木瓜是生长在热带地区的营养水果。木瓜富含抗氧化剂和多种维生素和矿物质。木瓜还含有一种被称为木瓜蛋白酶的蛋白水解酶，它能加速蛋白质的消化或分解为氨基酸。儿童和成年人一样，也会经历消化不良、乳糜泻和其他可以通过木瓜蛋白酶得到帮助的情况。然而，如果你的孩子有囊性纤维化，你应该非常谨慎给他木瓜或木瓜蛋白酶补充剂。在考虑木瓜蛋白酶补充剂之前请咨询你的医生。
木瓜
木瓜是一种略带甜味的水果，有一种独特的麝香气味。根据《美国饮食协会完整的食物和营养指南》，木瓜富含抗氧化剂，如类胡萝卜素和类黄酮，还富含维生素A、B-9、C、E和K，以及镁、钾和不溶性纤维。木瓜,much like pineapple, contains natural enzymes that help digest protein. Papain is the most predominant enzyme in papaya. Indigenous people who commonly consume papaya usually do so after protein-rich meals because they know that it promotes efficient digestion. Protein digestion is needed to yield amino acids, but high stomach acidity and release of pancreatic enzymes are required. If you or your children do not produce enough acid or pancreatic enzymes, protein metabolism is severely hampered.
利用木瓜蛋白酶
木瓜蛋白酶通常被认为是帮助消化蛋白质有困难的人，但它也有用的胃灼热，便秘，腹泻，刺激食欲，防止溃疡，缓解疼痛和加速愈合的轻微损伤和瘀伤，根据“植物疗法的原则和实践:现代草药。”As such, papaya juice or papain extract can be consumed internally or applied externally. If your child has celiac disease, papain may be useful because it breaks down wheat gluten, a major contributing factor in the condition. However, the purported benefits of papain have not been verified by scientific studies on people.
木瓜蛋白酶的内容
作为补充，木瓜蛋白酶是从未成熟的木瓜果实的乳白色乳胶中提取的。未成熟的木瓜比成熟的水果含有更多的木瓜蛋白酶。虽然美国人主要吃成熟的果实，但青木瓜在东南亚和许多其他热带国家更受欢迎。木瓜蛋白酶可单独包膜，与其它植物酶如菠萝蛋白酶或外用乳霜形式联合使用。儿童剂量一般不超过成人剂量的一半，所以要仔细阅读标签。为了测试过敏反应，在考虑补充木瓜蛋白酶之前，给你的孩子新鲜、成熟的木瓜汁看看他们的反应。
谨慎
根据《哈里森内科原理》，如果你的孩子患有囊性纤维化病，如果摄入大量的胰酶，包括木瓜蛋白酶，就可能发展成一种严重的结肠病。Fibrosing colonopathy involves damage to the large intestine, so consult your primary care physician if your child has cystic fibrosis. Further, children with severe malabsorption disorders or those on blood-thinning medication should avoid proteolytic enzymes as well. Check with your doctor before giving supplements to your child, especially if he has health problems.