The goodness of pineapple is indisputable, whether consumed as it is, inserted in centrifuged, or in some sweets and, why not, even in the preparation of savory dishes! But what is even more important is that pineapple has excellent properties and beneficial effects for our health: aphrodisiac properties, help in countering water retention, anti-inflammatory, digestive properties, and much more!
In this article we will talk about all this and more, hoping to satiate all your pineapple curiosities!
Pineapple is a tropical fruit rich in beneficial properties for our body. The plant is native to South America and belongs to the Bromeliaceae family.
There are several varieties of this plant but the best known and most consumed species is the Ananas comosus, coming from Brazil.
Nutritional Values
Pineapple is a fruit that contains few calories, therefore suitable for low-calorie diets. Very rich in water, it also contains a fair amount of carbohydrates and is low in fiber.
This fruit has a medium glycemic index, this value increases in packaged pineapple or pineapple juice. Let’s see in detail the nutritional values for 100 grams of product:
Energy: 40 kcal
- water 86.4 g
- protein 0.5 g
- available carbohydrates 10 g
- fibers 1 g
- fat 0 g
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Mineral salts in detail:
- sodium 2 mg
- potassium 250 mg
- phosphorus 8 mg
- calcium 17 mg
- iron 0.5 mg
For vitamins:
- vitamin B1 (thiamine) 0.05 mg
- vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 0.01 mg
- vitamin B3 (niacin) 0.20 mg
- vitamin A (retinol) eq. 7 μg
- vitamin C 17 mg
Pineapple is a good source of vitamin C, very important for its antioxidant function, potassium, and mineral salt involved in various physiological processes. Furthermore, in the fruit, we find bromelain, a mixture of sulfhydryl proteolytic enzymes. Various anti-inflammatory, digestive, etc. properties are ascribed to this.
Benefits Of Pineapple
The beneficial properties of pineapple are mainly due to the presence of bromelain, this substance finds applications in various fields such as food, medicine, and cosmetics.
Here are pineapple benefits:
- Help to the immune system: pineapple, in fact, contains vitamin C, a valid help for the immune system, fights free radicals, and contributes to the absorption of iron.
- Against cellulite, thanks to the enzyme bromelain, this fruit has an anti-inflammatory, decongestant action, it is able to prevent the formation of edema and decrease the existing ones. In addition, it helps to combat the risk of thrombosis. In herbal medicine, we can find products based on pineapple stems, unlike fruit, which contains many fibers. This type of product promotes digestion and drainage of liquids.
- Anti-inflammatory capacity, thanks to this property of the pineapple can also be suggested in case of rheumatoid arthritis, prostatitis, and irritable bowel syndrome.
- Treatment of asthma, thanks to the anti-inflammatory properties of pineapple, can be effective in the treatment of this chronic inflammatory pathology.
- Useful in case of sunburn, pineapple, and other yellow and red fruits and vegetables, improve the skin’s resistance to the sun because they are rich in beta-carotene, a substance useful for defending the skin from the harmful action of the sun’s rays. . In pineapple, in particular, we find bromelain, which due to its anti-inflammatory properties is useful in case of sunburn and sunburn.
- Digestive properties: pineapple is a fruit rich in digestive enzymes, in particular proteases (enzymes useful for the digestion of proteins). These enzymes are active both in the stomach and in the intestine because they are able to act in a very wide pH range. For this reason, they can be used in case of enzymatic deficiencies.
- Aphrodisiac properties: this fruit helps improve a man’s sexual performance due to the high content of bromelain which affects blood circulation and digestion. In addition, pineapple, thanks to fructose, is a regulator of sex hormones.
How To Choose And Use It
When choosing a pineapple, if it is not possible to taste it, two factors must be considered: the first is the smell, and the second is the color of the peel. The smell must be sweet and intense, while the peel must have a yellow-orange color. Avoid those with green skin because they are too unripe and those with brown skin because they are too ripe.
The Recipes
pineapple is a sweet fruit that lends itself well to the preparation of simple and light desserts, let’s see some of them:
- Tiramisu with pineapple, this tiramisu, compared to the classic variant, can be prepared without mascarpone and eggs, thus obtaining a lighter dessert.
- Pineapple upside-down cake, is a very versatile dessert suitable for breakfast, as a snack, and as a dessert. It is called inverted because during cooking the fruit is positioned under the dough rather than on top.
- Pineapple fruit skewers, dessert, and healthy snacks. Just insert some fruit cubes of your choice into the toothpicks and they are ready to taste.
- Pineapple in syrup is an easy recipe that includes: water, sugar, lemon, and of course pineapple!
- Caramelized pineapple with ice cream, the ice cream to match your taste, preferably fruit.
- Pineapple jam, recipe ingredients: cane or malt sugar, water, and vanilla beans.
Other desserts to make with pineapple can be cupcakes with coconut and pineapple flour, the tasty mimosa pineapple cake, pineapple log, and many others.
Other thirst-quenching recipes …
- Centrifuged fresh turmeric and pineapple, prepared with detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, and digestive properties or centrifuged based on pineapple, apple, and celery.
- Pineapple-flavored water with mint leaves.
Pineapple can also be used in the preparation of savory dishes, and experiment with meat dishes with pineapples, such as pineapple chicken or pineapple strips of beef. For vegetarians, pineapple tofu!
Contraindications
In some cases, however, it is better to limit or avoid the consumption of pineapples:
- pregnant or breastfeeding always ask your doctor before using bromelain-based products.
- People with peptic ulcers should limit or avoid pineapple intake.
- Care must be taken in the case in which drugs are used, in fact, pineapple interacts with drugs, such as some chemotherapy drugs.
Conclusions
Pineapple, in addition to being a tasty fruit, has significant benefits for our body. It is also very versatile in the kitchen, it is suitable for desserts, thirst-quenching drinks, and savory dishes! We have also seen that with a little patience we can also grow it at home! And now to you! Tell us what relationship you have with this fruit!
