There’s nothing quite like a glass of pineapple juice: sweet, tangy and delicious. Fresh pineapple juice is the favorite of many but not everybody knows all the amazing health benefits of pineapple juice.
Pineapple fruit contain bromelain, Vitamin C, B Vitamins (Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B1) and beta-carotene – all essential ingredients for a healthy diet!
This article will explain why this may be the perfect fruit juice for you, by laying out the health benefits; the possible side effects of pineapple juice; when you should drink it; and how to make it yourself, which is the best way to get all of the bromelain that I mentioned earlier.
Read on to find out more!
In This Article
1. It’s an Anti-Inflammatory
Remember I mentioned something called bromelain? Well, bromelain has anti-inflammatory properties. Early studies have actually shown that bromelain could be a promising treatment for osteoarthritis. So having pineapple juice regularly could be good if you suffer from joint pain.
Anti-inflammatories have lots of other benefits too. Some evidence suggests that inflammation could be a cause of depression. It could also affect how successful antidepressants can be. Pineapple juice could help relieve the symptoms of depression and make you feel happier.
The enzyme bromelain is most commonly found in the very centre of a pineapple but, unfortunately, this bit can taste pretty bad. However, juicing a pineapple can eliminate this taste issue, while ensuring you get all the nutrition you’re looking for.
2. It’s Good For Asthma
Beta-carotene is an excellent antioxidant and is present in pineapple juice. A study showed that beta-carotene increased the quality of life experienced by asthma sufferers. The conductors of the study looked at things like asthma triggers, symptoms and how often sufferers needed a last-minute appointment with a doctor.
This can be excellent news if you suffer from asthma, since it can be an incredibly draining condition to have.
Additionally, some studies have indicated that beta-carotene can suppress the the growth of prostate and ovarian cancer cells. However, I mention this carefully, since a lot more research need to be conducted to understand the links between pineapple juice and cancerous cells.
3. It Reduces Bloating and Constipation
Bromelain is back to save the day again, this time by easing digestion.
It soothes your digestive tract, which relieves bloating and indigestion. It helps your stomach digest proteins, which makes the way you digest your food much quicker and more pleasant.
4. It’s Good For Your Heart
I mentioned briefly earlier that eating pineapple is a great way to get your Vitamin C. This can be excellent for your cardiovascular health!
In fact, one study showed that increased consumption of Vitamin C can reduce your likelihood of developing coronary heart disease, which also reduces your chances of having heart attacks or strokes.
If you pair pineapple juice with some orange juice, in a different juice recipe or smoothie, you could be on to a winner.
5. It Boosts Your Immune System
A study done on school children in the Philippines measured the effects of giving kids a cup of pineapple a day.
The results?
A huge boost in the immune system! This means that pineapple juice could help protect you against bacterial and viral infections, which are particularly dangerous for children.
Fancy staying nice and healthy next winter? Drink your pineapple juice!
6. It’s Good For Your Skin
The nutritional benefits of pineapple juice aren’t just good for your insides – your skin will thank you for it too.
Vitamin C is amazing for looking after your skin. It helps to protect the surface of your skin from free radicals, which can cause discoloration or degradation. These free radicals are created by pollution, so protecting your skin against them will keep it looking bright and youthful.
Lots of expensive skin serums use Vitamin C as a key ingredient, so why not enjoy the benefits of pineapple juice instead? Much better value!
7. It Prevents Cataracts
Vitamin C is proving to be somewhat of a magic ingredient. Cataracts can be a debilitating condition, since they reduce your ability to see and require surgery to remove.
Vitamin C, and manganese, which is also found in pineapple juice, can help prevent cataracts. If you’re drinking pineapple juice regularly, then you’re ensuring your future eye health.
8. It’s Good For Bones
Speaking of manganese, did you know it’s also essential to keeping bones healthy?
Manganese functions with copper, zinc and calcium to maintain bone density – this is what gives you strong bones.
Maintaining bone density is particularly important for elderly people, whose bones can be more brittle and break more easily.
A study was carried out that found the bone density of a woman was increased over a one-year period when it was supplemented with boron and Vitamin D.
Bone health is extremely important, so pineapple juice should definitely be part of your health care routine.
9. It Can Help You Sleep
Having pineapple juice before bed can be a great sleep aid, since it helps you drift off naturally and gently to sleep.
This is because pineapple juice can help release melatonin, which is a hormone in your body that tells you it’s time to sleep. It creates that sleepy feeling you get when it starts to get dark.
However, drinking pineapple juice during the day won’t leave you feeling tired. Natural daylight counteracts the melatonin.
For optimum results, drink some pineapple juice an hour or two before you go to sleep.
Does Pineapple Juice Help With a Cough?
It’s quite a common assumption across all the tropical fruits that they are good for relieving cold and flu symptoms. But is it true?
Well, unfortunately the jury’s out when it comes to pineapple juice. No one can be sure one way or the other.
There is one study which suggests that pairing pineapple with salt can thin out the mucus that builds in your throat, which makes it easier to cough up. If you’re able to cough it up, you can get rid of it and recover more quickly.
However, it should be noted that this study was focused on tuberculosis – not the common cold.
So it’s difficult to say. However, a range of pineapple juice benefits have been scientifically proven, so including it in your everyday diet will undoubtedly improve your overall health.
If you want to try pineapple juice next time you have a cold, then consider mixing it with some salt, honey and lemon. Just make sure you go easy on the salt!
Does Pineapple Juice Have Side Effects?
There are two main issues to consider when it comes to the negatives of pineapple juice.
The first is if you’re allergic – a fairly obvious one. If you have a latex allergy, then you’re actually more likely to also be allergic to pineapple.
If you’re experiencing unpleasant symptoms when you have pineapple or pineapple juice, please stop taking it! Go and speak to your doctor.
The only other thing to be aware of with pineapple juice, is mouth ulcers.
Pineapple juice is quite acidic, so drinking too much of it too regularly can lead to mouth ulcers. These are by no means life-threatening, but can still be painful.
How To Make Pineapple Juice
Pineapple juice is actually really simple to make, provided you’ve got a juicer. If you don’t, then I’d recommend this Omega juicer.
Also, if you want to try to make pineapple juice in a blender, rather than in a juicer, then have a look at the article linked for pineapple juice recipes.
I’ve put together some simple steps you can follow to make your own fresh pineapple juice at home:
- Step 1: Chop the top and bottom off the ripe pineapple.
- Step 2: Stand the pineapple upright and chop down all the skin, removing it.
- Step 3: Chop around the core, separating the pineapple flesh. Optional: Cut into pineapple chunks
- Step 4: Put the flesh in the juicer. You can also include the core in your juice if you want to, since it is high in bromelain.
- Step 5: Serve with ice cubes and enjoy the refreshing drink!
The nutrition facts about pineapple juice can’t be disputed – it’s awesome! From the pina colada to the fresh fruit smoothie, it’s versatile and incredibly tasty.
Leave a Reply