It's not just delicious, it's also a great immune system booster.
Packed with vitamins, enzymes, and antioxidants, pineapples are exceptionally good at boosting your immune system.
“Pineapples contain high amounts of vitamin C and manganese,” said nutritionist Laura Flores to Live Science. Both of which are vital for antioxidant defenses, with manganese being especially important in healthy bone and connective tissue development.
Furthermore, pineapples are high in fibre - essential for healthy bowel movements. They also contain thiamin, a type of vitamin B involved in energy production, and bromelain, an important enzyme for digestion. The fruit is cholesterol-free, fat-free, and has low amounts of sodium. Pineapples are also low in calories.
Studies have shown that eating pineapple reduces your risk of multiple diseases, including reducing the risk of diabetes in postmenopausal women. Thanks to the fruit’s high vitamin C content and antioxidant abilities, your chance of getting macular degeneration is also decreased, the leading cause of blindness in older people.
As manganese helps increase bone strength, risks of osteoporosis is decreased. Plus, the fruit contains high amounts of bromelain which has myriad disease-fighting properties, being found to be useful in treating osteoarthritis, cancer, and decreasing the risk of blood clots.
But make sure you eat it fresh. The nutritional profile for canned pineapple is different from raw pineapple. According to the USDA, canned pineapple is typically higher in calories and higher in sugar. It also contains fewer vitamins and minerals.
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