10 Sweet Health Benefits of Pineapple

Pineapples belong to the bromeliad family and are one of the few bromeliads that actually produce edible fruit. Pineapples grow in the ground and are naturally sweet, but also very healthy for you. They are low in calories and rich in vitamins and minerals. This yummy fruit also has enzymes and antioxidants that offer even more health benefits.

Aids in Digestion

Being rich in fiber, this fruit can encourage your food to pass through the digestive tract at a normal rate. In turn, this stimulates gastric juices to help dissolve food. As a result, the stool has time to become bulk, but loose. If you need a regular bowel movement, try eating more pineapple. It can help regulate the symptoms of diarrhea, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome. Besides being a good source of fiber, the bromelain in pineapple also promotes digestion by reducing gut inflammation.

Cures Symptoms of Cough and Cold

Both vitamin C and bromelain are known for helping prevent and treat respiratory illness. If you already have symptoms like excess mucus and phlegm, eating pineapple can help eliminate them from your body. If you feel a cold coming on, feast on some pineapple to avoid mucus and phlegm from building up in your sinus cavity or respiratory tract.

Strengthens Bones

Pineapple does not have a bunch of calcium, but it does have another mineral that is also associated with bone health, and that is manganese. In fact, it is the primary mineral found in the fruit. A serving of pineapple can give you up to 70% of the daily recommended amount of manganese. This mineral is essential for bone growth and repair.

Improves Oral Health

You already know pineapple can help strengthen your teeth thanks to the manganese. However, did you know eating this fruit can also protect against oral cancer? Pineapple has astringent agents that strengthen your teeth and gums. In general, astringents work to tighten tissues in the body from skin to muscles. It is also prescribed to help with loose teeth or retracting gums.

Maintains Healthy Vision

Beta-carotene present in pineapple can help maintain a healthy vision. Therefore, eating this fruit can delay the onset of visual problems like macular degeneration and age-related eye diseases. More studies are needed, but consuming pineapple might not only prevent certain illnesses associated with sight, but it might be able to improve vision as well.

Speeds Up Healing

Vitamin C helps create collagen, which is why pineapple is considered a healing fruit. Collagen is a protein base that is essential for organs, bones, skin, and blood vessel walls. If you have a wound, increasing your consumption of pineapple might speed up the recovery time. It can also fight off any infection or lingering illness that may follow an injury.

Treats Symptoms of Arthritis

The proteolytic enzyme known as bromelain can break down complex proteins. As a result, it has anti-inflammatory effects on the body. If you deal with joint or muscle pain from arthritis, you should eat more pineapple. The bromelain might be able to reduce symptoms associated with the debilitating disease.

Boosts Immunity

Pineapple is packed with vitamin C and antioxidants, which stimulate your white blood cells to defend your body from dangerous byproducts like harmful free radicals and damaging oxidative stress. They can hurt your organs and interrupt their function as well as mutate your cells into cancer. If you add more pineapple to your diet, you have a better chance of boosting your immune system.

Prevents Certain Types of Cancer

As already mentioned, pineapple is a rich source of antioxidants and bromelain along with vitamin A, beta-carotene, and other flavonoid compounds. It also has high levels of manganese, which plays a role in combating superoxide dismutase, a potent free radical that is linked to cancer. Pineapple might help you prevent certain types of cancers such as mouth, throat, or breast cancer.

Improves Blood Circulation

Besides being a valuable source of manganese, pineapple is rich in other minerals such as potassium and copper. Potassium can help increase blood flow throughout the body by relaxing your blood vessels to allow circulation in a less restricted manner. In turn, eating pineapple can help prevent blood clots and reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, stroke, and heart attack. Copper is essential for red blood cell formation. A high red blood cell count can increase your cognitive abilities and ensure your organs function at optimal levels, which can lower the chance of neural disorders such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.