The pineapple is a tropical citrus fruit native to South America and naturalized in the West Indies where Columbus found and transported it to Europe in the 15th century. The United States, Florida and Hawaii are the primary producers of the pineapple. The pineapple provides nutrients that contribute to health and wellness, including weight loss.
Fiber
A 1-cup serving of pineapple provides 2.3 g of fiber, or 9 percent of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration daily value. Fiber is an important nutrient for weight loss because it expands in the body and signals your brain to stop eating. Conversely, processed and refined foods contribute to obesity partly because they do not provide fiber that signals satiety.
Glycemic Index
The glycemic index is a scale that scores foods based on their impact on blood glucose. The glycemic score attributed to pineapple is high in comparison to other foods. It significantly increases the body's blood sugar, a consequence of consuming it that contributes to weight gain. Elevated blood sugar increases the body's rate of glucose storage. Stored glucose transforms to fat. Simultaneously consuming healthy fats and fiber-rich foods slows pineapple digestion and modifies rises in blood sugar.
Vitamin C
The vitamin C content in a cup of pineapple is 79 mg, or 132 percent of the 60 mg daily value. The amount of vitamin C in the body influences the degree that exercise results in weight loss, according to researchers from Arizona State University. A 2005 study published in "The Journal of the American College of Nutrition" compared weight loss rates resulting from daily exercise on participants administered normal and suboptimal vitamin C dosages. The former experienced a rate of weight loss 30 percent higher than the suboptimal group.
Calories
A 1-cup serving of pineapple provides 82 calories, or 4 percent of a standard 2,000-calorie diet. The success rate of dieting is dismally low, according to statistics. A key element to reducing body weight and sustaining the results is reducing calories. Low-calorie foods that taste good are perhaps the most effective ingredients for a diet promoting weight regulation.
References
- MayoClinic.com; What Does Percent Daily Value Mean on Food Labels?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.; May 6, 2010
- USDA: Nutrient Data Laboratory: Pineapple, Raw, All Varieties
- Duke Lipid Clinic Low Glycemic Diet Plan
- Texas A & M; Texas Citrus and Subtropical Fruits; Julian W. Sauls; December 1998
- "The Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; Strategies for Healthy Weight Loss: From Vitamin C to the Glycemic Response; Carol S. Johnston; 2005
- Medical News Today; Survey Identifies Diet Fatigue as a Leading Cause of Diet Failure; October 2007
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