Pineapple Nutrition Includes a High Portion of Vitamin C
Although pineapples have been around for centuries, the benefits in terms of pineapple nutrition are just really being studied now. The pineapple is a delicious tropical fruit that is sweet and full of vitamins and minerals.
There are many different kinds of pineapples, but the one most found in grocery stores in the United States is the Smooth Cayenne pineapple. Although worldwide, U.S. production of pineapples has decreased dramatically, the majority in the U.S. still come from Hawaii. When you buy one of these pineapples and eat it you are getting some valuable pineapple nutrition. For instance, one cup of a pineapple cut in chunks has 131 percent of our daily need for vitamin C. Two slices of the super Maui Gold pineapple have 100% of our daily vitamin C. Vitamin C has many benefits, including strengthening the immune system to help protect against viruses and infections.
Other vitamins and minerals in Pineapple
Pineapples have a wealth of other vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B6, thiamin, manganese, and copper. It has smaller amounts of calcium, zinc, iron, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Another positive aspect of pineapple nutrition is the fact that it is low in cholesterol, saturated fat, and sodium. It also has a good amount of dietary fiber which is needed for a healthy digestive tract. Because the pineapple is not eaten with the skin on like many fruits, you don’t have to worry about chemical or insecticide exposure to the fruit itself.
A negative aspect of pineapple nutrition
There is really only one negative aspect of pineapple nutrition and that is really both a positive and a negative. It is very, very sweet, which makes a pineapple taste delicious but also means it has high sugar content. This makes it necessary for you to be careful about how much you eat at one time, especially if you have diabetes. A pineapple is 94% carbohydrate. It has only 2% fat content.
Health Benefits of Pineapple Bromelain
One ingredient that pineapple has that has many health benefits is bromelain, which is a mix of protein-digesting enzymes that have been found to have benefits in the treatment of a wide range of illnesses and conditions. Many of these are still being researched but include reducing inflammation, helping with healing and pain following surgery, treatment of burns, insect bites and stings, helping with diarrhea, treating arthritis and osteoporosis, nasal and sinus conditions, and infections. Bromelain has no significant benefits if you eat canned pineapple because it is made ineffective by the canning process.
Another important benefit of pineapple nutrition is that a small amount makes you fill full. That’s because pineapple has high water content. For people that are trying to lose weight, this can be important, because it makes pineapples a much more nutritious snack than potato chips or bread-related foods, and because you will feel full sooner, you won’t eat as much of it.
