Pineapple is delicious, juicy and nutritious fruit. It is eaten raw and also as juice, jams, jellies and squashes. Pineapple is a tropical fruit indigenous to South America. It is the third most produced tropical fruit after banana and citrus. In India, it is cultivated in mostly in Tamil Nadu, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal, Tripura and Orissa.
Pineapple fruit is not produced from single flower, but from about 200 or more flowers. It is multiple fruit consisting of numerous combined berries. The individual flower produce fruit and several similar fruits are joined to form a pineapple fruit.
Bromelain which is proteolytic enzyme is derived from stem and fruit of pineapple plant. It has anti-inflammatory, smooth muscle relaxant, digester, blood platelet aggregation inhibiting actions.
Vernacular Names
English: Pineapple Hindi: Ananas Telugu: Annasapandu Sanskrit: Anamnasam, Bahunetraphalam, Unani: Anannaas Siddha/Tamil: Annanshippazham, Annas
Nutritional Value of Pineapple
Pineapple is excellent source of vitamin C and manganese. Manganese is required by body for strong bones, energy production and body immunity. It is a very good source of copper also. It provides fair amount of vitamin B1, vitamin B6, folate and fiber. If you are eating 1 cup pineapple pieces you will get about 79mg Vitamin C, 2mg of manganese and 0.18mg of copper. It gives about seventy three percent of daily required manganese. The fruit’s richness in beta-carotene protects eyes.
Pineapple fruit contains very low amount of cholesterol and fat. Pineapple is a source of proteolytic enzyme bromelain.
Health benefits of Pineapple eating
Pineapple contains sulfur containing proteolytic enzyme bromelain. Proteolytic enzymes are those enzymes which helps in the breakdown and assimilation of proteins. Bromelain breaks complex proteins and improves digestion. It also reduces the acidity of the body fluids. Bromelain reduces inflammation. If you are eating, pineapple to reduce body swelling/inflammation, which can be due to several reasons such as arthritis, gout, rheumatism, sore throat, sinusitis, etc. then it should be eaten alone or as breakfast otherwise the enzyme will be used in food digestion.
Pineapple is full of taste and nutrition. Pineapple is good natural source of vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, potassium, thiamine and fibres.
It is an anti-oxidant that improves immunity against diseases. Vitamin C helps to prevent recurrent respiratory infections.
Fibre content of pineapple gives relief in constipation or hardness of stool.
Pineapple is a blood thinner and prevents blood clotting.
Pineapple removes toxins from the body and reduces obesity. It improves digestion, metabolism and assimilation.
Pineapple fruit is highly recommended in arthritis, rheumatism, gout and similar conditions due to its swelling reducing and pain relieving properties.
Pineapple is indicated in constipation, fluid retention, diarrhea, painful periods, painful urination, fever, gas, piles, jaundice, stones, obesity, ulcers and rheumatism.
Who should not eat pineapple?
Pineapple should be avoided by people suffering from kidney, the liver diseases and haemophilia.
Pineapple increases blood flow in pelvic region. It has fertility reducing and estrogenic effect. High level of estrogen (a female hormone) causes the start of menstrual cycle and pineapple produces similar effect in the body. Due to this reason, pineapple is recommended in amenorrhea and restricted in pregnancy. It is one fruit that should not be consumed during pregnancy. Although some people say it is safe to eat pineapple in small amount during pregnancy.
Few side effects of pineapple eating are allergy, diarrhea, GI problems, metrorrhagia/ abnormal bleeding from the womb, nausea, and vomiting.
Pineapple can be eaten by diabetic people?
Pineapple is juicy, tangy and delicious fruit but are they good for diabetic people ? Yes if eaten in limited(prescribed) quantity.
It is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Thiamin, Vitamin B6 and Copper, and a very good source of Vitamin C and Manganese. Only bad thing about this fruit for diabetic people is A large portion of the calories in this food come from sugars and sugars(carbohydrate) is bad for diabetes.
In diabetes it is myth that diabetic people should not eat Sapodilla(sweet fruits). Fact is that total amount of carbohydrate in a food affect blood sugar is more than other sources of carbohydrate like sugar. For diabetic people one serving of fruit should contain 15 gm carbohydrate. The size of the serving depends on the carbohydrate content of the fruit. If some fruit contains less carbohydrate then that can be eaten in more quantity.
About 125 gm cubed Pineapple contains 15 gm carbohydrate, which is about 3/4 cup cubed Pineapple.
3/4 cup (125 grams) cubed Pineapple is source of 15 gm carbohydrate. So you can eat about 3/4 cup Pineapple . but you have to cut other carbohydrate intake to balance your diet.