The exceptional juiciness and the burst of flavorful freshness that balances the perfect combination of sweet and tartness, is the strange looking pineapple fruit. They have a wide cylindrical shape, a scaly green-brown-yellow skin with regal crown-like spikes of bluish green hue; fibrous yellow firm flesh to dig into!
The area closer to the base of the fruit has more of the sugar content making it sweetest and most tender around that portion.
Besides being a treat to the tongue, it has a plethora of health benefits, so read on:
Vitamin C is the body’s primary antioxidant soluble in water, protecting all aqueous areas of the body against free radicals that attack and damage healthy cells. These free radicals cause plaque build-up on the artery, causing the airway seizure leading to asthmatic attack bouts, protect the colon cells from turning cancerous and contribute to the joint pain and disability seen in arthritis. Therefore diets rich in vitamin C have been shown to be useful for preventing or reducing the severity of all of these conditions.
Blood pressure control:
Increasing potassium intake in our diet and having fruits such as pineapple which, being high in potassium can prove beneficial in lowering blood pressure.
As an excellent source of ascorbic acid- a strong antioxidant, pineapples aid in combating the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer.
Prostate cancer can be prevented by consuming a diet rich in beta carotenes.
The high fibre of pineapple is associated with a lowered risk of colon cancer.
Vitamin C is vital for the proper functioning of the immune system, making it a nutrient helpful for the prevention of recurrent ear infections, colds, and flu.
The fibre and potassium content in pineapple supports heart health.
According to studies, consumption of potassium per day in our diet had a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease compared with those who consumed less or no potassium.
According to researches, type 1 diabetics who consume pineapples in their diets had reduced blood sugar levels whereas the type 2 diabetics may have improved blood sugar level, insulin and lipid profile.
Free radicals also can damage the reproductive system; antioxidant-rich diets have been shown to improve fertility, hence consumption of pineapples battles the free radicals. The antioxidants in pineapple like vitamins C, beta-carotene, the vitamins and minerals, the copper, zinc and iron affect both male and female fertility
Muscular degeneration preventive:
Humans, especially the geriatric age group suffering with partial or complete loss of vision has shown to benefit from pineapple consumption.The primary cause of diminished vision or vision loss, being muscle degeneration. Consumption of pineapple has proven to delay this degeneration process resulting in eye power and vision loss in extreme cases.
Prevents kidney stone formation:
Pineapples benefit in preservation of bone mineral density and reduction in the formation the kidney-stone condition.
Researches have shown that the enzymes found in pineapples, especially bromelain benefits against swellings, and pain associated with injury and any surgical intervention. Bromelain is used to treat inflamed tendons, sprains, and other minor muscle also, the swelling related to throat, ear, nose surgeries or trauma.
Ascorbic acid or vitamin C when eaten in its natural form (as in pineapple) or a topical skin application finds benefits over skin damage caused by pollution or sun burn, reducing wrinkles and improve skin texture on the whole. Vitamin C also plays a pivotal role in the formation of collagen of your skin.
Enjoy your portion of pineapple fruit as it is or sprinkled with some salt and pepper ,try it out with yogurt and fennel powder or drizzle some honey or maple syrup over it, it is bound to taste wonderful. Pairing it with papaya or mango or watermelon helps balance out its acidity; nonetheless, pineapple is a delicious storehouse of several health promoting compounds benefiting in maintaining optimum health.