Pineapple -- Facts, usage and health benefits

     I'm really a pineapple lover ever since. From the juice to the flesh, it's refreshing taste makes it all that good not to mention its health benefits.

     When I was a kid, as I have grown up in the Philippines, we can just afford to eat pineapples once in awhile as we can only buy the fresh fruit in a public market as we used to do marketing just once a week. During those time, canned pineapples are not yet available so my parents will have to do the removing of the pineapple's crown, skin and the eyes. It was indeed a quite hard time to spend before we can eat pineapple yet rewarding.

      Time and technology really did a lot of things in many things even in the production of our ever favorite fruit. Ready-to-eat pineapple in cans are now available everywhere (department/convenient stores, 7-11s, mini stops, gobblers, etc.), no need to spend time to have it; Ready-to-drink Pineapple juice likewise is phenomenal everywhere as once of good sources of Vitamin C and cancer-preventing agent. From oldies to kids, from all walks of life, most are turning Pineapple as a habit to a healthy living.

      Below are some of the research I make for all you guys about this naturally-good thing stuff -- Pineapple.

Common Name: Pineapple

Scientific Name: Ananas comosus

Wikipedia Definition: a tropical plant with edible multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries, named for resemblance to the pine cone, is the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae family. Pineapples may be cultivated from a crown cutting of the fruit, possibly flowering in 20–24 months and fruiting in the following six months. Pineapple may be consumed fresh, canned, juiced, and are found in a wide array of food stuffs – dessert, fruit salad, jam, yogurt, ice cream, candy, and as a complement to meat dishes. In addition to consumption, in the Philippines the pineapple's leaves are used as the source of a textile fiber called piña, and is employed as a component of wall paper and furnishings, amongst other uses.

Nutrition Facts: Raw pineapple is an excellent source of manganese (76% Daily Value (DV) in a one US cup serving) and vitamin C (131% DV per cup serving).

Mainly from its stem, pineapple contains a proteolytic enzyme, bromelain, which breaks down protein. If having sufficient bromelain content, raw pineapple juice may be used as a meat marinade and tenderizer. Pineapple enzymes can interfere with the preparation of some foods, such as jelly or other gelatin-based desserts, but would be destroyed during cooking and canning. The quantity of bromelain in the fruit is probably not significant, being mostly in the inedible stalk. Furthermore, an ingested enzyme like bromelain is unlikely to survive intact the proteolytic processes of digestion.

7 Benefits of eating pineapples:

1. Packed with Vitamins and Minerals

Pineapples are loaded with vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. It is also rich in fiber and calories. On top of it all, this fruit is low in fat and cholesterol. All the nutrients it contains promote good health.

2. Prevents Cough and Colds

Since pineapples are rich in vitamin C, it can fight off viruses that cause cough and colds. Even when you are already infected with such ailment, pineapples can help you. These fruits have bromelain, which is effective in suppressing coughs and loosening mucus. Eating pineapples while taking the right medications prescribed by the doctor for your sickness can help you recover more quickly.

3. Strengthens Bones

Pineapples are also popular for their ability to build and maintain strong bones. This is because these fruits contain manganese, which is a trace mineral that your body needs to build bones and connective tissues. In fact, if you consume a cup of pineapple, you can already get 73 percent of your total body requirement for manganese.

4. Keeps Gums Healthy

People are always very concerned with their teeth that they sometimes fail to give importance to the gums, which are equally essential since they hold the teeth in place. If a person has unhealthy gums, his/her teeth would be in bad condition, and eventually will fall out. Eating pineapple will strengthen your gums that will help keep your teeth healthy and strong.

5. Lowers Risk of Mascular Degeneration

Pineapples are known to prevent different kinds of ailments. One example is mascular degeneration. This disease, which is the primary cause of vision loss in adults, is caused by damage to the retina. Reading, recognizing faces, and doing daily activities can become a lot more difficult because of this problem. Including pineapple in your diet can lower risk of this disease by as much as 36 percent. This is because this fruit contains beta carotene that is good for our sense of sight.

6. Alleviates Arthritis

Since these fruits have anti-inflammatory qualities, eating pineapples can greatly alleviate the pain of arthritis while at the same time improve the condition by strengthening the bones. Apart from arthritis, it can also improve other similar conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and gout.

7. Improves Digestion

Bromelain found in pineapples work to neutralize fluids to ensure that they are not too acidic. It also helps regulate the secretions in the pancreas to aid in digestion. Apart from that, since bromelain has protein-digesting properties, it can keep the digestive track healthy.

8. It lessens risk of hypertension

Hypertension occurs when too much force is exerted on the artery walls while the blood circulates. One of the best ways to combat this is to infuse a high amount of potassium plus a small amount of sodium in your diet to lower blood pressure. Pineapples are the perfect for hypertension because a cup of pineapple contains about 1 mg of sodium and 195 mg of potassium.

9. It helps you lose weight

Eating pineapple can highly cut down your sweet cravings because of its natural sweetness, saving you from a lot of sugar-induced calories. Incorporating a lot of pineapple in your meals will also help a lot in weight loss because pineapples can make you feel full without giving you an ounce of fat.

10. It maintains good eye health

Time and again, studies have found that pineapples protect against age-related eye problems because it is rich in antioxidants.

11. It fights a lot of diseases, being rich in Vitamin C

Pineapples are known to be a very good source of vitamin C, which protects our bodies from free radicals that attack our healthy cells. Lots of free radicals in the body can lead to major diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and various cancers. Vitamin C is considered the most important water-soluble anti-oxidant that fights against disease-inducing substances within the body. It is also an excellent fighter against flu and a great enhancer of the immune system.

12. It keeps your skin beautiful!

Pineapple contains enzymes that make skin elastic, improve skin hydration, and remove damaged and dead cells. Thus, it helps us achieve a clear and glowing complexion. The enzymes in pineapples also fight free-radical damage and can reduce age spots and fine lines.

Side Effects:

1. Pineapple may show allergic reactions in some people in the form of temporary swelling on lips accompanied by rash

2. Excess consumption may result in diarrhea and extreme menstrual bleeding

3. Excess consumption may also lead to miscarriages in pregnant women

4. Consumption of unripe pineapple may have serious complications


Some Uses:

1. Pineapple is eaten fresh, and served sliced, chunked, or as juice.
2. Pineapple is a favorite when processed into marmalades, jam, jellies, or candies.
3. Pineapple oil or essence is also used as flavoring for confectionery.
4. Meat dishes and curries become tastier with the fruit of the pineapple added.
5. Nata de Piña is a gelatinous product of the fermented fruit pulp which is eaten by itself as a sweet or mixed with fruit salad or halo-halo - a delicious mixture of various sweets.
6. Pineapple has long served medicinal purposes in folk medicine: It was found to arouse appetite;
7. the unripe fruit was effective as diuretic and contraceptive in the expulsion of intestinal worms.
8. Some scientists found in its leaves possible cure for venereal diseases.
9. The crown or leaves of the plant also serve as raw material for wallpaper and furnishings.
10. The waste from canning can be further processed into animal feed.
11. But the most remarkable non-food use of the pineapple, which is associated only in the Philippines, is the fabric woven from the fibers extracted from its leaves.

So there you go guys, Pineapple is one of the best thing so very available everywhere to keep us healthy and beautifully.

Sources: 

1. Wikipedia 

2. "7 Health Benefits of Eating Pineapples" http://www.3fatchicks.com/7-health-benefits-of-eating-pineapples/, 

3. "Pineapple: Medicinal Uses, Health Benefits & Side Effects" http://cvsingh.hubpages.com/hub/Pineapple-Medicinal-Uses-and-Health-Benefits
4. "7 Benefits of Pineapples" http://skinbeautifulblog.wordpress.com/2008/05/13/7-benefits-of-pineapple/
5. "Uses (of Pineapple)" http://bicol.da.gov.ph/Opportunities/pineapple%20profile/topic3.html