19 Health Benefits of Pineapple

These 19 health benefits of pineapple, one of my favorite fruits, are benefits that are very important to your body. It’s no wonder that pineapple is among one of the most popular tropical fruits in the entire world. And who doesn’t savor the perfect balance of sweet and tart taste of cold, refreshing pineapple? It’s not surprising that, according to some sources, pineapples are second only to bananas as America’s favorite tropical fruit.

Besides taste, another of the excellent benefits of pineapple is that it’s not usually considered as a food that causes allergies. And it is not known to contain measurable amounts of oxalates or purines. Pineapple is not included in the Environmental Working Group’s 2010 report “Pesticides in Produce” as one of the 12 foods most frequently containing pesticide residues. In fact, pineapple is often used as a fruit in “allergy avoidance diets” partly for these reasons, and for its bromelain (digestive enzyme) component.

Benefits of Pineapple: Bromelain

The stem of the pineapple contains an important enzyme called bromelain. Bromelain is actually a collection of enzymes which were discovered in the 1930s. Thirty years ago bromelain’s antibiotic qualities were discovered. The possibility of using bromelain as a natural antibiotic is being studied for use in the battle of superbugs.

Bromelain gains its popularity in the ability to break down proteins such as fibrin in the body which can keep the blood thin and prevent it from clotting. Because of this, bromelain may allow blood to flow more freely through the circulatory system. Thinner blood has been associated with lower risks of stroke, heart attack, as well as other heart and circulatory concerns.

A 2010 study demonstrated that long-term dietary supplementation with fresh or unpasteurized frozen pineapple juice with proteolytically active bromelain enzymes is safe and decreases inflammation severity and the incidence and multiplicity of inflammation-associated colonic neoplasia in this commonly used murine model of inflammatory bowel disease. A 2015 study demonstrated that a daily intake of 200mL (6.76 ounces) of fresh pineapple juice helped improve participants’ asthma symptoms as well as lowered their weight.

Health Benefits of Pineapple

high in Vitamin C
anti-inflammatory
immune system support
high in manganese
supports bone health
promotes healthy gums
improves digestion
helps with constipation
natural diuretic
rich source of vitamin A & beta-carotene
low in calories
lowers risk of mascular degeneration
helps with arthritis symptoms
helps with gout
prevents cough and colds
helps with high blood pressure
helps with nausea
contains bromelain which has protein-digesting properties
promotes natural detoxification

Pineapple-Kale-Banana Green Smoothie Recipe

Ingredient List (always use organic ingredients when available)

4 cups fresh or frozen pineapple
3 cups raw coconut water
2 cups ice (optional)
1 cup curly green kale (about 3 large leaves)
1 cup frozen or fresh ripe banana (about 2 medium bananas)
¼ cup chopped pitted dates or more
¼ cup raw cashews
¼ cup dried unsweetened coconut
½ scoop or 1 scoop organic Vanilla Protein Powder
pinch of Himalayan Crystal salt

Instructions

1. Place coconut water into Vitamix or other type blender and then the other ingredients.
2. Puree until smooth and creamy.
3. Tweak flavors to your taste.

References

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Ensminger AH, Esminger M. K. J. e. al. Food for Health: A Nutrition Encyclopedia. Clovis, California: Pegus Press; 1986. 1986. PMID:15210.
Fortin, Francois, Editorial Director. The Visual Foods Encyclopedia. Macmillan, New York. 1996.
Maurer HR. Bromelain: biochemistry, pharmacology and medical use. Cell Mol Life Sci 2001 Aug;58(9):1234-45. 2001.
The Queensland Institute of Medical Research,. Pineapple stems that show anti-tumour activity. Medical Research News, July 19, 2005. http://www.qimr.edu.au/. 0.
Walker AF, Bundy R, Hicks SM et al. Bromelain reduces mild acute knee pain and improves well-being in a dose-dependent fashion in an open study of otherwise healthy adults. Phytomedicine; 2002 Dec 9(8):681-6. 2002.
Wood, Rebecca. The Whole Foods Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Prentice-Hall Press; 1988. 1988. PMID:15220.
Smith, Bridie. Pineapples Could Play Key Role in Global Superbug Battle.

Loretta Lanphier is a Naturopathic Practitioner (Traditional), Certified Clinical Nutritionist, Holistic Health Practitioner and Certified Clinical Herbalist as well as the CEO / Founder of Oasis Advanced Wellness in The Woodlands TX. She has studied and performed extensive research in health science, natural hormone balancing, anti-aging techniques, nutrition, natural medicine, weight loss, herbal remedies, non-toxic cancer support and is actively involved in researching new natural health protocols and products. A 14 year stage 3 colon cancer survivor, Loretta is able to relate to both-sides-of-the-health-coin as patient and practitioner when it comes to health and wellness. “My passion is counseling others about what it takes to keep the whole body healthy using natural and non-toxic methods.” Read Loretta’s health testimony Cancer: The Path to Healing. Loretta is Contributor and Editor of the worldwide E-newsletter Advanced Health & Wellness. Check out Oasis Advanced Wellness and our natural skin care products Oasis Serene Botanicals.