Everyone likes the juicy taste of the pineapple. It’s sweet, reinvigorating, and refreshing. Now here’s the catch! Do you know that pineapples are not only tasty; they are also full of nutritional relevance to the body. So, if you desire a fruit that is well soothed for healthy living and a balanced diet, you can always rely on the pineapple. It can make a good appetizer or serve as dessert after meals.
Here’s all you need to know about what the pineapple does to your body. However, before delving into the major discourse, let’s quickly consider the fruit from a holistic dimension.
The Pineapple
Before now if you think pineapples grow on trees, you are wrong. They grow on the center-stalk of a large plant that shares a resemblance with a sword. Pineapple belongs to the bromeliad family just like other plants like the Vriesea, Guzmania, and the Tillandsia. They are typically known for their stout growth which is not usually beyond ground level with fruits budging from the center. Only the pineapple produces edible fruits from this family. Others produce flowers and serve as decorative plants for the garden.
Nutritionally, the pineapple is composed of a variety of nutritional elements. There’s an acute presence of vitamin C, manganese, fiber, sodium, and potassium. According to the Department of Agriculture, US, the nutritional value of pineapple include the following; a single chunk of pineapple contains 74mg of calories, 0 fats, 2mg of sodium, 0 cholesterol, 206 mg of potassium, 19.5g of carbohydrates, 13.7g of sugar, 28g of vitamin C, 1g of protein and 21mg of calcium. Albeit, it should be pointed out that the nutritional value for raw pineapples is different from that of processed pineapple drinks which are usually high in calories and sugar.
Now On What Pineapple Does to Your Body
The many benefits of pineapple cannot be exhausted. It is enormous. The pineapple is a compendium of essential vitamins and minerals needed by the human body for healthy dietary needs and general wellness. Here are some of the benefits of the pineapple:
Vitamin C helps you to fight heart diseases
Generally, vitamins are reputable for the good role they play in the body. They help regulate blood flow, improve blood clotting, aid vision, enhance the body’s defense mechanisms to fight against external invasion of germs, bacteria, and viruses. Specifically, vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant. It plays a helpful role in protecting the heart against cardio-illnesses. Also, it significantly increases ferritin and iron concentration in the body.
Reduces the risk of macular degeneration
As people age, their vision becomes impaired. One of such diseases that affects the eyes is known as macular degeneration. It affects the center of the eyes hence, producing no vision at all or blurred vision. It happens when the macula of the retina is damaged. The presence of high vitamin C levels in pineapple helps to prevent this too.
It aids digestion
There’s the presence of bromelain in pineapple, unlike other fruits or vegetables. This is one of the reasons why the pineapple is unique. The bromelain enzyme helps to break down protein in the body as such, it aids digestion. Apart from this, the enzyme has been proven to be helpful in the treatment of osteoarthritis which is a disease that affects the knee, thumb, hip, or thigh joints hence, causing pain and stiffness.
Helps you stand tall and stay strong
Pineapple contains a significant amount of manganese which is helpful for the development of stronger bones and connective tissues in the body. Thus, supplementing a balanced diet with a chunk of pineapple helps you to guarantee the health protection and development of stronger bones.
Reduces inflammation and tumors
Studies show that bromelain and other related enzymes are helpful in the treatment of inflammation and tumors. The implication of this is simply that if you eat a considerate amount of pineapple, cancerous tumors can be melted.
Having considered some of the benefits of pineapple to the body, let’s also consider some of the risks it possesses to human health especially when consumed in excess.
Pineapple can tenderize meat. Thus, eating too much of it can tenderize the mouth, tongue, lips, or cheeks. However, this is usually not a fatal condition but if it persists or leads to other complications such as breathing difficulties, rashes, and all, you should get medical attention.
If consumed in excess, a high level of vitamin C can cause abdominal pains, diarrhea, heartburn, and feeling nauseous.
Where bromelain is high, skin rashes could result. Also, consumption of unripe pineapple is extremely dangerous to the body.
Before now if you think pineapples grow on trees, you are wrong. They grow on the center-stalk of a large plant that shares a resemblance with a sword. Pineapple belongs to the bromeliad family just like other plants like the Vriesea, Guzmania, and the Tillandsia. They are typically known for their stout growth which is not usually beyond ground level with fruits budging from the center. Only the pineapple produces edible fruits from this family. Others produce flowers and serve as decorative plants for the garden.
Nutritionally, the pineapple is composed of a variety of nutritional elements. There’s an acute presence of vitamin C, manganese, fiber, sodium, and potassium. According to the Department of Agriculture, US, the nutritional value of pineapple include the following; a single chunk of pineapple contains 74mg of calories, 0 fats, 2mg of sodium, 0 cholesterol, 206 mg of potassium, 19.5g of carbohydrates, 13.7g of sugar, 28g of vitamin C, 1g of protein and 21mg of calcium. Albeit, it should be pointed out that the nutritional value for raw pineapples is different from that of processed pineapple drinks which are usually high in calories and sugar.
Now On What Pineapple Does to Your Body
The many benefits of pineapple cannot be exhausted. It is enormous. The pineapple is a compendium of essential vitamins and minerals needed by the human body for healthy dietary needs and general wellness. Here are some of the benefits of the pineapple:
Vitamin C helps you to fight heart diseases
Generally, vitamins are reputable for the good role they play in the body. They help regulate blood flow, improve blood clotting, aid vision, enhance the body’s defense mechanisms to fight against external invasion of germs, bacteria, and viruses. Specifically, vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant. It plays a helpful role in protecting the heart against cardio-illnesses. Also, it significantly increases ferritin and iron concentration in the body.
Reduces the risk of macular degeneration
As people age, their vision becomes impaired. One of such diseases that affects the eyes is known as macular degeneration. It affects the center of the eyes hence, producing no vision at all or blurred vision. It happens when the macula of the retina is damaged. The presence of high vitamin C levels in pineapple helps to prevent this too.
It aids digestion
There’s the presence of bromelain in pineapple, unlike other fruits or vegetables. This is one of the reasons why the pineapple is unique. The bromelain enzyme helps to break down protein in the body as such, it aids digestion. Apart from this, the enzyme has been proven to be helpful in the treatment of osteoarthritis which is a disease that affects the knee, thumb, hip, or thigh joints hence, causing pain and stiffness.
Helps you stand tall and stay strong
Pineapple contains a significant amount of manganese which is helpful for the development of stronger bones and connective tissues in the body. Thus, supplementing a balanced diet with a chunk of pineapple helps you to guarantee the health protection and development of stronger bones.
Reduces inflammation and tumors
Studies show that bromelain and other related enzymes are helpful in the treatment of inflammation and tumors. The implication of this is simply that if you eat a considerate amount of pineapple, cancerous tumors can be melted.
Having considered some of the benefits of pineapple to the body, let’s also consider some of the risks it possesses to human health especially when consumed in excess.
Pineapple can tenderize meat. Thus, eating too much of it can tenderize the mouth, tongue, lips, or cheeks. However, this is usually not a fatal condition but if it persists or leads to other complications such as breathing difficulties, rashes, and all, you should get medical attention.
If consumed in excess, a high level of vitamin C can cause abdominal pains, diarrhea, heartburn, and feeling nauseous.
Where bromelain is high, skin rashes could result. Also, consumption of unripe pineapple is extremely dangerous to the body.
