Is eating papaya in winter beneficial

January 30,Kathmandu.The winter season brings many challenges for health. Low temperature and lack of sunlight weakens the immunity. This increases the risk of many diseases. In such a situation, there is a need to make some changes in your diet to boost immunity. For this, people include fruits and vegetables in their diet.

Nowadays almost all fruits are available in the market throughout the year. In such a situation, some people are unable to understand which fruit should be eaten in which season. One of these fruits is papaya, about which there is a myth that papaya should not be eaten in winter. The right time to eat it is summer season.

 Which nutrients are found in papaya?

Papaya is called the 'power house' of essential nutrients. Papaya is one of those fruits which is rich in vitamin C. Apart from this, it contains many nutrients including calcium, vitamins, carbohydrates, fiber, potassium. 

Should papaya be eaten in winter?

Dr.Senior Dietician at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, says that people generally consider papaya to be a fruit with cold properties. This is the reason why they avoid eating it in winters, but the truth is that papaya has a hot nature and it can be eaten even in winters. Eating it daily prevents many diseases.

How beneficial is papaya for health in winter?

Whether you eat papaya in winter or summer, it is equally beneficial.

People drink less water in winters, which increases the risk of dehydration. Papaya, on the other hand, has a high water content, which protects us from dehydration in this season.

Apart from this, our immune system becomes weak in winter. In such a situation, vitamin C and antioxidants present in papaya help in strengthening the immune system. This increases the ability to fight viral infections and seasonal diseases. Papaya has anti-inflammatory properties, which reduce any kind of inflammation in the body.

The fiber, vitamins and minerals present in papaya maintain blood pressure level in winter. Eating it regularly reduces the risk of heart disease. Vitamin C and A present in papaya are beneficial for the skin. Overall, papaya is beneficial for our overall health. 

What is the right time to eat papaya?

Dr. says that although papaya can be eaten at any time, but eating it on an empty stomach in the morning is more beneficial. This keeps the stomach clean and the digestive system works better. Apart from this, papaya can also be eaten in the afternoon. However, eating papaya at night should be avoided. This may cause acidity in some people.

What is the correct way to eat papaya?

While buying papaya, make sure that it is fresh and ripe. After this, wash and peel it thoroughly before eating. Then cut the papaya from the middle and remove its seeds. After this, you can easily eat papaya by cutting it into small pieces.

Apart from this, you can also drink papaya shake (juice) or smoothie. Keep in mind that you should not drink water immediately after eating papaya. This can affect the digestive system.

How much papaya is right to include in your diet?

Dr. says that it is absolutely right to eat 100-200 grams or one bowl of chopped papaya daily. However, it also depends on the physical capacity of the person and his age. Eating too much papaya can also be harmful.

 Is eating raw papaya also beneficial?

 Dr. says that raw papaya is also rich in many nutrients. Like ripe papaya, it is also beneficial for health. You can include raw papaya in your diet in many ways. Understand it with the pointers below-

Can diabetic patients also eat papaya?

Dr. says that diabetic patients can eat papaya. The glycemic index of papaya is low, so it does not increase blood sugar rapidly.

Is there any harm in eating too much papaya?

There are many benefits of eating papaya, but it can also have some potential disadvantages, which need to be kept in mind. Understand this with the pointers below-