9 Reasons Why You Should Eat Pineapple Every Day
Tropical fruits are something special. They evoke the feeling of summer, being on the beach, and enjoying. Well, in addition to tasting great, pineapple offers numerous benefits for your health. This tropical fruit is one of the most nutrient dense fruits you can find on the market. The best part about pineapple is that while the fruit is rich in healthy nutrients, it is low on calories. That makes the pineapple diet a great weight loss diet. The diet does not mean you should eat only pineapple. The trick is just to include this delicious fruit into your daily menu.
Most of the benefits of pineapple are linked with healthy digestion. All of that is because of the high amount of fiber, and an enzyme that is found only in pineapple, bromelain. In addition to fiber and enzymes, pineapple is also rich in vitamin C, vitamin B1, manganese, and potassium.
Let’s look at the nutritional value of pineapple. Just one cup of serving brings:
- 82 calories
- 1g of protein
- 2g of fiber
- 131% of the daily value of vitamin C
- 2% of the daily value of vitamin A
- 7% of the daily value of MCG folate
That being said, here are the health benefits of pineapple.
Immune boosting properties
As we saw earlier, just one cup of pineapple gives your more than enough of vitamin C. This is the vitamin we all know as the immune boosting vitamin. We need vitamin C to treat flu, common cold, and cough symptoms.
There is no more important vitamin for our overall health than vitamin C, and pineapple has loads of it. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, with an ability to synthesize collagen, the main protein in our body.
In addition, vitamin C helps with skin problems due to a poor immune system, like dried and irritated skin. If you want to use it topically, you can add pineapple to homemade body scrubs to reap skin benefits.
High in Fiber
We said at the beginning that many of the health benefits of sticking to a pineapple diet are linked with fiber and vitamin C. Not many fruits are as high in fiber as pineapple. Being rich in fiber, pineapple lowers the risk of colorectal cancer, improves your blood glucose level, and prevents diabetes type 2.
But most importantly, fiber is linked with healthy digestion. One whole pineapple fruit brings you more than 13g of fiber. Consume daily, and you will forget about problems like constipation. Pineapple promotes healthy digestion and regular bowel movement.
Preventing cardiovascular diseases
Because it is low in sugar and high in healthy nutrients, pineapple supports your heart health. With potassium, fiber, and vitamin C, pineapple is like an antibiotic for a healthy heart.
Some studies have shown that pineapple juice has cardioprotective abilities. No surprise there. High amounts of potassium are also linked with reduced risk of stroke.
Pineapple, as well as other high fiber fruits, can lower high blood pressure and restore your pressure to healthy levels.
And we did not even mention bromelain, a pineapple-exclusive enzyme that fights blood clotting. A pineapple a day is just like consuming an aspiring a day.
Improves fertility
Foods that are high in antioxidants reduce the risk of infertility. Pineapple has loads of it. Antioxidants are responsible for fighting off free radicals, harmful compounds that can damage your reproductive system. If you are trying to conceive, it is highly recommended that you consume foods high in antioxidants.
Some of the antioxidants in pineapple include vitamin C, beta-carotene, copper, and other minerals that are beneficial for both male and female fertility.
Helps with mental health
Pineapple is a natural source of tryptophan, an amino acid that supports the production of serotonin. If you want to get all medical, serotonin is considered a “happy hormone” because it improves our mood. Patients fighting with depression and anxiety should consume pineapple on a regular basis.
Pineapple also contains B vitamins, making the fruit a great addition to your neurological system.
Reduce inflammation
One of the biggest benefits of consuming pineapple is reducing inflammation. As you might know, inflammation is the root of all evil. People suffering from joint pain, arthritis, and similar inflammation problems will feel a relief after consuming pineapple. It all comes down to bromelain, the enzyme found in pineapple.
This enzyme speeds up the healing process and treats sporting injuries including sprains. In terms of inflammation, Bromelain blocks metabolites that cause swelling. Bromelain also activates chemicals in the blood the reduce swelling.
In medicine, bromelain is usually given to patients before surgeries to speed up the healing time, as well as reduce inflammation associated with surgical procedures.
Prevent asthma
Beta-carotene found in plant foods lowers the risk of developing asthma. Pineapple has loads of it. Thanks to the beta-carotene, eating pineapple negates the effects of toxins, pollution, and antibiotic abuse has on asthma. All of the factors can cause inflammation, but pineapple prevents it. We mentioned pineapple is the only natural source for bromelain, an enzyme that helps with inflammation.
Aids in digestion
Indigestion is one of the common problems nowadays. People are suffering from it more and more. It all comes down to poor nutrition, as we consume foods low on fiber. Pineapple, on the other hand, is loaded with fiber. Thanks to the fiber in pineapple we are able to break down proteins into peptides and amino acids, crucial digestive process.
Pineapple also prevents autoimmune responses to food allergies. For example, studies showed that consuming pineapple helps with celiac disease.
Fight cancer
There is still no cure for cancer. And it is unknown when we will get a 100% cure for cancer. However, there are many foods that help prevent and fight cancer.
In terms of pineapple, it comes to bromelain once again. A study showed that bromelain is more effective than traditional chemo-agent used for cancer treatment. Now, that study was conducted on animals, but it is still worth mentioning.
Remember, the pineapple will not cure cancer. But consuming this tropical fruit will prevent it and improve your overall health.
What's Your Reaction?
