Health & Nutrition :

Pineapple: Sweet with Secret Health Benefits?

Posted In: Health & Nutrition, Health & Wellness, Recipes : 1/6/2012

Pineapple is a delicious treat as a snack or in a savory dish.

It provides our taste buds with a little sweet and tart flavor, while also providing many healthy and nutritional benefits for our whole body.

Pineapples are packed full of an enzyme called “bromelain”, which aids in the digestion of protein and can help in preventing blood clot formation.

You may be surprised to know that you can find these many vitamins and minerals in fresh pineapple:

Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Calcium
Phosphorus
Potassium

The enzyme bromelain has been found to be a helpful anti-inflammatory, beneficial in reducing swelling, and assisting with conditions like acute sinusitis, sore throat, arthritis and gout. To gain the maximum benefit of the bromelain, it is recommended that you eat pineapple between meals and without other food.

Because pineapple is loaded with vitamin C, it helps fight against free-radicals that can attack healthy cells. A build-up of free radicals can lead to things like heart problems, an increase in asthma attacks, and a risk of developing certain cancers, such as colon cancer. Let’s not forget how beneficial vitamin C is in fighting against colds and the flu!

The next time you take a bite of fresh pineapple, think about these many ways that pineapple can help your body: