Pineapple is a low-fat, cholesterol-free source of many nutrients, especially vitamin C and manganese. One cup provides nearly 100 percent of both of these essential nutrients. Information given below is for one cup of fresh, cubed pineapple. Dietary reference intake (DRI) percentages are for adults between 18 and 50 and may vary for other age groups and athletes who are on high-calorie diets.
Calories and Sugars
One cup of fresh pineapple contains 82 calories. These calories come primarily from carbohydrates, of which there are 21.7 g in each cup. Like all fruits, pineapple does contain sugar. Nearly 10 of the 16.3 g of sugar in a cup of pineapple are sucrose, while the remaining sugar is a combination of glucose and fructose. One cup of pineapple also contains 2.3 g of fiber, which is 8.2 of the DRI.
Fat and Protein
Pineapple is low in both fat and protein, containing less than 1 g of each per cup. Like all plant foods, pineapple also contains no cholesterol.
Minerals
Pineapple provides significant amounts of many minerals, especially manganese. One cup of fresh pineapple supplies 85 percent of the DRI of manganese for women and 67 percent for men. Manganese is essential for the metabolism of amino acids, cholesterol and carbohydrates. Pineapple is also high in copper, containing 20 percent of the DRI per cup. One cup provides 9 percent of the DRI for potassium as well. Other minerals, such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc are present in smaller amounts.
Water-soluble Vitamins
Pineapple contains large amounts of vitamin C, with one cup supplying over 100 percent of the DRI for women and 88 percent for men. Vitamin C is important for iron absorption and works as an antioxidant in the body. One cup of pineapple provides many of the water-soluble B vitamins as well, including 14 percent of the DRI for vitamin B-6 and over 10 percent of the DRI for thiamin. One cup of fresh pineapple also supplies over 5 percent of the DRI for niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
Fat-soluble Vtamins
Although pineapple is not high in all fat-soluble vitamins, one cup does provide over 10 percent of the DRI for vitamin A, which is important for vision and immune system function. Pineapple also contains beta-carotene, which can be transformed into vitamin A and acts as an antioxidant. One cup of pineapple provides less than 2 percent of all other fat-soluble vitamins, which includes vitamins D, E and K.
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