Pineapple is a delicious tropical fruit. And the good thing is that you can consume it in different ways: fresh, cooked, juiced, or preserved. If only the fruit is used here, its leaves in the Philippines are also used to produce textile fiber.
Pineapple is an exotic fruit with a sweet taste that is suitable for preparing fast and low-calorie desserts. It contains substances indicated with the term bromelain, with digestive, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor properties.
Pineapple’s health and medicinal benefits include their ability to improve respiratory health, treat coughs and colds, improve digestion, help lose weight, strengthen bones, improve oral health, improve eye health, and more.
Strengthens Nails
To strengthen and soften your nails, you can make a lotion using one tablespoon of fresh pineapple juice, one egg yolk, one teaspoon of lemon juice, and two drops of lemon oil, mixing them all.
It must then be put on nails and cuticles with a cotton swab for at least an hour. Then rinse your hands with warm water. It is a lotion that you can use every day.
Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Pineapple is the only food source of bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme that digests proteins with anti-inflammatory properties. Bromelain activates the production of substances that counteract pain and reduce swelling and the appearance of a bruise.
They contain chemical elements that prevent blood clotting. This enzyme also helps to clean up damaged cells.
Anti-Tumor Agent
Some studies have shown that bromelain can act against cancer. In particular, it can work in unison with chemotherapy to counteract the growth of cancer cells. In addition, pineapple contains beta-carotene, which can protect against prostate and colon cancer.
Benefits For The Heart
The vitamin C contained in pineapple juice can help protect against heart disease. Several studies have shown that higher vitamin C intake leads to a decreased risk of coronary heart disease. Also, like cancer, the risk of heart disease is reduced with a high-fiber diet.
Promote Fertility
Pineapple juice contains several vitamins and minerals, including the aforementioned vitamin C, beta-carotene, copper, zinc, and folic acid. Many of these can help improve and increase fertility in both men and women.
Supports The Immune System
The proteases present in bromelain can modulate the immune system in different ways. This ability allows bromelain to induce an anti-inflammatory effect, as evaluated in various clinical studies.
Prevention Of Asthma
The risks of asthma development are lower in people who consume a high amount of certain nutrients. One of these is beta-carotene, which is found in pineapple and other fruits, such as mango, papaya, apricot, and melon.
Blood Pressure
The introduction of this tropical fruit in a hypertensive person’s diet can help lower the risks associated with this pathology. The intake of potassium helps regulate blood pressure, so it is advisable to introduce foods rich in this mineral salt. Among the fresh fruit richest in potassium are banana and pineapple.
Benefits For Skin
Vitamins and antioxidants in pineapple help fight skin damage caused by the sun and pollution, reduce wrinkles, and improve the overall skin texture. Vitamin C also plays a crucial role in collagen formation.
Facilitates Digestion
Pineapple, thanks to its good fiber and water content, helps prevent constipation and promotes the regularity and health of the digestive tract.
Written By: Titi Dokubo