Pineapples are also known as ananas. It is one of the widest consumed fruit in the world. It tastes amazing. You can consume it raw as well as processed into juice.
Although many individuals prefer pineapples in juice form, there are countless health benefits to eating it fresh. Peeling is really a hard task, but once you did it the yellow inner part is delicious.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- Pineapple Nutritional Value
- Health Benefits of Pineapples
- How to Use Pineapple
- Side-Effects of Pineapple Fruit
PINEAPPLE NUTRITION VALUE:
Pineapples have several health benefits because it is rich in many healthful nutrients. It contains protein, carbohydrates, sugar, bromelain, soluble and insoluble dietary fiber.
The vitamins in this fruit include vitamin A, vitamin C, beta-carotene, thiamin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6 and folate.
Minerals like potassium, copper, manganese, calcium, sodium, and magnesium are also found in pineapples.
100 g of fresh raw pineapple provides you — (1)
- Calories: 50
- Total Carbohydrate: 13.1 gram (4% DV)
- Vitamin A: 58 IU
- Vitamin C: 47.8 mg (80% DV)
- Folate: 18 mcg (5% DV)
- Choline: 5.5 mg
- Calcium: 13 mg
- Magnesium: 12 mg
- Phosphorus: 8 mg
- Potassium: 109 mg
- Phytosterols: 6 mg
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Water: 86 gram
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PINEAPPLES?
Main health benefits of pineapple fruit may include —
1. Rich Source of Healthy Carbs:
The fruit contains three types of main carbohydrates; glucose, sucrose and fructose, which help your body in many ways. They are necessary for chemical reactions in the body.
A single cup (appx. 165 gm) of pineapples contains about 21.7 grams of carbohydrates, which is 7 percent of your daily need. (1)
It is one of the best health benefit of eating pineapple fruit.
2. Strong Bones:
If you want your bones to be strong for longer, then include pineapple into your diet. It contains manganese, which helps to strengthen your bones. (2)(3)
Pineapple fruit provides nearly 76 percent of the daily-recommended value of the mineral manganese, which is essential in developing strong bones and connective tissues. (1)
Pineapple also may help you to keep standing tall and strong.
3. Cold and Catarrh:
Whenever, there is any kind of swelling in the mucus membrane, your nose starts to freeze. Pineapples have anti-inflammatory properties, which help in relieving this problem. If you too have the same issue, regular pineapple intake can provide you relief. (3)
Instead of drinking orange juice or taking vitamin C supplements, try to consume pineapple juice. It has roughly the same amount of vitamin C, but also has been found to suppress coughs and loosen mucus due to the bromelain.
4. Mouth Health:
Pineapple helps in maintaining the health of your mouth as well. It contains Vitamin C, which helps to prevent plaque problems in your teeth.
Apart from this, the fruit can also overcome many types of gum problems. Containing of bromelin contents, it helps to maintain tooth shine and whiteness. (4)
5. Keeps Your Heart Healthy:
Consumption of pineapple keeps your heart healthy. It has antioxidant properties, which help to keep cholesterol levels balanced, thus preventing a variety of heart problems. (5)
6. Weight Loss:
The pineapple fruit also helps you in weight loss. It keeps your stomach full for a long time, so that you don’t have the desire to eat anything else. It also gives you complete nutrition. For this reason, it helps in reducing your weight.
7. Fight Against Free Radicals:
Pineapple is a rich source of antioxidants, which helps to fight free radicals in the body. Its antioxidant properties protect your body from atherosclerosis, heart diseases, arthritis and various types of cancer; etc. Therefore, if you want to avoid these situations, don’t hesitate to consume pineapple.
8. Increased Immunity:
Pineapples are a rich source of vitamin C, which helps in curing colds, as well as, other diseases by increasing immunity power. (6)
Vitamin C helps in reducing illnesses and boosting the immune system by stimulating the activity of white blood cells and acting as an antioxidant to defend against the harmful effects of free radicals.
Being rich in vitamin C, makes it one of the richest sources of ascorbic acid.
9. Prevents Cancer:
Pineapple has antioxidant and bromelin properties, which help to fight against free radicals. They also help to prevent cell damage and prevent many types of cancer. (4) (7)
Pineapple has been directly related to preventing cancers of mouth, throat, and breast as it is rich in antioxidants, including vitamin A, beta-carotene, bromelain, flavonoids and manganese.
Manganese is an important cofactor of superoxide dismutase, an extremely potent free radical scavenger that has been associated with the prevention of different cancers.
Pineapple contains compounds that reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which are linked to cancer.
One of these compounds is bromelain, which may stimulate cell death in certain cancer cells and aid white blood cell function.
10. Protection Against Inflammation, Arthritis and Sore Throat:
Pineapple contains bromelain, which helps to prevent sinusitis. In addition, the anti-inflammatory properties present in it are also effective in curing sore throat, arthritis and inflammation. (8) (9)
Bromelain is an anti-inflammatory and some claim a glass of fresh pineapple juice each day will relieve joint pain.
11. Improved Digestion:
Pineapple also helps in keeping your digestive system healthy. It contains a group of digestive enzymes, also known as bromelain. Bromelin, vitamin C and fiber in it make your digestive power strong. (10)
These nutrients work as proteases, which break down protein molecules into their building blocks, such as amino acids and small peptides.
Bromelain is also widely utilized as a commercial meat tenderizer due to its ability to break down tough meat proteins.
Pineapples, because of their water and fiber contents, help to promote regularty, prevent constipation and a healthy digestive tract.
12. Bronchitis:
Pineapples have anti-inflammatory properties, which help to deal with a wide range of conditions. They also help reduce inflammation in the bronchial tube, which is usually caused by bronchitis. (11)
13. Control Blood Pressure:
If you are troubled by the problem of high blood pressure, then pineapple intake is beneficial. The high amount of potassium and low sodium in it helps to keep your blood pressure levels normal. (12)
14. Macular Degeneration:
Pineapples can help to reduce the risk of macular degeneration, a disease that affects the eyes as people age, because it contains high amount of vitamin C and other antioxidants.
It is a problem in which the vision of the eyes gradually starts to decrease. Pineapples contain beta-carotene, which helps in increasing eye vision. (14)
15. Nausea:
If you have frequent nausea, pineapple intake can provide relief. Bromelain present in it benefits nausea. (13)
16. Improved Gum Health:
Gums are pretty important. If you lose them, its really extremely hard to keep your teeth in and chew anything.
Pineapples consist of astringent, which helps to prevent bacteria from affecting your gums. Pineapple is good for oral health and reduces your risk of inflammation of the gums.
17. Tissue Repair:
Enzymes present in this tropical fruit have been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. As well as, its enzymes speed up tissue repair resulting from diabetic ulcers, injuries and general surgery.
18. A Brain Food:
Pineapple is great for your brain and it fights memory loss and sadness. So if you have likely issue, you may start consuming this fruit.
19. Improved Fertility:
The antioxidants in the fruit, such as beta-carotene and vitamin C, and the vitamins and minerals copper, zinc, and folate have properties that affect both male and female fertility.
20. Pineapple for Skin:
The benefits of pineapple aren’t only limited to health, but are also beneficial for your skin.
Keeps Your Skin Hydrated:
Pineapple also helps to keep your skin hydrated and keep it glowing. Therefore, if your skin remains dry, pineapple should be used.
For this, crush a little pineapple, add egg yolk and some milk and apply it on your skin. Leave it for a 10-15 minutes. Then wash your face with normal water. Your skin will stay fresh.
Pineapple Contains Exfoliate Properties:
Pineapple also acts to exfoliate your skin. It removes dead skin cells and improves blood circulation in the skin.
For this, put pineapple juice in a bowl and add a little brown sugar to it and make a paste.
Then apply this paste on your face and massage it gently with light hands. Then wash your face with normal water.
Say Good Bye to Acne:
If you’re facing the problem of pimples on your face, consuming pineapple can prove to be beneficial for you. Vitamin C present in it, is effective on acne.
At the same time, the bromelain present in it increases the effect of vitamin C. To get relief from acne, you can apply pineapple juice on your pimples at night while sleeping and wash face with normal water in the next morning.
Do this daily. You will see a difference in a couple of days.
Keep Your Skin Young:
Pineapple helps to keep your skin young. It promotes collagen synthesis in the body. Having the right amount of collagen in the body brings elasticity in your skin.
In addition, the vitamin C and amino acids present in it help in healing dead cells quickly. Just eat pineapple regularly or consume pineapple juice to keep your skin young and healthy.
Consume Pineapple for Torn Ankles:
Many individuals are troubled by torn ankles, for which they try many home tips. If you are also facing the same issue, then pineapple may be a better option.
To get relief from cracked ankles, apply honey and sugar on a piece of pineapple and scrub it while rubbing it on the ankles. Then after some time wash the feet. Doing this daily will clear your ankles.
Strong Nails:
Do your nails break too quickly? If so, it may be vitamin A or vitamin B deficiency. In this situation, consuming pineapple can be beneficial for you.
For this, you just need to take one egg yolk, one teaspoon pineapple juice, one teaspoon lemon juice and two drops of lemon oil.
Mix all these ingredients well and apply it on your nails with the help of cotton. Wash your hands after 15 minutes. To get strong and shiny nails, repeat this process every night before going to sleep.
Cracked Lips:
If your lips are cracked and dry, you can get soft lips with the help of pineapple fruit. It keeps your lips hydrated, so that they don’t get dry and rough.
For this, apply a little quantity of coconut oil in the pineapple juice. Now, apply it on your lips every night before going to bed. Doing this regularly will remove the problem of chapped lips.
21. Pineapple for Hair:
You will be surprised to know that pineapple benefits not only health and skin, but also your hair.
Get Rid of Hair Fall:
If you’re facing the problem of hair fall, then consuming pineapple can be beneficial. It contains Vitamin-C, which prevents hair fall. For this, just eat pineapple regularly.
Make Your Hair Thicker:
If your hair are extremely thin and you want to make them thicker and stronger, then pineapple can help you. It contains enzymes that nourish your hair and make them thick and strong.
For this, just apply pineapple juice to your hair and leave it on for half an hour.
In addition to this, regular pineapple intake can also be beneficial.
Inflammatory Scalp Condition:
If you have a problem of itching in your head, then consumption of pineapple can be a great option. The bromelain enzyme present in it enhances anti-inflammatory properties.
Because of this, it helps to keep away the problems like itching in the head. If you have itching in your head, massage the scalp with pineapple juice.
Then wash your head after 20 minutes. Doing this two to three times a week will give you relief from itching of the head.
HOW TO USE PINEAPPLE?
Most individuals consume pineapple by slicing it or in the form of pineapple juice. Apart from this, you can consume pineapple in many ways, including:
- You can eat the fruit by cutting small slices of pineapple in the curd
- You can eat pineapple as jam
- You can consume it by adding pineapple to the fruit salad
- Many people also consume pineapple chutney at home
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PINEAPPLE FRUIT?
There is no doubt that pineapple fruit has many health benefits. At the same time, some of its disadvantages have also been seen; including:
- Bromelain is found in pineapple, which goes into your body and converts it into protein
- Sometimes it can cause itching problems for some individuals
- In addition, consuming pineapple can swell the lips of some people or bite one’s tongue
- At the same time, if a lot of pineapple is consumed in pregnancy, it can increase the risk of miscarriage
- Pineapple intake can increase blood sugar levels. Therefore, diabetic patients should avoid it or consume it in very small amounts
- Vitamin C is found in high amounts in pineapple. In such a situation, excessive intake can cause vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and excessive menstrual bleeding
- If you take antibiotic drugs, avoid the consumption of pineapple beacause the fruit contains ingredients that can react with antibiotic drugs
FINAL WORDS
In this article, we have tried to give you all accurate and detailed information about health benefits of pineapple fruit, its nutritional value and its side-effects.
Hopefully it will work for you and you will consume pineapple properly. Kindly tell us how you liked this article. Apart from this, if you have any related question or feedback, do share with us in the comment box below.