Pineapple Benefits

Contains Disease-Fighting Antioxidants

Pineapples are rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids. Many antioxidants in this fruit are bound. This allows the antioxidants to survive more difficult conditions in the body and produce longer lasting effects.

Its Enzymes Can Ease Digestion

Contain digestive enzymes known as bromelain. Their function is to break down molecules into their building blocks, such as amino acids and small peptides. Broken down molecules are more easily absorbed across the intestine. This may be helpful for people with pancreatic insufficiency, a condition when the pancreas cannot make enough digestive enzymes.

May Help Reduce the Risk of Cancer

Test-tube studies showed bromelain as a possible source to helping fight cancer. Two test-tube studies showed that bromelain suppressed the growth of breast cancer cells and stimulated cell death. There are other studies revealing bromelain suppressing cancer in the skin, bile duct, gastric system and colon, among other areas.

May Boost Immunity and Suppress Inflammation

Traditional medicine has used pineapples. This is due to them having a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and enzymes like bromelain that may collectively boost immunity and suppress inflammation. There are also studies showing bromelain reducing inflammation.

May Ease Symptoms of Arthritis

The bromelain in pineapples, which has anti-inflammatory properties, is thought to relieve those with inflammatory arthritis. Research has shown that bromelain has been used to relieve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, a type of arthritis that involves inflammation of the joints. There was also a review that concluded bromelain’s ability to treat osteoarthritis and that it has a possibility to relieve arthritis symptoms, especially in the short term.

May Speed Recovery after Surgery or Strenuous Exercise

Many studies show bromelain reducing inflammation, swelling, bruising and pain after surgery and may also reduce the markers of inflammation. A study showed that consuming bromelain prior to dental surgery reduced pain. It also seemed to provide similar relief as a common anti-inflammatory medicine. It is also believed that the recovery of damage caused by strenuous exercise is sped up by proteases like bromelain. A study showed that bromelain given prior to strenuous exercise resulted in less inflammation and maintained more strength afterwards. Many studies showed bromelain speeding up recovery for damaged muscles after exercise.