Pineapple, Ananas comosus, belongs to the Bromeliaceae family, on which the most important enzyme bromelain, is named. The Spanish name for pineapple, pina, and the root of its English name, reflects the fruit’s visual similarity to the pinecone.
If you believed that Pineapples are just one fruit, then this will come as a surprise. It is a composite of many flowers whose individual fruitlets (or “eyes” seen on the outer surface) fuse together around a central core.
Although thought to have originated in South America, pineapples were first discovered by Europeans in 1493 on the Caribbean island that came to be known as Guadalupe. By the end of the 16th century, Portuguese and Spanish explorers introduced pineapples into many of their Asian, African and South Pacific colonies. In the 18th century, pineapples began to be cultivated in Hawaii, the only state in the U.S. in which they are still grown.
TOP 23 JUICY PINEAPPLE SECRETS REVEALED:
- Detoxifier: The enzyme bromelain in pineapple acts as a potent cleanser that balances the pH levels in the blood, by raising blood levels of alkaline, and relieving edema disease through reduction of excess water in the body.
- Reduces Ammonia Toxicity: The high enough aspartic acid content in pineapple serves as an amino acid that stimulates the body’s metabolic processes and helps expel the fatal toxin, ammonia acid that causes harm to the central nervous system, from the body.
- Boosts Immune System: Pineapple has the essential and non-essential amino acids that help strengthen the body’s immune system. Also the rich content of antioxidant- vitamin C and natural collagen, vitamin B6, which stabilizes blood sugar, and thiamine help convert carbohydrates into energy, boosting the immune system.
- Infuse Energy: Pineapple contains valine and leucine, two substances that are vital growth and repair of muscle tissue, to maintain our body’s energy levels, overcome fatigue, and improve stamina and energy. It also provides great hydrating action.
- Strengthens Joints: Pineapple contains a critical non-essential amino acid called proline, important to maintain the function of the joints and tendons.
- Anti Aging: Pineapple contains non-essential amino acid cystine which is vital for skin and hair formation, slowing down the aging process, overcoming skin inflammation, treating acne and wrinkles, and synthesizing collagen, helpful for skin elasticity and vitality.
- Antioxidant: Vitamin C and vitamin A (retinol) stops the chain reaction of free radical formation, preventing cell damage in the body protecting against atherosclerosis, heart diseases, arthritis, various cancers etc.
- Stress Buster: Pineapple juice contains serotonin, a natural stress buster hormone that relaxes the nerves and calms the nervous system. Creates a sense of well being.
- Helps Digestion: Pineapple is rich in the enzyme bromelain that neutralizes acidic stomach fluids, regulates the secretions in the pancreas, helps digest protein in the food, and prepare it to be easily absorbed by the body. Vitamin C and dietary fiber also ensure optimum health of the gastro intestinal tract.
- Assists Healing: The enzyme bromelain reduces swelling or inflammation in the body and is especially recommended for patients recovering from post-surgery wounds.
- Reconditions Damaged Skin Cells: Enzymes in the fruit and leaves of pineapple prove beneficial in cleaning dead skin tissue (skin debridement), makes burn affected tissue healthy again, and heals damaged, dry, and chapped skin.
- Assists Weight Loss: Pineapple contains no saturated fats or cholesterol and is rich source of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber like pectin, which increases satiety and expels toxic waste from the system. Also lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
- Respiratory Specialist: Pineapples are abundant in vitamin C and bromelain, which fight against microbial infections and inflammations, loosens mucus, helping cure everything from common cough and cold, to catarrh, bronchitis, sinusitis, sore throat, asthma, and swellings.
- For Strong Bones: Rich amount of manganese present in pineapples helps in strengthening bones and connective tissues preventing carpal tunnel syndrome, gout, and arthritis.
- For Oral Care: Pineapple’s abundantVitamin C helps prevent dental plaque, strengthens your gums, prevents gum disease, and keeps your teeth healthy and strong.
- Prevents Macular Degeneration: Beta-carotene present in pineapples empowers vision and prevents age induced macular degeneration, caused by damage to the retina.
- Anti-Cancer: The abundance of antioxidants (Vitamin A, C, and beta-carotene) and flavonoids in pineapples helps fight against free radicals, halting the process of cell damage, and preventing lung and oral cavity cancers. Pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain which functions as an anti-inflammatory agent inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.
- Prevents Hypertension: Higher amounts of potassium, an important component of cell and body fluids, and lower amounts of sodium in pineapples helps maintain a healthy heart rate and maintain normal blood pressure levels.
- Fights Worms and GI Disorders: The digestive enzyme bromelain helps clear certain intestinal parasites such as tapeworms and fiber cures constipation and bloating problems.
- Relieves Nausea and Menstrual Cramps: Pineapple juice averts the symptoms of nausea or morning sickness, especially in pregnant women, and nausea associated with motion sickness. Bromelain helps provide relief from painful menstrual cramps.
- Vitamins and Minerals Store: Pineapples are loaded with vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. It is also rich in fiber and calories while being low in fat and cholesterol. In addition, this fruit is rich in B-complex group of vitamins like folates, thiamin, pyridoxine, riboflavin.
- Regulates Blood Sugar: Pineapple juice helps regulate blood sugar, by stimulating the conversion of blood sugar to energy.
- Kidney Detox: Pineapple contains detoxifying elements and chemicals that stimulate smooth kidney functioning and potassium helps promote healthy kidney function.
Side Effects:
- Consuming young pineapple during pregnancy can lead to miscarriages.
- Ripe pineapple fruit in fact contain high levels of sugar, so it is not recommended for diabetics.
- Pineapple fruit on digestion gets fermented into alcohol that can lead to arthritis and rheumatism.
- Pineapple fruit can cause allergic reactions in some people including red itchy skin, swollen lips and mouth. To avoid this, dip pineapple in salt water before consumption.
