HISTORY
The pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a tropical plant with an edible fruit and is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceous. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been cultivated for many centuries. The introduction of the pineapple to Europe in the 17th century made it a significant cultural icon of luxury. Since the 1820s, pineapple has been commercially grown in greenhouses and many tropical plantations. Further, it is the third most important tropical fruit in the world production. In the 20th century, Hawaii was a dominant producer of pineapples, especially for the US. However, by 2016, Costa Rica, Brazil, and the Philippines accounted for nearly one-third of the world’s production of pineapples.
NATURE
Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is an incredibly delicious and healthy tropical fruit. It originated in South America, where early European explorers named it after its resemblance to a pinecone. This popular fruit is packed with nutrients, antioxidants and other helpful compounds, such as enzymes that can fight inflammation and disease. Pineapples grow as a small shrub; the individual flowers of the unpollinated plant fuse to form a multiple fruit. The ovaries develop into berries, which coalesce into a large, compact, multiple fruit. The fruit of a pineapple is usually arranged in two interlocking helices, often with 8 in one direction and 13 in the other, each being a Fibonacci number. The plant is normally propagated from the offset produced at the top of the fruit, or from a side shoot, and typically mature within a year.
Raw pineapple pulp is 86% water, 13% carbohydrates, 0.5% protein, and contains negligible fat. In a 100-gram reference amount, raw pineapple supplies 209 kilojoules (50 kilocalories) of food energy, and is a rich source of manganese (44% Daily Value, DV) and vitamin C (58% DV), but otherwise contains no micronutrients in significant amounts. Pineapple and its compounds have been linked to many health benefits, including aiding digestion, boosting immunity and speeding up recovery from surgery, among others.
- Loaded with Nutrients. Pineapples are low in calories but have an incredibly impressive nutrient profile. One cup of pineapple chunks contains the following Calories: 82.5, Fat: 1.7 grams, Protein: 1 gram, Carbs: 21.6 grams ,Fiber: 2.3 grams, Vitamin C: 131% of the RDI, Manganese: 76% of the RDI, Vitamin B6: 9% of the RDI, Copper: 9% of the RDI , Thiamin: 9% of the RDI, Folate: 7% of the RDI, Potassium: 5% of the RDI, Magnesium: 5% of the RDI, Niacin: 4% of the RDI, Pantothenic acid: 4% of the RDI, Riboflavin: 3% of the RDI, Iron: 3% of the RDI. Pineapples also contain trace amounts of vitamins A and K, phosphorus, zinc and calcium. They are especially rich in vitamin C and manganese, providing 131% and 76% of the daily recommendations, respectively. Vitamin C is essential for growth and development, a healthy immune system and aiding the absorption of iron from the diet. Meanwhile, manganese is a naturally occurring mineral that aids growth, maintains a healthy metabolism and has antioxidant properties.
- May Help Reduce the Risk of Cancer
Cancer is a chronic disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth. Its progression is commonly linked to oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. Several studies have shown that pineapple and its compounds may reduce the risk of cancers. This is because they may minimize oxidative stress and reduce inflammation. One of these compounds is the group of digestive enzymes called bromelain. Test-tube studies have shown that bromelain may also help fight cancer. For instance, two test-tube studies showed that bromelain suppressed the growth of breast cancer cells and stimulated cell death. Other test-tube studies show that bromelain suppresses cancer in the skin, bile duct, gastric system and colon, among other areas. Test-tube and animal studies have found that bromelain may stimulate the immune system to produce molecules that make white blood cells more effective at suppressing cancer cell growth and eliminating cancer cells.
Pineapples have been a part of traditional medicine for centuries. They contain a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and enzymes like bromelain that may collectively boost immunity and suppress inflammation. One nine-week study fed 98 healthy children either no pineapple, some pineapple (140g) or lots of pineapple (280g) daily to see if it boosted their immunity. Children who ate pineapples had a significantly lower risk of both viral and bacterial infections. Also, children who ate the most pineapple had close to four times more disease-fighting white blood cells (granulocytes) than the other two groups. Another study found that children with a sinus infection recovered significantly faster while taking a bromelain supplement, compared to a standard treatment or combination of the two. What’s more, studies have shown that bromelain can reduce markers of inflammation. It’s believed that these anti-inflammatory properties aid the immune system.
Arthritis affects over 54 million adults in the US alone. There are many types of arthritis, but most of them involve inflammation in the joints. Since pineapples contain bromelain, which has anti-inflammatory properties, it’s commonly thought that they may provide pain relief for those with inflammatory arthritis. Several recent studies have looked into the effectiveness of bromelain for treating arthritis. One study in patients with osteoarthritis found that taking a digestive enzyme supplement containing bromelain helped relieve pain as effectively as common arthritis medicines like diclofenac. Furthermore, one review analyzed bromelain’s ability to treat osteoarthritis. It concluded that bromelain has the potential to relieve arthritis symptoms, especially in the short term. However, it’s not clear if bromelain can be a long-term treatment for arthritis symptoms. Longer studies are needed before recommending bromelain to relieve arthritis symptoms.
- May Speed Recovery After Surgery or Strenuous Exercise.
Eating pineapples may reduce the time it takes to recover from surgery or exercise. This is largely due to the anti-inflammatory properties of bromelain. Several studies have shown that bromelain may reduce the inflammation, swelling, bruising and pain that often occurs after surgery. It also seems to reduce markers of inflammation. Strenuous exercise can also damage muscle tissue and cause surrounding inflammation. Affected muscles cannot produce as much force and are sore for up to three days. Proteases like bromelain are believed to speed up the recovery of damage caused by strenuous exercise by reducing inflammation around the damaged muscle tissue.
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