Top 10 Health Benefits of Pineapple

Pineapples (Ananas comosus) are one of the most cherished exotic fruits that is highly revered across the globe. Their impeccable taste, delicious texture, and scintillating aroma offer a rejuvenating experience each time you bite into a slice. But don’t be fooled just by its sweet flavours as it has amazing health properties.

It is one of the most nutritionally potent fruits you can consume. It is packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can do wonders for your overall well-being.

In this blog, we are going to take a deeper look into understanding the varied ways the consumption of pineapple can boost your health. Let us get to know this tropical fruit and its amazing potential in detail.

How Does Pineapple Benefit Your Body?

Pineapple is a nutrient-rich fruit with a high amount of vitamin C, fibre, and manganese. One cup of pineapple slices can provide you with 82 calories. Being low in sodium and fat content, it is a healthy snack you can munch on. In addition, pineapples are also rich in niacin, iron, potassium, thiamine, manganese, copper, vitamin B6, and folate.

Here are some of the most potent health benefits of pineapple.

Eases Symptoms of Arthritis

Those suffering from arthritis or other allied joint issues in their bodies can experience extreme relief from consuming pineapples regularly. It has been noted that the presence of bromelain in pineapples helps provide pain relief to people suffering from osteoarthritis. These joints can be anywhere where two bones meet, with prime examples being your knees and elbows.

If you or someone you know has achy joints from osteoarthritis, we highly recommend you add pineapples to your everyday diet. Remember, pineapples are not your substitute for medicines but can aid in offering additional relief.

Boosts Immunity

As pineapples have a high concentration of vitamin C, it has immense potential to boost your immunity and strengthen your overall immune function. On top of that, pineapples contain heavy amounts of antioxidants such as phenolic acids and flavonoids that help lower the risks of chronic diseases by preventing cell damage.

Furthermore, bromelain also helps in supporting your overall immune system. Regular consumption of pineapple helps your body fight off infections. If you consume pineapple daily, then it will also help with the production of white blood cells.

Speeds Recovery After Surgery or Strenuous Exercise

If you have undergone surgery recently, then eating pineapples can help you significantly recover quickly. The same is true for those who workout regularly or participate in strenuous exercises. This is because pineapples have the ability to help your muscles recover fast, keeping you away from feeling sore.

Bromelain helps in reducing bruising and swelling, shortening the healing period after surgery. On the other hand, when you go through an intense workout, your muscles produce inflammation that leads you to feel sore. As such, if you have a pineapple smoothie post your workout routine, you will adjust to your training regime better.

May Reduce Your Risk of Cancer

Although studies are still going on, it is believed that bromelain has the capacity to reduce the risks of cancer. This is because they have the potential to modulate pivotal pathways that support malignancy, which is the presence of cancer cells.

Studies have shown that bromelain can induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancerous cells, thereby playing a key role in inhibiting their proliferation.

May Support Iron Absorption

There are several indirect health benefits of consuming pineapples as well. The primary among them is that it helps in the absorption of iron. This happens due to the presence of vitamin C in pineapples which contributes to absorbing non-heme iron. Vitamin C can help improve the ability of your body to absorb plant-based irons as well.

This point is extremely vital because non-heme irons are not as easily absorbed by your body as heme irons. The majority of your iron is non-heme as they are sourced from both plants and animals unlike heme iron, which is found only in animal foods.

Has Antioxidant Properties

Pineapples are regarded as one of the strongest antioxidant food items you can have in your daily diet. When you eat, your body helps break down the food. In the process, molecules known as free radicals are created. The same thing happens when you are exposed to radiation or tobacco smoke.

This tropical fruit is rich in phenolic acids and flavonoids, two highly effective antioxidants that protect your cells from free radicals that are responsible for chronic diseases.

Fights Inflammation

Inflammation is a common phenomenon since it is your body’s natural process to fight off illness. However, too much inflammation, especially over a prolonged period, can lead to hazardous conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. In addition, bromelain also helps suppress the growth of various tumours.

The digestive enzyme in pineapple – bromelain – has anti-inflammatory properties, which help in providing relief against pain, as stated earlier. Therefore, when you are suffering from an injury such as a burn or sprain, or an infection like sinusitis, pineapples can be your best friend.

Helps in Weight Loss

A diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables can help you with a healthy loss of weight. So, if you are trying to shed weight without starving yourself, we recommend you consume pineapple in a generous amount as they can help you with fat burning.

Pineapples help boost your metabolism which is a major factor in healthy weight loss. Furthermore, this fruit has satiety properties, preventing you from snacking more than necessary.

May Aid Digestion

If you are craving dessert after your meal, treat yourself with some pineapple slices. Not only will it help fix your cravings but the high fibre content of pineapples will also aid you with better digestion, which in turn, results in regular bowel movements.

This exotic fruit has the capacity to break down proteins and prevent constipation while promoting a healthy digestive tract. The high water content of pineapples further helps with digestion.

May Support the Cardiovascular System

Bromelain also are beneficial to your heart and circulatory system. This is because it can help minimise or prevent the severity of attacks of angina and Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA). Furthermore, bromelain helps in breaking down cholesterol plaques that help in hardening arteries, thus saving you from atherosclerosis.

Studies also indicate that bromelain can help in blood clotting by inhibiting the production of a specific type of protein known as fibrin which is related to blood coagulation.

Relish in Pineapple to Sooth Your Health and Treat Your Taste Buds

As you can see, regular consumption of pineapples can play a major role in boosting your immunity, strengthening your joints, and lowering the risks of cancer. Eating pineapples post a workout session or surgery can help with recovery and healing as well.

So, just make the most of this highly potent fruit. Since you can enjoy it in varied ways such as by slicing it, chunking it, juicing it, grilling it, or blending it, you can make it part of varied recipes too.

In addition, at our restaurants in Jumeirah Lake Towers, Silicon Oasis, Arjan, and Karama, you can also enjoy our delicious pineapple ice cream. So, enjoy this amazing fruit as it is a healthy replacement for your regular snacks and see how much your body thank you later.