Health benefits of pineapple

17 Oct 2013 (Health Me Up): Pineapple is one the best fruits to fight free radicals and is also good for those with arthritis. Nutritionist, Suman Agarwal who is also a fitness consultant and founder of Selfcare in Mumbai lists the benefits of pineapple.

She says that pineapple is a neglected fruit, but it has nutrients that are not common in other fruits, "Pineapple is a unique fruit - it is actually multiple fruits fused together. When you have a slice of pineapple you experience a burst of different flavours - sweet, salty and tangy. You can eat pineapple anyway you like. For example, juice it, pulp it or make a refreshing mocktail. Canned pineapple can be a great topping for cakes and desserts. Different parts of a pineapple; skin, core etc. are used in the production of vinegar, alcohol and animal food."

Nutritionist, Suman Agarwal breaks down the benefits of pineapple based on its nutrients, "Pineapple is highly rich in vitamin C and so acts as a great antioxidant, which prevents colds and flu. It is also a good source of thiamine, B12, folate, copper and dietary fibres. A few slices of pineapple a day in your meal can work wonders for your body and it is a good choice for weight watchers due to its low calorie content (100gm pine apple= 50Kcall)."

Besides helping you lose weight, pineapple has an important nutrient that reduces arthritic pain, Suman explains, "Bromelain is a magical component which is present in the fruit that has many health benefits. Although it is present in the entire fruit, the stem of a pinappple has the most amount of bromelain."

She goes to explain how the stem reduces pain, "Bromelain extracts aid in digestion and act as an anti-inflammatory agent thus in turn it helps with arthritis pain. Bromelain extracts are now available in form of capsules. Being a proteolytic enzyme, bromelin helps to tenderise your meats by breaking down the protein in it, but remember bromelain can coagulate the milk and prevent the jelly to set hence remember if you want to make a pineapple milkshake you need to cook it to destroy the bromelain content."

But moderation is the key to good health, likewise gluttonous consumption of pineapple has negative side effects. Nutritionist informs, "Consuming excess amount of pineapple can lead to irritation and soreness in mouth due to high acid content hence portion control is important."

Pineapple is one of the best fruits to consume this season. Hydrate, lose weight and improve your complexion with pineapple.

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