Papaya fruit is a much-loved fruit, prized for its delicious taste and health benefits. However, not many may know that its leaf can be extremely health boosting. Papaya leaf tea has been consumed for centuries due to its various benefits. One of the common uses of papaya leaf is in dengue treatment. The compounds in papaya can provide a remedy for cancer and ulcer. Known also as pawpaw in Australia, papaya or Carica Papaya grows throughout most tropical and subtropical countries in the world. Papaya leaves are cooked and eaten in some parts of the world for their purported medicinal effects. Apart from increasing platelet count in dengue, a tea made of papaya leaf has many health benefits.  Papaya Leaves for Dengue Fever: How to Make This Platelet-Boosting Juice at Home (Watch Video)

Health Benefits of Papaya Leaf Tea

1. Papaya Leaf Can Help Fight Cancer

Papaya leaf tea is widely used in tropical regions to treat a number of ailments and is effecting in fighting against chronic disease like cancer. According to research published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in February of 2010, papaya leaf proved to be effective in treating a variety of human cancers in vitro including cervical, breast, lung and pancreas. Papaya leaf possesses anti-cancer effects that are developed due to the stimulation of immune cells that kill cancer cells. One of the researchers from the University of Florida declared that Papaya has no toxicity on human cells and is one of the best natural treatment for cancer.

2. Remedy for Ulcer 

According to the research published in The West Indian Medical Journal in September 2008, papaya leaf tea prevented gastric ulcers in rats subjected to alcohol compared to the control group. At the end of this study, the researcher concluded that papaya leaf tea is effective in the reduction in ulcer formation and oxidative stress. Further, it also leads to an increase in glutathione peroxidase activity, which is an important antioxidant that helps to prevent the body from radical damage.

3. Papaya Leaf Helps in Gluten Digestion

According to the book, The Complete Herbal Guide: A Natural Approach to Healing the Body, a papaya leaf tea can reduce heartburn discomfort and is an appetite stimulant. Papaya leaf tea may also help digest the wheat protein gluten.

4. Papaya Leaf Compounds Increase Platelet Count 

Drinking papaya leaf tea can significantly improve dwindling platelet count in people suffering from dengue. Either the tea or juice is given to patients, following which, there’s a big spike in platelet count. The enzymes in papaya juice stop the virus from interfering in the workings of the bone marrow. There are many studies done on the topic of platelet loss and papaya leaf extracts, which point towards the efficiency of the latter.

The enzyme papain in papaya leaf can cause allergic reactions in some people. Papaya leaf tea can help fight cancer, however, there is no replacement for medical guidance. Kindly consult your doctor before you start to use papaya leaf tea.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 02, 2019 06:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).