Heath Benefits of Pineapples

Pineapples. Does anyone not like them? These funny looking fruits taste great, are a refreshing snack and best of all, they are packed with a host of important nutrients including vitamins, minerals and enzymes. You can eat them whole, blend them in to a juice or even use their juice as a marinade for meats.

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of this wonderful fruit:

Vitamins and Minerals

Pineapples are an incredible source of vitamin C. It’s not only exclusive to oranges anymore. Just one cup (165 grams) of pineapples contain 105 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin C. Vitamin C is great for reducing cortisol, improving the immune system and is a great antioxidant.

One cup also contains 77 percent RDA of Manganese, another important nutrient which is responsible for the production of bones, teeth and for blood sugar control.

Along with these two, one cup of pineapples also contains 20 percent of copper and 11 percent of vitamins B1 and B6.

Enzymes

Pineapples contain a rare enzyme known as Bromelain. This is one of the enzymes that is responsible for the breakdown of protein within our digestive systems. Did you ever eat so many pineapples that your lips, gums and tongue started getting cuts? The Bromelain enzyme in the pineapple is breaking down your own flesh (protein), the pineapple is literally eating you as you eat it. This is why pineapples and pineapple juices make great marinades for meat. It helps to tenderize the meat and add a sweet juiciness to it.

That’s not all though, various new studies have shown that Bromelain is also a very potent anti-inflammatory and helps to fight inflammation in the joints and muscles making it a great weapon against arthritis.

Fiber

Even though they are really soft and juice, pineapples are actually high in fiber. We all know how important fiber is to maintaining a good healthy digestive system and is a great tool in the fight against diabetes. Fiber also helps in keeping you feeling full, so if you’re on a diet, snack on some pineapples. Just don’t have too much; you want to be the one eating the pineapple and not the other way around.