Pineapple is a delicious, yellow, and healthy tropical fruit that is extremely nutritious and packed with nutrients, antioxidants, and other beneficial plant compounds like enzymes that can help inflammation and prevent disease. You can eat pineapple by baking, grilling, or cutting it raw.
The fruit originated in South America and it was given its name by the early European colonizers for its resemblance to a pine cone. Pineapple has several plant compounds that are linked to several health benefits, like improved digestion, better immunity, and faster recovery from surgery.
Let's know more benefits of pineapple in detail. Here are 8 impressive health benefits of pineapple.
1. Extremely Nutritious- Pineapples contain trace amounts of phosphorus, zinc, calcium, and vitamins A and K. The fruit is extremely rich in vitamin C and manganese which makes it healthy for immune health, iron absorption, and growth and development. Manganese offers antioxidant properties and aids in growth and metabolism. It also prevents oxidation in your body protecting the body from inflammation and other chronic diseases. Other micronutrients present in pineapple include copper, thiamine, and vitamin B6.
2. Helps Fight Diseases- Pineapples are loaded with antioxidants — molecules that help the body fight against oxidative stress caused by an abundance of free radicals, unstable molecules that cause cell damage resulting in chronic inflammation, weakened immune health, heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Pineapples are rich in antioxidants called flavonoids and phenolic compounds that may have heart-protective effects.
3. Helps Improve Digestion- Pineapples are often served alongside meats and poultry in countries like Brazil. According to Healthline, it is because it is good for digestion due to the presence of groups of digestive enzymes called bromelain that ease the digestion of meat. Bromelain acts as a protease that helps breaks down protein molecules into amino acids and small peptides. Thus, it helps break down tough meat protein for easy digestion and fiber content also aids digestion.
4. Helps Prevent Certain Cancers- Cancer is a chronic disease that is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and it is linked to oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. Certain compounds in pineapple including bromelain may reduce cancer risk by minimizing oxidative stress and reducing inflammation. Furthermore, bromelain may stimulate the immune system to produce molecules that make white blood cells effective at suppressing cancer cell growth.
5. Boosts Immunity and Reduces Inflammation- Pineapples have been used in traditional medicine for centuries due to the presence of a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes such as bromelain that help improve immunity and reduce inflammation. It has been proved that pineapple reduces the risk of both viral and bacterial infections. Bromelain present in the fruit can reduce markers of inflammation strengthening the immune system even more.
6. May Reduce the Symptoms of Arthritis- The condition of arthritis affects more than 54 million adults in the United States alone, and there are several types of arthritis and most of them involve joint aches. Bromelain’s anti-inflammatory properties may provide relief to joint pain. It also protects against the degradation of cartilage tissue and the inflammation associated with osteoarthritis.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)