Pineapple is an exotic fruit that everyone loves in its sweet and juicy natural form, but that divides opinion when it’s added to pizza and other hot dishes. It’s a fruit that has spawned many amazing (and often fake) “food hack” videos, and one that serves as the underwater home for one of America’s most adored animated characters.
Beyond that, however, you’d be forgiven for thinking that there was nothing more to it. After all, when people think of health-boosting fruits they typically think of blueberries, goji berries, or acai berries. They rarely give pineapple a second thought.
But dismissing this weird and wonderful fruit would be a big mistake, as it could be one of the healthiest fruits around! We were so impressed with this tropical fruit, in fact, that we included a dried organic pineapple extract in our Detox Organics formula, knowing that it would provide a natural, sweet punch while also delivering some amazing health benefits.
Not convinced? Just take a look at these benefits of consuming pineapple and you’ll see what we mean.
Related Articles
If you like this guide to the benefits of pineapple then make sure you checkout our many other guides, covering a host of superfoods you’ll find in our Detox Organics formula, as well as guides on healthy living in general. These include:
- The Benefits of Organic Horseradish Tree Leaf
- The Benefits of Eating Carrots
- Why you Should Eat More Fiber
- Why you Should Eat More Goji Berries
1. It’s Packed Full of Vitamins and Minerals
A single cup of fresh pineapple contains more than your daily requirement of vitamin C. It also contains several B vitamins and is loaded with manganese and copper.
In addition to these minerals and vitamins you will get around 1 tenth of your daily fiber in a single cup of pineapple chunks, which contains around 80 to 85 calories. This is important, as a lack of fiber has been linked to a host of health issues and may be responsible for thousands of deaths from heart disease and colon cancer every single year.
2. It is Rich in Antioxidants
Vitamin C is an abundant antioxidant that can reduce oxidative stress and support the immune system. And if you’re wondering why you would bother eating pineapple when you can just pop a vitamin C tablet—think again. Countless studies have shown that antioxidant supplements simply don’t work and may actually cause more harm than good.
In their natural form, however, antioxidants are essential for good health and a diet rich in these amazing compounds can greatly reduce your chances of getting cancer, heart disease, and even Parkinson’s. That’s not to say that a little pineapple will cure cancer or 100% guarantee you won’t get a chronic disease, but it plays a key role in reducing the risk.
3. It Helps with Digestion
A 2009 review found that the enzymes in pineapple could help to improve digestion. This essentially confirms what many fans of this fruit have known for years— a little pineapple flesh or juice goes a long way to hastening digestion and reducing digestive disorders.
One of the ways it does this is via a compound known as bromelain, which can help to bulk-up the stool by breaking down more proteins. A bulkier stool is not only more comfortable to pass, but it also collects more waste as it moves through the colon.
As part of a high-fiber, high-nutrient diet, pineapple can keep you regular. In fact, this is one of the main reasons we included pineapple in our detox drink, as it allows for optimum absorption of the many nutrients contained within this formula and any food consumed with it.
4. It Reduces Inflammation
The antioxidants in pineapple can reduce inflammation throughout the body and this has numerous positive effects. Firstly, it helps to reduce the threat of disease, as many diseases are rooted in chronic inflammation, and by keeping this to a minimum you can lower the risk of diseases developing. Secondly, it could help to reduce the pain and inflammation caused by arthritis and other joint conditions.
Finally, these anti-inflammatory effects could also reduce inflammation caused by digestive disorders such as IBS. And this, in addition to the digestive enzyme benefits discussed above, could be why pineapple seems to be so effective at reducing pain and discomfort in IBS sufferers.
5. It Could Help with Eye and Oral Health
Pineapple contains antioxidants that play a role in maintaining optimal eye health. That’s not to say that a little pineapple juice or flesh will fix any eye issues you have or give you super-powered vision, but if you are deficient in these compounds and your eye health is suffering as a result, regular consumption of pineapple could help.
There have also been studies on pineapple’s apparent antibacterial properties, and these seem to be most notable in the mouth. Your mouth is a haven for bacteria, most of it bad, and this typically gets worse every time you eat and drink. Pineapple may help to kill some of this though, improving oral health by limiting the spread of bacteria that eventually leads to plaque and bad breath.
Moderation is Best
There are a number of benefits to consuming pineapple and plenty of reasons to add it to your diet. However, it’s worth noting that pineapple is also high in sugar and vey acidic. It’s not recommended in large quantities for anyone, it should be avoided in all but the smallest quantities if you’re on a diet, and caution is advised if you have GERD.
If you consume large amounts and have cuts in or around your mouth you may feel a stinging and burning sensation due to the acidity. These are natural acids and nothing to worry about, but it’s best to keep your consumption to a minimum to ensure you don’t have this problem.
If you want to experience all the benefits of pineapple, make sure you get a fresh variety, or even a high quality powdered extract like the one in our detox drink. Whatever you do, avoid canned pineapples as they can contain added sugars and preservatives. Caution is also advised if you are on medication and consuming lots of pineapple, as it may reduce the effectiveness of these medications. Again, though, this shouldn’t be an issue with moderate consumption.
The Pineapple Awakening
As mentioned already, we went to great lengths to include an extract of the finest organic pineapple in our Detox Organics superfood formula, which you can buy here. Not only were we incredibly impressed with what this fruit could do when consumed on its own, but we were also blown away by the properties of pineapple when combined with other superfoods.
We’re not alone in this either, as pineapple sales are growing at a rate of knots in the United States. In 2018, Americans bought more pineapples than avocados and cherries, and pineapple’s year-on-year sales increased higher than any other popular fruit.
It seems that this tropical fruit is experiencing an awakening in the United States, and we for one are behind it every step of the way! So, buy it raw, buy it tinned, buy it in Detox Organics—put it on a pizza it you want! Just make sure you get more of this fruit in your diet.