Groundbreaking research on lab-grown tumors
Along with colleagues in Japan, University of Florida researcher Nam Dang, M.D. and Ph.D., documented papaya's dramatic anticancer properties versus several lab-grown tumors (including cervical, breast, liver, lung and pancreas).
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These researchers made an extract from dried papaya leaves, and exposed 10 types of cancer cell cultures to four different strengths of papaya for 24 hours. Papaya slowed the growth of tumors in all the cultures, but larger doses had stronger anticancer effects.
They also found that papaya leaf extract boosts the key signaling molecules called Th1-type cytokines, important for regulating your immune system.
You'd be happy to know that the papaya extract had no toxic effects on any normal cells — a problem with many cancer therapies, notably conventional ones. Papaya's success in this regard lines up with reports from indigenous populations in Australia and Vietnam, according to Dang, of the UF Shands Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office. It's important to note that papaya leaf extract is not the same as the fruit, but these findings suggest that both have the power to kill cancer cells.
A researcher at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Bharat B. Aggarwal, Ph.D., is so convinced of papaya's awesome health powers that he personally eats a serving of papaya every day.
Of course, you'd already know papaya can lick cancer if you owned a copy of our
Complete Guide to Alternative Cancer Treatments. You can get a free copy of this 460-page book by joining our "platinum club," the Alternative Cancer Research Institute.
In the
Complete Guide, an Australian man named Stan Sheldon, diagnosed with lung cancer in 1962, had this to say about papaya: "I was dying from cancer in both lungs when it was suggested to me as an old Aboriginal remedy. I tried it for two months and then I was required to have a chest X-ray.... They told me both lungs were clear."
That's an amazing story, and I certainly can't promise results like that. But if I had cancer I think I might add papaya to my diet! It sure can't hurt.
The papain miracle — fights rogue proteins and more...
The reason for papaya's health-promoting powers is most likely papain — papaya's signature enzyme — found in both the fruit and the leaves.
Papain is a powerful proteolytic enzyme that facilitates chemical reactions within your body. It helps break down long-chain food proteins into small bits -- amino acids or short-chain peptides -- that your body can use. Proteolytic enzymes protect you from inflammation, and digest unwanted scar tissue both on your skin and under its surface.
Proteolytic enzymes like papain are powerful agents against cancer, heart and artery disease, arthritis pain and a whole range of other medical conditions. You can learn more about them in a Special Report I wrote myself called
The Missing Ingredient for Good Health. I take enzymes daily and recommend them to everyone.
Unfortunately, as you age, your body's own production of digestive enzymes goes down, leaving you with excessive undigested proteins that can cause a shortfall of amino acids and an excess of unwanted bacteria and other toxins.
If undigested proteins penetrate your gut and escape into your bloodstream, they are treated by your immune system as invaders. Too many of these escapees, and your immune system gets overworked and can't keep up.
Eating papaya counteracts that problem, aids digestion and also helps replenish friendly intestinal bacteria. Papain provides the proteolytic power you need to free up your immune system to do its normal work.
Proteolytic enzymes can also digest and destroy the defense mechanisms of viruses, tumors, allergens, yeasts, and some types of fungus. Once their shield is destroyed, these menacing organisms are extremely vulnerable and your immune system can easily oust them.
The awesome cancer-fighting power of lycopene
Papaya's orange-yellow-pink coloring is the visible sign of an awesome group of cancer-fighting carotenoids. The fruit boasts high amounts of beta-carotene, but lycopene (a powerful antioxidant) is also abundant.
University of Illinois scientists believe these antioxidants may be another reason why papaya is such a powerful cancer fighter.
This hypothesis seems to be backed by epidemiological studies, which show an inverse relationship between lycopene and prostate cancer risk. The higher a person's lycopene levels, the lower his risk of prostate cancer. And the good news is that oral lycopene is highly bioavailable and accumulates in prostate tissue.
Other experiments indicate that lycopene provokes cancer cell death, prevents metastasis, and encourages protective enzymes.4 If you're new to this newsletter, "metastasis" is the word for cancer spreading from the original site to other parts of the body. It's the signal for late stage cancer, which is very hard to cure.
An Australian study evaluated 130 prostate cancer patients and 274 hospitalized controls.
They found that men consuming the most lycopene-rich fruits and veggies (like papaya) were 82 percent LESS likely to get prostate cancer. Green tea also showed a powerful anti-cancer effect. And the synergistic effect of both together was even better.5
Wipes out intestinal parasites
As mentioned earlier, papain improves digestion by breaking down protein and cleansing your digestive tract.
This means papain may destroy many an intestinal parasite, because parasites are mostly protein. Researchers Mariam Naseem and Muhammed Kamran at the University of Karachi, India, note that in Nigeria, 76.7 percent of children were able to shake off intestinal parasites in just seven days by drinking the juice of papaya seeds. If those results can be confirmed, they amount to a breakthrough in parasite treatment.
Similarly, if your body fails to break down proteins from your food, you're left with undigested protein that can make its way into your colon and contribute to gassiness, bloating, indigestion, and more.
Also of value if you care about heart health
(and who doesn't?)
Papaya is also a naturally occurring blood thinner that can reduce your risk of blood clots and optimize blood flow. It does this because the papain enzyme in papaya breaks down fibrin, the protein in the blood that creates clots and helps make blood thick and viscous. If you reduce fibrin levels you slash your risk of blood clots, which are the immediate cause of most strokes and heart attacks.
Papaya seeds also promote a healthy heart, by way of three powerful antioxidants — vitamins A, C, and E. Carotenoid phytonutrients in your body help prevent oxidation of cholesterol — which is the process that makes cholesterol stick to the walls of your blood vessels and form plaques that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Papaya's high fiber also has a cholesterol-controlling effect on your body.
Protects your eyes from macular degeneration
As you probably know, age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) can cause blurred vision, eventually leading to blindness. The antioxidant beta-carotene, which gives the orange color to papaya, is known to help prevent macular degeneration, according to a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology. But note that it takes three or more servings of beta-carotene-rich fruits per day to lower your risk of macular degeneration.
And more...
As you might expect of a whole food, papaya has extensive benefits throughout your system. Here's a quick list:
- General nutrition — nutrients such as carotenes, flavonoid and vitamin C, vitamin B, fiber, magnesium…
- Relief from toothache — you can massage it on teeth and gums for relief
- Skin — great as a rejuvenator and used in many cosmetics. Kills dead cells and purifies skin when used as a facial mask. Also used for disorders such as eczema, psoriasis, sores, wounds and ulcers.
- Anti-inflammatory — reduce inflammation systemically
- Female hormones — may help regularize menstrual periods by normalizing hormones
- Arthritis — its proteolytic enzymes may help control both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis
Trouble in paradise: the risky side of papaya
Naturally, there's a caveat. And it's a biggie...
The vast majority (statistics vary, but around 80% seems to be the norm) of Hawaiian papayas are genetically modified. And cross-contamination to non-GMO crops is widespread throughout Hawaii — to the outrage of non-GMO growers.
The U.S. does not ban genetically modified papayas. But if you're reading this from Europe, you should be safe… the information we have indicates GMO papayas are banned in the EU.
One other caveat… due to its papain, it may be contra-indicated if you're on blood thinners or undergoing surgery soon. All proteolytic enzymes thin the blood. Consult your doctor on this. My recommendation is to wean yourself off pharmaceutical blood thinners by using natural proteolytic enzymes to do the same job.
How to shop for papayas
The first thing you'll want to consider is buying organic. NOP standards prohibit GMO products from being labeled "organic".
Do not be deceived by the "natural" label, however. So-called natural foods can (and do) include GMO foods. The use of the word is almost completely unregulated.
We tried to find out for you which varieties are most likely to be genetically modified — or not — so you could avoid them. This is not an all-inclusive list, but it's a starting point to help you shop wisely. Please know that any GMO list is a moving target these days, and may change almost without notice. So it's a good idea to confirm this with your own research.
Non-GMO varieties:
- Solo / Kapoho Solo
- Tainung No. 1
- Mexican Red / Mexican Yellow
- Orange Queen
GMO varieties:
- Rainbow
- Kamiya / Laie Gold / Kamiah
- Sunrise / SunUp
Incidentally, papaya has other names… including Papaw or Paw Paw (Australian), Mamao (Brazilian), or Tree Melon.
The two main varieties are from Hawaii and Mexico. And as already noted, most Hawaiian papayas are genetically modified. Mexican papayas can be as large as 20 pounds and 15 inches. Phew!
Like bananas, papayas turn from green to yellow as they ripen, which happens quickly at room temperature or in a paper bag.
If you can find organic and non-GMO sources, papaya can be a terrific adjunct to the rest of your healthy diet and provide an abundance of benefits — certainly including its cancer capabilities.
The list of foods they examined included avocado, fuava, mango, prickly pear cactus, pineapple, grapes, tomato and papaya. They measured beta-carotene, total plant phenolics, gallic acid, and antioxidant capacity.
