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What Are the Health Benefits of Pineapple?

Expertly reviewed by Chris Icamen · Dietetics and Nutrition


Written by Hello Doctor Medical Panel · Updated Oct 05, 2022

    What Are the Health Benefits of Pineapple?

    What are the health benefits of pineapples? Pineapples are delicious, versatile, and loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. Their nutrients and compounds have been linked to impressive health benefits, including improved digestion, a lower risk of cancer, and osteoarthritis relief. However, more research is needed to confirm. 

    One of the main benefits of pineapple is Bromelain, the digestive enzyme that has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. This helps when you have an infection, like sinusitis, or an injury, like a sprain or burn. It also offsets the joint pain of osteoarthritis. The vitamin C in pineapple juice also keeps inflammation levels low. 

    The Benefits of Pineapple

    1. Nutritious

    Eating pineapple may be particularly advantageous for women because its high vitamin C content plays an important role in supporting healthy bones and reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

    Furthermore, pineapple provides nutrients, such as copper and several B vitamins, that are important during pregnancy.

    One cup of pineapple chunks contains a high concentration of vitamins and minerals and is low in calories.

    One cup (165 grams) of pineapple chunks provides vitamin c, which helps with tissue growth and repair. Vitamin c may also help fight cancer, heart disease, and arthritis. Additionally, pineapples provide trace levels of calcium, zinc, phosphorus, and vitamins A and K. This fruit is especially high in manganese as well. Both manganese and vitamin C are necessary for growth and development, iron absorption, and immune system health. Manganese also has antioxidant characteristics and promotes metabolism and growth.

    Pineapples include other micronutrients necessary for a healthy metabolism, such as copper, thiamine, and vitamin B6.

    2. Contains antioxidants

    Exciting benefits of pineapple: More research is needed, but bromelain has also been linked to a lower risk of cancer. Pineapples are not only rich in nutrients, but are also packed with antioxidants — molecules that help your body fend off oxidative stress. Flavonoids and phenolic acids are two antioxidants that protect your cells from free radicals that can cause chronic disease.

    Free radicals are unstable chemicals that destroy cells and are a major contributor to oxidative stress. They are also responsible for chronic inflammation, immune system deterioration, heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer.

    3. Promotes digestion

    Favorable to digestion, Bromelain, a group of enzymes that degrade protein, is solely found in pineapples, which explains why pineapples are effective meat tenderizers. In places like Brazil, pineapple is frequently served with meats and poultry because bromelain helps your body digest and absorb meals more easily by breaking down protein in the food.

    Your small intestine may absorb protein molecules more readily once they have been broken down. This is especially beneficial for those who have pancreatic insufficiency, a condition in which the pancreas produces insufficient digestive enzymes.

    Additionally, fiber from pineapples helps maintain intestinal health.

    4. Lowers cancer risk

    More research is required, but bromelain has also been linked to a reduced risk of cancer. Cancer is a chronic disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth, and its progression is frequently linked to oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. Pineapples are rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids, two antioxidants that protect your cells from free radicals that can cause chronic disease.

    According to multiple studies, bromelain and other substances found in pineapple, including oxidative stress and inflammation, may lower the chance of developing cancer. According to certain research, bromelain may also aid in the treatment of previously existing cancer. But more studies are needed to confirm concrete outcomes. 

    5. Strengthens immunity and reduces inflammation

    Bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapple juice, helps your body fight pain and reduce swelling. It’s used to treat inflammation and sports injuries and may be useful in easing osteoarthritis symptoms. Pineapples have long been utilized in traditional medicine for boosting immunity and reducing swelling. 

    In a previous nine-day trial, 98 healthy kids consumed either no pineapple, approximately one cup (140 grams), or approximately two cups (280 grams) of pineapple per day. Both bacterial and viral illnesses were considerably less common in individuals who consumed pineapple, and those who consumed most of this fruit had nearly four times as many disease-fighting white blood cells as the other groups. In another study, 40 persons with chronic sinusitis participated in a 30-day trial where it was discovered that those taking a 500-mg bromelain supplement recovered considerably more quickly than those in the control group.

    Additionally, research has demonstrated that bromelain helps lower inflammatory indicators, supporting immunological health.

    6. Reduces arthritic symptoms

    Bromelain, a substance found in pineapple, is useful for treating pain in people with osteoarthritis and can also lessen rheumatoid arthritis-related inflammation. Arthritis, which affects more than 54 million adults in the United States alone, comes in a variety of forms, but the majority involve joint inflammation.

    One study discovered that bromelain supplements were equally efficient at reducing osteoarthritis in the lower back as conventional pain medication. This suggests that the anti-inflammatory qualities of bromelain may offer pain relief for people with inflammatory arthritis.

    Key Takeaway

    What are the benefits of pineapple? When consumed in all of its forms—fresh, cooked, canned, juiced, and dried—pineapple delivers essential nutrients. It is a great source of vitamin C and manganese, and also contains some B vitamins and fiber. Pineapples are delicious, adaptable, and packed with nutrients and antioxidants. The pineapple core is a rich source of fiber and keeps your digestive system healthy.

    Aside from key nutrients, pineapple also contains bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme with anticoagulant properties that helps blood clot. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and aids in the healing of wounds or bruises and other skin infections.

    Learn other Nutrition Facts here

    Disclaimer

    Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

    Expertly reviewed by

    Chris Icamen

    Dietetics and Nutrition


    Written by Hello Doctor Medical Panel · Updated Oct 05, 2022

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