Are Raw Papaya Seeds Safe To Eat? – Our Guide!

Most people often discard the raw seeds of papaya and eat their sweet flesh instead, but have you ever stopped to wonder if papaya seeds can be eaten raw? 

Papaya seeds can indeed be eaten raw and have lots of nutritional benefits in them, they do however have a bitter taste, so we just add them into recipes to help their flavour.

We’ve discussed in more detail below the nutrition of papaya seeds, their health benefits as well as how to eat them.

What Is The Nutritional Value Of Papaya Seeds? 

Before we get into how to eat papaya seeds raw and all of their health benefits let’s discuss the basic nutritional value of papaya seeds to see how good they are for you. 

Papaya seeds have approximately 558 calories for 100g and contain iron, magnesium and calcium. These seeds are also high in monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants such as flavonoids.  

It is recommended to have 1x 15g servings per day of raw papaya seeds.

How To Choose A Good Papaya 

If you want the best papaya seeds, then you need to make sure you’re choosing a good papaya fruit itself.

Avoid choosing unripe papayas which are green and yellow, a good papaya is yellow and firm and slightly soft to touch, do not choose overly soft papayas since they might have gone bad. 

Also, ensure your papayas have no blemishes or dark spots.

What Are The Health Benefits Of Papaya Seeds? 

Ingesting papaya seeds has lots of health benefits for the body, especially when they are consumed raw. 

We’ve listed some health benefits of consuming these raw seeds below.

• Can improve digestion – Papaya seeds are a good source of fibre, high fibre foods can help with digestive health since it adds bulk to your stools and helps with stool frequency.
• Has anti-cancer properties – Papaya seed extract has been proven to help fight inflammation and decrease the growth of prostate cancer cells.
• Could protect kidneys – Some studies have shown that eating papaya seeds can help preserve the health of kidneys, they are also high in powerful antioxidants which can block damage to your cells. 
• Help fight infections – Eating papaya seeds can help to destroy certain types of parasites, fresh papaya seeds have also been shown to be great at fighting yeast infections.
• Protect your heart – Papaya seeds are a great source of vitamin C which can promote blood flow and even lower cholesterol, protecting the body from damage.

Are There Any Negative Health Effects Of Papaya Seeds?

Although consuming papaya fruit seeds is said to be good for you, there are some negative side effects due to the consumption of papaya seeds which you need to be aware of. 

• Too much can be harmful – Papaya seeds contain something called benzyl isothiocyanate, although these compounds in papaya seeds are said to be beneficial, too much of them could be potentially harmful and affect DNA. The studies around this are limited. 
• It can decrease fertility – In both studies on rats and monkeys, high doses of papaya seeds have been shown to decrease sperm count in men and affect fertility rate too, please note this was at a very high dosage of papaya seeds.

How To Eat Papaya Seeds 

Papaya seeds are perfectly safe to eat raw and provide lots of nutritional benefits, but many people wonder how you eat a serving of papaya seeds. 

Papaya seeds can be scooped out of these fruits and then stored in the fridge for around a week, however, they can also be dried and ground. 

We’ve listed various ways to ingest papaya seeds below.

How To Enjoy Papaya Seeds Raw

• Make smoothies – By putting a tablespoon of papaya seeds in a smoothie you can get all the benefits of papaya seeds you need easily. Simply blend the seeds with some fruit of choices such as pineapple or mango chunks then combine them with your milk of choice.
• Use as a garnish – For a spicy and bitter garnish you can papaya seeds on top of salads, soups or even in sandwiches, we would suggest using a minimal amount however due to their strong bitter taste.
• Blend them to make a salad dressing – To make a sweet salad dressing you could combine papaya seeds, honey and rice vinegar. 
• Make a marinade – By combining papaya seeds with garlic and coconut cream you can make a marinade for chicken and other kinds of meats.
• Make the hot sauce – Use ground papaya seeds in a blender with some vinegar and honey to make a hot sauce, you can then use this in place of Tabasco.

How To Dry And Grind Papaya Seeds

If you are trying to add papaya seeds to your diet knowing how to dry and grind them can be a useful way to make them easy to eat, sprinkling them on sauces and porridge for example. 

We’ve listed a step-by-step on how to do this process below. 

1. First start by scooping out the papaya seeds, then heat the oven to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, and scatter the seeds out on the baking pan in a single layer. 
2. Now bake the seeds in the oven for around 2-4 hours, once the seeds have cooled down you can crush them with a mortar and pestle. 
3. You can now use the ground papaya seeds as black pepper, mix them with spices to make a flavour rub or even bake with them by adding them with baking powder and spices to baked goods.  

Can Papaya Seeds Help Me Lose Weight? 

Now we know all the benefits related to the consumption of papaya seeds, you might be curious as to if this fruit and its seeds could also help with weight loss. 

Papaya seeds are rich in fibre, having three grams of fibre per cup, this is beneficial for weight loss since it helps to keep you full for longer and also prevents you from overeating.

Frequently Asked Questions About Eating Papaya Seeds Raw

Are black papaya seeds healthy?

Black papaya seeds are good for you and contain lots of micronutrients inside, they contain polyphenols, flavonoids and even tannins. 

Is papaya seed extract good for you? 

Papaya seed extract is also very nutritionally beneficial and has anti cancer-fighting properties, it also offers kidney protection.

How many papaya seeds should I have per day?

It is recommended to have around one teaspoon to a tablespoon of papaya seeds per day. Avoid eating high quantities of these seeds otherwise, they can have negative health side effects.

What powerful antioxidants do papaya seeds have?

Papaya seeds contain a strong antioxidant called polyphenols and also contain isothiocyanate which can help fight cancerous cells in the body.

What can I make when baking with ground papaya?

Ground papaya can be used to make lots of baked goods such as muffins or biscuits, a teaspoon can also be added to homemade bread, just be aware that these seeds have a slightly bitter and spicy taste.

Should you chew raw papaya seeds?

Yes, papaya seeds should be chewed rather than swallowed whole, swallowing them whole could be potentially dangerous.

Do I need to soak papaya seeds?

Papaya seeds do not need to be soaked before eating but for germination, they can be soaked in a solution of potassium nitrate.

Does papaya help with blood pressure?

Yes, ground papaya seeds can help lower blood pressure since it counteracts the sodium in the body, it’s also a great source of potassium.

Can I add ground papaya seeds to smoothies?

Ground papaya seeds can be blended into smoothies for a more nutritional drink, only use about a teaspoon of papaya seeds in smoothies.

Final Words

Overall, papaya seeds are edible raw and have lots of potential health benefits for the body when consumed daily in moderation, you can add papaya seeds ground to smoothies or porridge. 

Be aware that papaya seeds can have some potential health concerns when consumed in excess, they also can taste quite bitter, so might sit best in savoury foods, they can also be used as a replacement for black pepper, if your interested in if you can eat other fruits seeds, check out our jackfruit guide here.