Contents
Pineapple health benefits: According to history, the inhabitants of the Antillean Islands of Guadeloupe offered Christopher Columbus a pineapple in 1493, which he thought was a variation of the artichoke. Columbus brought it back to Spain, from where it spread to Asia and Africa’s tropical areas. Hawaii first cultivated the pineapple in the nineteenth century and is currently one of the world’s primary producers.
Scientific Facts
- Scientific alternative expression: Ananas sativus Schult;
- Alternative name: Cayenne pineapple, Nana, Ananas;
- German: Ananas;
- French: Ananas;
- Spanish: Ananas, pina, pina Americana;
- Description: Composite fruit is an herbaceous plant of the botanical family Bromeliaceae that reaches a height of 50 cm.
- Habitat: Pineapples are cultivated in tropical regions in America, Asia, and Oceania. Hawaii, Thailand, and Brazil are the central producing regions.
Medicinal Properties
Pineapples only ripen when on the plant. The sugars and other active ingredients multiply during ripening in its final weeks. As a result, fruits harvested early tend to have an acidic taste while also lacking some nutritional value. It is best to eat pineapples that ripen adequately on the plant.
When adequately matured, pineapple contains approximately 11% carbohydrates, most of which are sugars. Their fat and protein contents are negligible.
The prevalent vitamins responsible for the health benefits of pineapple are B6, C, and B1. This fruit is also an essential source of folate. Some minerals it contains are iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese.
The pineapple’s non-nutritive components are of the utmost importance from a dietary and therapeutic standpoint, such as:
- Malic and citric acids: These acids give the pineapple its acidic taste. Just like citrus fruits, these acids enhance the action of vitamin C. Despite being rich in acids, the pineapple performs as an alkalizer from a metabolic function standpoint. The same thing occurs with lemons and other citrus fruits.
- Bromelain: This enzyme is also known by the name bromelin. A protein-digesting enzyme breaks down proteins and releases their amino acids. As a result, the food industry utilizes pineapple bromelain to tenderize meat. Bromelain breaks down protein in the digestive tract and facilitates digestion, just like the stomach’s pepsin. The pineapple is a delicious and succulent fruit rich in vitamins and minerals. Many believe it to be an excellent dessert that helps digest other foods. Some people do it just before a meal to remedy a distressed stomach. Other Pineapple health benefits include:
Pineapple Health Benefits
Hypochlorhydria (Scanty Gastric Juice)
This condition is manifested by slow digestion and a sense of heaviness in the stomach.
Gastric Ptosis (Prolapsed Stomach)
This condition is caused by the stomach’s inability to empty itself (gastric atonia). In both cases, pineapple must be eaten fresh (not canned) and ripe before or after a meal.
Obesity
Consuming pineapple or fresh pineapple juice before meals reduces appetite and constitutes an excellent complement to weight-loss diets. It is also slightly diuretic (facilitates urine production).
Sterility
This tropical fruit is one of the most decadent foods in manganese, a trace element actively involved in developing male and female reproductive cells. It is therefore recommended for those suffering from sterility due to insufficient production of germinal cells (sperm in men and ova in women).
Stomach Cancer
It has been shown that pineapple is a potent inhibitor of the formation of nitrosamines. These carcinogenic substances form in the stomach as a chemical reaction between nitrites and specific proteins contained in foods. Nitrosamines are known to be one of the leading causes of stomach cancer.
Vitamin C alone impedes the formation of nitrosamines, but pineapple (whole or fresh juice) has been shown much more effective. Consequently, pineapple is recommended as a preventative for those at high risk of stomach cancer. Those who have suffered from this disease can also benefit from this delicious fruit in preventing recurrence.
WARNING: Healthcare practitioners do not recommend pineapple during the active phase of a gastroduodenal ulcer since excess gastric juice is usually present.
Pineapple Health Facts: How to Choose a Ripe One
It is essential to know how to choose ripe fruit. Pineapple is ripe when:
- The pulp yields to finger pressure
- Its aroma is intense
- It’s easy to remove the leaves
To prepare pineapple, peel and cut it into 2 cm slices. The best way to prepare pineapple juice is by placing chunks in a blender. It would help if you drank the resulting juice immediately to prevent pineapple health benefits from diminishing. Remember to drink it slowly and well salivated.
How to Use
- Natural: This fruit is the perfect dessert, and it helps with the digestive process. Thanks to its aperitif properties, it helps prepare the stomach for a meal.
- Pineapple Juice: The best way to get the full pineapple health benefits is to drink it slowly because of its acidity.
- Canned: Even when canned, pineapple maintains most of its vitamins, fiber, and minerals. However, the canning process degrades the enzyme bromelain. Therefore, when this fruit is canned, it has little to no effect on digestion.
DISCLAIMER: All content on this website is presented solely for educational and informational objectives. You should not rely on the information provided as a replacement for advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified medical expert. If you are pregnant, nursing, or have any preexisting medical concerns, you should talk to your doctor before using any herbal or natural medicines.
REFERENCES
- George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. “Encyclopedia of Foods and Their Healing Power.” George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. Encyclopedia of Foods and Their Healing Power. Trans. Annette Melgosa. Vol. 2. Chai Wan: Editorial Safeliz, 2005. 189,190. Print.
- National Institutes of Health: Vitamin C: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/
- National Institutes of Health: Manganese: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Manganese-HealthProfessional/