Pineapple Benefits

Pineapple that is ananas comosus, is a tropical fruit which is eaten fresh, in juice form or stored in cans. Using pineapple, many delicious tropical dishes can be prepared. Some delicious food recipes made using pineapple are the pineapple upside down cake, Hawaiian salad, Hawaiian pizza, fruit cocktails like pina colada, etc. Pineapple grows on a herbaceous perennial plant that grows to a height of 3.3 to 5 feet. Pineapple is actually an example of multiple fruit, because many flowers grow along its axis to produce a fleshy fruit, which becomes pressed against multiple adjacent flowers, and gives a single fleshy fruit appearance. This was some general information on pineapple, now let us look at the various pineapple benefits.

Pineapple Health Benefits
Pineapple is loaded with many essential vitamins and minerals. Pineapple nutrition facts also show that it is a good source of calcium, potassium, fiber and antioxidants. Also, pineapple is low in fat and cholesterol, which add more to the pineapple health benefits.

Strong Bones: One of the benefits of pineapple is that it helps to build healthy bones. It is rich in manganese, and a trace of this mineral is required by the body to build bone and connective tissues. A cup of pineapple provides around 73% of daily recommended portion of manganese. So, eating pineapple can help in good growth of bones in young people, and strengthen bones of older people.

Nose & Throat Infections: Pineapple is rich in vitamin C, and hence, it can greatly help to increase the body's resistance to common cold and throat infections. Apart from vitamin C, pineapple also contains bromelain, that greatly helps to suppress coughs and loosen mucus. Due to this property, pineapple juice with a little piece of ginger is recommended as a natural remedy for sore throat.

Oral Health: Due to the high amount of vitamin C content, pineapple benefits for oral health as well. It helps to reduce the risk of gingivitis and periodontal diseases. It also increases the body's capacity to fight invading bacteria or other nasty toxins that cause gum disease.

Digestive System Health: Pineapple is a very good natural anti-inflammatory fruit which also helps in digestion. A group of sulfur containing proteolytic enzymes found in pineapple help in good digestion. Eating pineapple between meals, can help to establish good digestive health.

Energy Production: Pineapple has traces of mineral manganese, which is an essential cofactor in a number of enzymes that are significant for energy production and antioxidant defenses. Also, vitamin B1 that is thiamine, acts as a cofactor in enzymatic reaction, which are central to energy production. Vitamin B1 also helps to maintain healthy cardiovascular and nervous system functioning.

Immunity Booster: Vitamin C is a water soluble antioxidant, which helps to defend all aqueous areas of the body against the harm of free radicals, which attack and harm normal cells. Eating this immunity boosting foods can prevent many disorders like diabetes, heart related problems, and colon cancer.

Macular Degeneration: Daily serving of pineapple and other fruits can greatly help to prevent age related macular degeneration, which is the primary cause leading to vision loss in older adults.

Pineapple Stem Benefits: An Australian research revealed that some very beneficial molecules are hidden in the stems of pineapples. Such molecules act as a defense against many kinds of cancer, like breast, ovarian, colon, lung and skin cancer.

Fiber Source: Pineapple being low in levels of fat and cholesterol is a good source of fibrous fruit. Eating fiber not only helps in digestion, but can also reduce obesity related health problem, and even promotes weight loss.

You can enjoy pineapple in its season which is from March to June. However, in supermarkets, you can find them year round. To get most of the pineapple benefits, eat pineapple fresh and raw as a fruit, or have it as a juice.