5 Reasons Why Pineapples Are Good For Your Health

A native fruit of brazil, pineapple was introduced to India by the Portuguese, around 1548 AD. Laden with vitamins, enzymes and antioxidants, pineapple offers potential health benefits for issues related to immunity, bone density, digestion, inflammation and skin related issues amongst other benefits.

Pineapple is also known as Ananas comosus and it is an edible, sweet and healthy tropical fruit. This fruit has a spiky, tough skin. Pineapple is made of several individual berries that grow together around a central core.

# Strengthen bones

The manganese-rich content of pineapple aids in strengthening the bones. Manganese helps maintain bone strength and enhances bone mineral density. It may help prevent osteoporosis.

# Aids In digestion

1. Pineapple contains abundant fibre, bromelain, and vitamin C which helps in smooth digestion.

2. Pineapples are rich in bromelain which decreases inflammatory immune cells that damage the digestive tract lining.

3. Bromelain also helps in breaking down proteins which help in digestion, particularly in people suffering from pancreatic insufficiency.

4. Bromelain decreases gut inflammation in people suffering from inflammatory bowel disorders.

5. The fiber and water content of pineapple helps prevent constipation.

# Reduces the risk to cancers

1. Pineapple is an excellent source of vitamin C, a strong antioxidant that fights against the formation of free radicals thus, reducing the risk of cancers.

2. One of the compounds, bromelain present in pineapple helps fight cancers. Bromelain suppresses the growth of cancers in the skin, breast, bile duct, colon, and gastric system. It also eliminates cancer cells and reduces the size of tumours.

3. The beta-carotene content of pineapple protects against prostate cancer.

4. Ananas juice helps to suppress the growth of colon and ovarian cancer cells.

# Good for eye health

1. The high source of vitamin C and numerous antioxidants helps in good vision.

2. Regular intake of pineapple reduces the risk and slows the progression of age-related macular degeneration.

3. The vitamin C content of pineapples decreases the risk of cataract progression.

# Other possible benefits

Apart from the health benefits mentioned above, it also produces few more such as it boosts immunity, suppresses inflammation, eases symptoms of arthritis, speeds recovery after surgery, treats cold and cough, strengthens gums, prevents hypertension, reduces the risk of blood clots and prevents nausea.