If you want to give yourself a natural boost in health and enhance your body's healing mechanisms, add some fresh pineapple to your diet. Pineapple is nutritionally high in vitamins, enzymes and antioxidants, all of which play a major role in promoting overall good health.
History
The name pineapple, from pina, is the Spanish word that describes a pine cone. Christopher Columbus first introduced Europe to the pineapple. Today, Hawaii grows almost one third of the pineapples in the world. Pineapple is marketed fresh or canned and is the most widely used tropical fruit in recipes.
Nutritional Content
One slice of fruit contains 41 calories, negligible fat and 1g of dietary fiber. Especially rich in vitamin A supplying 19 IU per 84 g slice, pineapple maintains healthy skin, teeth, bones and soft tissue. With almost 13 mg of vitamin C per slice, antioxidant properties protect the body from free radical damage and boost the immune system. Vitamin C helps build and repair tissue and promotes healing. Pineapple is also rich in other vitamins including B-vitamins thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B 6 and folate. A good source of calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus, pineapple also delivers trace elements to your body in the form of selenium, copper and zinc.
Pineapple for Healing
Fresh pineapple contains bromelain, a natural anti-inflammatory that has many health benefits and encourages healing. German researcher Maurer, a patent holder in the anti-coagulation effects of bromelain, used seven studies from 1967 to 1989 to evaluated bromelain activity and found that bromelain helped heal wounds and improve edema as well as benefiting pain responses, according to the Department of Nutrition University of California, Davis.
Pineapple for Inflammatory Bowel Disease
The bromelain in fresh pineapple may relieve indigestion by helping to break down amino acid bonds in proteins, which promotes proper digestion. A study by the Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC used a mixture derived from pineapple stems to test remission of ulcerative colitis. Findings were a decrease of incidence and severity of colonic inflammation in mice, as published in the August 2005 "Clinical Immunology." Studies on inflammatory bowel disease in mice, published by by Hale et al. Duke University, speculated that the anti-inflammatory effects of bromelain are due to its proteolytic activity on cells in the colon. The study suggested a biologic basis for believing bromelain might be beneficial, according to Department of Nutrition University of California, Davis.
Control of Acid Reflux
Pineapple may help with symptoms of acid reflux. Only fresh pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain that may improve digestion and aid in alleviating inflammation of the esophagus. Canned pineapple or juice may make your acid reflux worse. To help control acid reflux, eat a few pieces of the fresh fruit with meals, after meals or when acid reflux symptoms appear.
Considerations
Pineapple is considered safe but may cause allergic reactions or side effects, especially eaten in combination with medications, such as anticoagulants or aspirin, or other blood-thinning herbal supplements, such as garlic, ginkgo or saw palmetto. Symptoms of a reaction may include skin rash, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
References
- Food Reference: Pineapple
- Personal Health Zone: Pineapple Nutrition Information
- Department of Nutrition: University of California, Davis: Nutrition Perspective: Is Bromelain a Health Booster?
- Science Direct: Treatment With Oral Bromelain Decreases Colonic Inflammation in the IL-10-Deficient Murine Model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease; Laura P. Hale et al.; 2005
- Zimbio: Comprehensive List of Natural Remedies for Acid Reflux
Member Comments