya Juice: Benefits and More According to Dietitian

Papaya Juice Benefits 

I grew up in Indonesia. One of the most fond memories I have from my childhood is eating cold diced papayas with a squeeze of lime on a hot sunny day. It was always a sweet memory!

In this blog I’d like to highlight the benefits of papaya and it’s juices.

Papaya is famously cultivated in tropical countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, Brazil and Mexico. 

Each part of the papaya plant, starting from the roots, leaves and fruits, is known to have medical benefits due to its natural antioxidant properties such as reducing inflammation, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic and wound healing.

“Different parts of papaya have been used in folk medicine to treat various diseases, especially diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular and infectious diseases” according to research.

They key important health benefit that is already known about papaya is they are rich in water and fiber. It helps to increase the movement in your intestine, making it a good natural laxative.

Papaya (Juice) Nutrition Facts

One ounce (1oz)  of papaya juice has the following nutritional value of:

Energy 17.7kcal, Sodium 1.55mg, Calcium 3.9mg, Phosphorus 0mg, Potassium 9.61mg, Energy 17.1kcal, Protein 0.053mg, Iron 0.105mg, Fiber 0.186g, Magnesium 0.93mg, Glycemic Index 58+/-6 (Medium Glycemic)

The more ripe the papaya is, the more carotenoids and ascorbic acid it contains (aka antioxidant and Vitamin C).

Based on the nutrition value above, we know that papaya is a great source of minerals such as potassium and magnesium. BEWARE if you need to limit your potassium level, DO NOT eat or drink any papaya juice.

This fruit also has a medium glycemic index. That means it will not spike your blood sugar. One of the good fruits to eat when you have diabetes.

Study shows a strong connection in the role of papaya as an antioxidant in diabetic control. Papaya extract shows to improve insulin sensitivity in the liver and stabilize blood glucose in people with diabetes. 

Meaning it’s good to incorporate papaya juice into your diet, but don’t go ahead and start drinking papaya juice with every meal. Papaya still has sugar content that you need to be mindful off.

Where to buy papaya juice?

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I’ve seen local supermarkets such as Key Food, CTown Supermarkets or Publix sell them.

If you prefer to shop online, I recommend you getting these below:

1. Lakewood Organic Papaya Blend

CLICK HERE TO BUY AMAZON: LAKEWOOD ORGANIC PAPAYA BLEND

The Lakewood Organic Papaya juice blend is USDA certified organic. For the price of $25.15, you get 2 bottles of 32 ounces juice.

2. Dynamic Health Papaya Puree

CLICK HERE TO BUY CERES 100% PAPAYA JUICE BLEND

Dynamic Health Certified Organic papaya puree is concentrated juice that can be mixed with water, seltzer, or a beverage of your choice. The only ingredient in this bottle is pure papaya puree. 

3. Organic Papaya Powder

CLICK HERE TO BUY microingredients ORGANIC PAPAYA POWDER

I would recommend this organic Papaya Powder because powder form is easier on the stomach and quicker to absorb. This papaya powder is more fun to incorporate into your shake, smoothie, even into baking.

Who should not drink papaya juice?

Even though papaya juice is generally safe to consume, certain people may need to limit or avoid papaya juice due to their health conditions or allergy:

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) on Dialysis: And Papaya Juice

If you have kidney disease AND on dialysis, you might need to limit your potassium level.  

Half a cup of raw papaya contains approximately 132 mg of potassium. Not a whole lot of potassium but there is not a whole lot of juice that can be produced from half a cup of papaya. That’s why I would suggest staying away from papaya juice if you are on a renal diet, restricting your potassium level.

Latex Allergy and Papaya

Have you heard about Latex-Papaya syndrome?  When you have an allergy to latex, you may have a reaction to certain fruits and vegetables. 

Many fruits and vegetables have similar proteins to latex. They are called latex cross-reactive foods. Some of them are: apple, avocado, banana, carrot, celery, chestnut, kiwi, melons, papaya, raw potato and tomato. 

It’s best to see allergists if you or your loved one suspect you have latex allergy for information and assistance to help avoid food and other products which may contain latex.

Thyroid and Papaya

Some study show eating a large amount of papaya interacts with thyroid (Levothyroxine) therapy. People with hypothyroidism, or in Levothyroxine therapy should consult with the doctor when eating papaya.

As with any dietary choice, it’s really important to consider your health status, allergies, and potential interactions with medications before consuming papaya juice or any other food or beverage regularly. 

If there are concerns or uncertainties, consulting with your doctor or registered dietitian nutritionist is always advisable.