What is Pineapple: The tropical fruit known as the pineapple (Ananas comosus) is distinguished by its distinctive form, which consists of a sphere of juicy, sweet flesh encased in a tough, segmented skin with a tuft of spiky green leaves on top. The fruit, which takes an astounding three years to mature, is actually a collection of flowers, each with its own eye fused around the central core.
An 80g portion of pineapple, whether fresh or canned, counts toward your five-a-day, but if you choose the canned variety, make sure it has no added sugar. A single glass (150ml) of unsweetened pineapple juice is also acceptable, but keep in mind that it contains a lot of the “free” sugars that we should avoid.
Top 10 Health Benefits of Pineapple
Protective Antioxidants: Flavonoids, also known as antioxidants, are a useful source of protective plant compounds found in pineapples. Consuming these on a regular basis may reduce your risk of developing certain chronic health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Useful Source of Fibre: Fruits high in fiber, such as pineapple, may promote a healthy digestive system and enhance the variety and well-being of the community of good bacteria that live in your stomach.
May Aid Digestion: Bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapple, is active in both the alkaline conditions of the small intestine and the acidic environment of the stomach. It breaks down proteins in food into their relatively small building blocks, amino acids and peptides. Pineapple’s bromelain content makes it a helpful digestive aid for people who have trouble breaking down their food, particularly those who have pancreatic insufficiency, a disorder in which the pancreas is unable to generate sufficient digestive enzymes. Because of these qualities, fresh pineapple flesh and juice—not canned—can be used to tenderize meat or fish.
May Support Iron Absorption: Vitamin C can be found in pineapples, and canned pineapple is particularly high in the vitamin. According to an intriguing study, both underweight and normal weight participants’ hemoglobin levels seemed to improve after consuming canned pineapple for nine weeks. Two-thirds of the iron in the body is found in hemoglobin, a protein that contains iron. It transports oxygen throughout the body and is a significant component of red blood cells. Vitamin C’s ability to increase iron absorption is thought to play a role in the pineapple’s health benefits. The canned pineapple is especially rich in vitamin C. One interesting study suggested that consumption of canned pineapple over a nine-week period appeared to improve the haemoglobin levels of both underweight and normal weight subjects. Haemoglobin is an iron-containing protein and is where two-thirds of the body’s iron is found. It is a major component of red blood cells and plays an important role in transporting oxygen around the body. Vitamin C’s ability to boost iron absorption is thought to be the key to pineapple’s health benefits.
Promote Healing After Injury: Bromelain appears to help reduce swelling, bruising, and inflammation following injury or surgery, according to a number of studies. It appears to help alleviate pain and provide as much relief as anti-inflammatory medications when taken before dental surgery.
May Help Relieve the Symptoms of Arthritis: Bromelain has been shown to help alleviate arthritis-related inflammatory pain in a number of studies, some of which date back to the 1960s. It seems to have this analgesic effect by directly affecting the chemical mediators that help us perceive pain.
May Support Immunity: In a nine-week study, schoolchildren who consumed 140g or 280g of canned pineapple per day had a significantly lower risk of contracting a viral or bacterial infection than those who did not consume any pineapple. In addition, the number of white immune cells that fight infections was four times higher in those who consumed more.
Bromelain’s anti-inflammatory qualities also seem to be helpful in immune system modulation, and this may be particularly true for people with auto-immune diseases.
May Support the Cardiovascular System: Once more, bromelain appears to be beneficial to the heart as well as circulatory system due to its ability to prevent or lessen the severity of angina attacks transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). Bromelain may also be able to break down cholesterol plaques, which are the cause of hardened arteries and could lead to a condition called atherosclerosis.
According to research conducted on animals, bromelain also has an effect on blood clotting by preventing the production of a protein called fibrin, which is necessary for blood coagulation.
May be Supportive For Inflammatory Bowel Conditions: Even though studies on bromelain’s anti-inflammatory properties appear promising for reducing the symptoms of inflammatory bowel diseases (like ulcerative colitis), more data is required before this benefit can be demonstrated in people.
Longer Lasting Antioxidant Protection: Obtaining antioxidants, or protective plant compounds, from foods like pineapple that are also high in insoluble fiber seems to extend the protective effect of compounds like flavonoids.
Is Pineapple Safe for Everyone?
When consumed as part of a balanced, healthful diet, pineapple is generally considered safe for most people, unless they have an allergy to it. However, excessive consumption may irritate the digestive system, and you should avoid unripe fruit because it may irritate the throat and cause diarrhea. Additionally, pineapple may make your acid reflux symptoms worse.
Patients taking blood thinners should be aware that pineapple’s bromelain, when consumed in large quantities and in conjunction with blood thinners, may increase the likelihood of bleeding.
Is Pineapple Healthy? Pineapples are a tasty and nutritious addition to a varied and well-balanced diet. However, people taking blood thinners should be cautious, and those with allergies should stay away from the fruit.
