Papaya

Things to Eat and Things not to Eat during Pregnancy

Diet plays an important role during pregnancy. To maintain a healthy pregnancy, one should know what he can eat and what not.

FOOD THAT YOU SHOULD NOT EAT
- Avoid eating very high empty calorie foods without being nutritious.
- Alcohol in any amount is bad during pregnancy.
- Stay away from smoking and from people who smoke.
- Sushi i.e. raw fish and shellfish are definitely not safe to eat during pregnancy. They can harbor hepatitis, bacteria and parasites, all dangerous to women and their fetuses.
- Raw meats or uncooked beef or poultry should not be taken during pregnancy.
- Avoid high mercury fish during pregnancy.
- Eating soft or blue veined cheeses during your pregnancy will increase your risk of contracting listeria which is a form of bacteria that can potentially be very harmful to your baby.
- Caffeine intake should be limited.
- Un-pasteurized juice can harbor bacteria that can affect you and your baby.
- Deli meats including hot dogs which may contain listeria, a kind of bacteria should be avoided.
- Refrigerated smoked seafood should be avoided.
- Animal liver contains very high levels of vitamin A. Women who consume too much may risk a higher incidence of birth defects in their babies.

FOOD THAT YOU CAN EAT DURING PREGNANCY
- Pregnant women should eat at least 7 servings of fruits and vegetables in their diet as they are rich source of fiber, vitamins and minerals.
- Eat plenty of high fiber foods like cereals, whole-grain bread, pastas.
- Eat or drink at least four serving of dairy or calcium products.
- Eat iron-rich foods.
- Pregnant women should eat at least 60 gm of protein everyday. Eggs, nuts, dried beans are also good sources of protein.
- Folic acid should be taken regularly. It is a vitamin B that helps prevent serious birth defects of a baby’s brain and spine.
- Pregnant women should drink water regularly. They should not dehydrate themselves.

PAPAYA DURING PREGNANCY DURING PREGNANCY

Benefits of eating papaya during pregnancy can reduce indigestion, inflammatory bowel syndrome or heartburn. It is also rich in vitamins.
But it should be remembered that only fully riped papaya should be eaten. Even slightly unripe papaya has a latex like substance in it. This latex substance acts like prostaglandin and oxytocin which are generally use to induce labor and cause miscarriages. Consuming papaya during the early weeks of pregnancy should be avoided unless you are absolutely sure that it is fully ripe.
Hence, papaya is generally avoided by most women as a precautionary measure.

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What are different health benefits and side effects of eating papaya.

Papayas is a pear shaped tropical fruit and than be as long as 7 to 20 inches. This fruit is available in the market throughout the year, but most abundant during the summer. The flesh is deliciously sweet with a musky undertone, and its texture has a soft melting quality. Ripe papaya flesh is a rich orange color with either yellow or pink hues.
The inner cavity contains a wealth of black round seeds, encased in a gelatinous-like substance. Some sources say that these seeds can be used as a black pepper substitute when ground, or that they have a de-worming effect.
The nutritional highlight of papaya is a proteolytic enzyme called papain which is an excellent aid to digestion. This enzyme is so powerful that it is said to digest an amazing 200 times its own weight in protein.

Health benefits of Papaya

- A papaya face pack can also be made using the fruit. Papaya is a product from nature which is used in many skin lightening creams
- Papaya is an ideal choice of fruit for those who are suffering from digestive ailments and dyspeptic patients since it is easily digestible and ideal for weight losing since it has high fibre, nutritious,low calories and enriched with water content.
- Papaya is a fruit high in fiber which lowers cholesterol levels. Papaya contains antioxidants which prevents the cholesterol from oxidizing.
- Papaya contains a high amount of potassium and the flesh of papaya is very high in Vitamin A.
- Papaya seeds and leaves are useful in treating intestinal worms found in the body.
- The skin of papaya is excellent for treating skin wounds and places that do not heal quickly.
- Regularly consuming papaya helps to relieve morning sickness and nausea.
- Papaya has anti-inflammatory properties and anti-cancerous properties.
- Papaya is very good for those who frequently suffer from cold, cough or flu because intake of papaya boosts the immune system.
- Papaya is also very good for the hair and helps in controlling dandruff.
- Raw papaya also helps in reducing menstrual irregularities for women.
- Slices of green fruits rubbed over meat and boiled with tough meat, make the meat more tender.

What are the side effects of papaya?
- Even though papaya is enriched with vitamin A and C, and a small amount of Calcium and Iron, but if eaten in excess, it can cause the yellowing of palms and skin known as carotenemia.
- Scientists have found that the black seeds of papaya contain, in traces, a toxic substance called carpine. Carpine in large quantities is said to lower the pulse rate and depress the nervous system.