Papaya - a world class meat tenderizer, natural digestive aid, prevents ulcers, and also a soft contact lense cleaner.Papaya The Safety Factor
Pregnant women may eat ripe papaya fruit in moderation but should stay away from papaya latex and medicinal doses of the herb’s leaves. It was used in many cultures as a menstruation promoter and labor inducer. In addition, one study in which papain was administered orally to experimental animals shows that it causes birth defects and fetal death in animals.
Some allergic reactions, including asthma, have been reported.
Papaya latex may cause stomach inflammation (gastritis). For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults, papaya is considered safe in amounts typically recommended.
Papaya should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If papaya causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience any unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.
Melon Tree
If you’re lucky enough to live in the tropics, you can grow your own papaya tree.
Native to the Caribbean and now naturalized throughout the tropics, a papaya tree can reach 25 feet. Its trunk is hollow, with spongy wood and fibrous light-colored bark that is used to make rope. Its leaves are smooth, hand-shaped (palmate), and large, often 2 feet across.
The fruits are yellow-green, pear-shaped melons with tasty orange-yellow pulp. Papayas sold in the United States are typically about the size of large potatoes. But in the tropics, they grow to the size of large honeydews and can weigh up to 10 pounds. That’s where the name melon tree comes from.